There is a clarification we would like to make on our article of yesterday regarding the issue of Vasco Vascotto being forced to, temporarily, put his TP52 Pisco Sour team on hold. It appears there was a certain degree of uncertainty as to the relation of Quantum Racing with it and in general with the cost-cutting measures we mentioned in the article.

First of all, at least in our opinion, it is obvious that if Vascotto has been unable to find the required funding to continue his campaign, no other team can be blamed for that. This is not even implied in our article.

Secondly, in no way whatsoever do we relate the two issues. Since we write about a team, former champion of the circuit, that is facing a tough financial situation we thought it would be wise to also comment on the cost-cutting measures the AUDI MedCup organisation is planning to implement. In this difficult global economic climate, all cost-cutting measures are welcome and the MedCup will not be alone in doing that. Just read Knut Frostad’s, Volvo Ocean Race CEO, latest interview: “We have focused on cost-cutting while safeguarding the competitive element of the event”. There is very little doubt the 34th America’s Cup, regardless of who wins the 33rd, will focus on cost savings.

Last but certainly not least, Nacho Postigo, Technical Director of the AUDI Medcup circuit, doesn’t explicitly refer to the Quantum Racing video we posted, the assumption is ours based on his words. Nor does anyone imply Quantum Racing cheated at any time. We only mention that, if the rules change as stated, this type of activity will not be allowed.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

Vasco Vascotto seems to be, unfortunately, another victim of the worldwide financial crisis that has also affected the sport of sailing. After five successful years in the TP52 Med circuit, the legendary Italian sailor took the decision to put his project temporarily on hold. Pisco Sour will not race in Cagliari, according to an article published by our friend Juanpa Cadario, bowman of Pisco Sour and South America’s most influential blogger.

Vascotto’s Pisco Sour took part in the first two event of the 2009 AUDI MedCup, in Alicante and Marseille but the absence of a sponsor makes it impossible to continue. The boat’s modifications last winter as well as the campaign this year has been entirely financed by Vascotto himself. The boat will remain in Sardinia, in case a last-minute sponsor signs up.

Unless there is some last-minute addition there will be 10 TP52 yachts in the starting line in Cagliari, unfortunately, less than exactly 4 years ago when, in their maiden year, a total of 11 TP52 boats raced in the Copa del Rey in Palma.

Maybe in that spirit and in an effort to impose even stringer cost-cutting measures, the AUDI Medcup made it clear last week that they would even modify the sailing instruction of the next events in other to put a lid on practices that increase costs and widen the gap between the haves and have-nots of the Med sailing circuit.

Both Alicante’s historic Castillo Santa Barbara and Marseille’s Romano-Byzantine Notre Dame de La Garde basilica which built by the architect Esperandieu, sit atop their own iconic mountains which overlook the race course areas, great vantage points for the casual spectator, but there have been widespread rumours of teams using these for purposes other than sightseeing, studying architecture, prayers, or strength and fitness work. An e-mail is being circulated to teams asking them to behave responsibly, backed up by changes to the notice of race. Cagliari was a venue where there were obvious overtures to have support RIBs dedicated to weather information:

According to Nacho Postigo, “it is still a problem. An e-mail has been circulated to the teams effectively asking them to please behave and a modification will be made on the sailing instructions for the next events, penalising the teams which are using a system. Of course it is very difficult to prove and to control. Now that such rules will be in effect and someone takes a picture or video of someone on the top of a mountain speaking on the phone, it could be very compromising. So I hope that teams will react positively and say ‘right, let’s not play this game, because anyone else can play this game and it just becomes an extra cost for everyone. I hope.”

It is more than obvious that Postigo refers to the following video, produced by Quantum Racing’s media team, that shows the team’s shore crew going the extra mile in Alicante. From now on you can only visit hilltop churches if you want to pray..

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: AUDI MedCup] The third of this season’s five 2009 Audi MedCup Circuit regattas, the Region of Sardinia Trophy, starts in one week. Last year it was the eventual winners of the Audi MedCup Circuit, Quantum Racing (USA), who conquered the fleet on the great sailing waters off Cagliari to win their first regatta of the season, marking the improvement in their standard.

With the level set so high in both the TP52 Series and the GP42 Series already this season and two different boats in each Series having won in Alicante and Marseille, the question is will we start to see a dominant performer move ahead in Cagliari.

In the TP52 Series, after winning in France, it is Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) who lead the overall standings by a clear 26 points after 19 races including one 40 mile coastal race, but the consensus among sailors in the top ranks of the fleet is that there are at least four boats still tipped as potential Audi MedCup Circuit winners. But there are now probably six teams who have the potential to win a regatta.

Sailors from both of the top teams, Emirates Team New Zealand and Quantum Racing, will be racing this week (17th-19th July) in a series regatta for the Audi Melges 32 Sailing Series in order to learn the waters and winds better.

GP42’s chomping at the bit

While the GP42’s have lost one entry in their ranks – Keisuke Suzuki’s team on Swing (JPN), which is undergoing modifications before being shipped to Japan – the remaining five teams are bracing for another intense series of races next week. As seen in the last Audi MedCup stage in Marseille, this group is small but highly-competitive, with any team capable of winning races.

And if the breeze ramps up to the high teens and over 20 knots, as is likely in Cagliari, watch out: these boats off the wind plane as fast as their larger TP52 bretheren, but with the added intensity of close tactical combat. This should make the gate mark roundings spectacular indeed.

And changes made to the hull forms of Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP) and Caser-Endesa (ESP) have enhanced their high-wind performance, so they could be particularly tough to beat.

“We’re very much looking forward to Cagliari,” says Roma 2 helmsman Paolo Cian, winner of the last stage and current series leader by 4 points. “But we know this will be a tough fight because these other teams are getting better and better with each event.”

The Audi MedCup Village will take shape over the course of this week on the historic sea front, right in the heart of the proud region of Sardinia’s capital city. With its excellent racing waters, great record for winds, good shore-side infrastructure and heavy investment in regeneration and development as a tourism destination, Cagliari is constantly enhancing its reputation on the global grand prix sailing calendar.

With its new Audi MedCup Experience interactive expo, live reporting and tracking displayed in the regatta village, the site will be larger than last season but in the same position.

Racing starts for the TP52 Series with the official Practice Race on Monday 20th July and concludes on Saturday 25th July, while the GP42 Series’ Practice Race is on Tuesday 21st July.

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: AUDI MedCup] Emirates Team Zealand win their first Audi MedCup Circuit Regatta comprehensively while Roma Mk 2 strike GP42 gold.

Emerging with a sixth from a scrappy, difficult final race which was contested in conflicting breezes Emirates Team New Zealand clinched the Marseille Trophy by 14 points, the biggest regatta winning margin on the Audi MedCup Circuit since Mean Machine won in Portimao in 2007.

Winning four races and never finishing worse than sixth in the ten races here, the Kiwi team skippered by Dean Barker (NZL) with past MedCup winner Ray Davies (NZL) as tactician move 16 points clear at the head of the Audi MedCup TP52 Series standings ahead of defending Circuit champions Quantum Racing (USA).

“It feels better here than losing in Alicante.” Emirates Team New Zealand CEO Grant Dalton deadpanned, “And regattas always feel better a couple of days later, and winning is always just a relief that you did not lose. It is really is nothing more than that.”

In the Audi MedCup GP42 Series a third in the final race ensured that the team on Roma Mk2 skippered by Paulo Cian (ITA) leave France with the Marseille Trophy and head for their native Italy with a lead of four points over Alicante Trophy winners Islas Canarias Peurto Calero on the Audi MedCup Circuit GP42 Series standings

Consistency

Four winning guns for Emirates Team New Zealand were supported by a consistent string of scores, reflecting as much their fortitude as a team, able to come back better from their occasional visits to the lower depths of the fleet. Typical of that, they pulled back to sixth today from eighth in a final race which was afflicted by two very different, breezes tussling for supremacy on either side of the course.

But in their de-brief the Kiwi circuit leaders will consider that their current leading margin belies how close the racing has been here, and in Alicante and reflects Quantum Racing’s two premature starts, and third placed Matador’s headfoil failure in the coastal race. They have no room for complacency.

Race 10, the final in Marseille

Portugal’s Bigamist staged a remarkable come-from-behind victory with two incredible downwind legs to take their second race win this season. Pedro Mendonca’s crew lie fifth overall on the TP52 Series and finished fourth overall in the regatta.
The Portuguese team from Cascais had to make a penalty turn at the first windward mark after they tacked on the bow of Cristabella (GBR). They rounded the offset mark a distant last but recognised the stronger breeze on the left, contrasting with the collapse on the right, and rounded the leeward turn in fifth. The same tactic on the second run allowed them to pip Pisco Sour (CHI) to win in the final 200 metres of the race.

GP42 Series: Islas Canarias wins the battle, but Roma wins the war

In today’s final day of racing in the GP42 Series, a large 8-point spread between series leader Roma 2 (ITA) and runner-up Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP) was going to make it hard for the Italian team to lose the regatta. There would have to have been two races with Roma getting last place and Canarias first place in both for Roma to lose.

And as unlikely as that would have seemed, at the bottom gate rounding of today’s first race that’s precisely what was happening, as a huge hole in the wind accompanied by a significant shift in direction completely reshuffled the positions in this highly-competitive fleet. Caser-Endesa (ESP), being last around the top mark having been over early at the start, got vaulted into vying for the lead with Canarias, and Roma got shot out the back to having to fight Swing for fifth.

Yet despite this and yet another big shift and drop in pressure on the last run to the finish, Canarias kept their cool, covered the fleet, and coasted to their third win in the series. Roma was able to dig back to third but not before nearly getting rolled by Turismo Madrid (ESP) in the final few metres of this strange race.

Turns out that third was enough to seal the deal for Roma, as even a last place in any second race would go to them in the tie break, having won more races than anyone else. So when race managers could not set a course for Race 2 due to the irregular breeze, the outcome was a fait accompli, and Roma wins her first GP42 Series stage in the Audi MedCup Circuit.

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009 – Marseille Trophy

TP52 Series – Overall (10 races)
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 1+3+1+2+1+2+4,5+6+1+6= 27.5 points
2. Quantum Racing (USA), 8+5+2+6+3+1+1,5+3+8+4= 41.5 points
3. Matador (ARG), 2+6+4+1+2+5+16,5+4+4+3= 47.5 points
4. Bigamist (POR), 5+4+6+3+10+4+10,5+2+10+1= 55.5 points
5. Bribón (ESP), 6+1+5+10+4+8+7,5+5+11+5= 62.5 points
…

GP42 Series – Overall (9 races)
1. Roma (ITA), 1+2+1+3+1+2+1+3+3= 17 points
2. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP), 2+1+3+1+5+4+4+2+1= 23 points
3. Caser-Endesa (ESP), 3+3+4+5+2+1+3+4+2= 27 points
4. Turismo Madrid (ESP), 4+4+2+4+3+3+6+5+4= 35 points
5. Airis (ITA), 5+7(DNF)+7(DNF)+2+4+5+2+1+5= 38 points
…

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009 – Overall (after Alicante and Marseille)

TP52 Series
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 38+27.5= 65.5 points
2. Quantum Racing (USA), 40+41.5= 81.5 points
3. Matador (ARG), 36+47.5= 83.5 points
4. Artemis (SWE), 37+62.5= 99.5 points
5. Bigamist (POR), 46+55.5= 101.5 points
…

GP42 Series
1. Roma (ITA), 22+17= 39 points
2. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP), 20+23= 43 points
3. Airis (ITA), 21+38= 59 points
4. Caser-Endesa (ESP), 33+27= 60 points
5. Turismo Madrid (ESP), 35+35= 70 points

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: AUDI Medcup] After an exciting, full stretch coastal race Emirates Team New Zealand lead the 2008 champions by 12 points with four scheduled races to go. Roma lead the GP42 Series

Defending champions Quantum Racing stepped up their challenge for the overall lead of the Marseille Trophy regatta today on the Audi MedCup Circuit when they won an exciting, stamina-sapping 39.7 miles coastal return race east to Cassis, but a steady third place for Emirates Team New Zealand ensures that the Kiwi team hold a cushion of 12 points going forward to the final two days of windward-leeward racing on the Rade Sud.

With NW’ly winds blowing anything between 12 knots in the bay to 22-24 knots offshore on a long, fast sleigh ride downwind to the easternmost, leeward turning mark, this was a race which was doubly fulfilling, close and exciting to the end, with five boats finishing within two minutes after the long beat home, but the backdrop – the stunning limestone calanque cliffs and sheer valleys – is the most awesome of the Circuit.

Four different boats lead the race, but it was Quantum Racing’s afterguard who were able to take advantage, seizing the initiative to use the additional pressure in under the cliffs and the consistent favourable lift, to take the lead early on the beat which they were able to hold to win by 33 seconds from the Russian boat Valars III.

Valars and Pisco Sour read the split breeze on the downwind leg to their advantage. After the mid race gate at the Isle Riou they hitched inshore and hooked into a turbo boost of extra wind pressure closer to the land which also gave them a much more favourable downwind slant, allowing them to pop out in front, Vasco Vascotto’s (ITA) crew on the black hulled Pisco Sour leading the former Mean Machine round the leeward gate on to the short reach inshore to turn for home at the entrance to the bay of Cassis.

It was a tough day for Matador. The Argentine team lay second this morning, firmly in contention and were sixth at the first mark, but at the leeward turn, Mark 2, they appeared to suffer a headfoil problem. It took them some minutes to try and effect a repair, but ended up having to sail the next one sided beat, out to Rattoneau island, with just a tiny storm jib. They struggled on to finish 11th, but slipped to third, ten points behind Quantum Racing.

Lighter SE’ly winds are expected for tomorrow, Saturday’s two races with a concluding pair scheduled on Sunday.

Tactical chess in the GP 42 Series

While the TP52’s enjoyed their tour of coastal Provence, the GP42’s enjoyed near-perfect conditions for interesting games of tactical chess in today’s three buoy races in this series. Unlike yesterday’s steady big-breeze conditions, today’s wind was much more varied in speed and direction and therefore gave teams ample opportunities to play the shifts and turn losses into gains… and vice versa.

Coming into the day, Filippo Faruffini’s Roma 2, driven by Paolo Cian (ITA), led the fleet by two points, a slim but defensible margin. But straight away into the first of today’s three buoy races, Daniel Calero’s Islas Canarias Puerto Callero evened the score by taking a convincing win and putting Roberto Monti’s Airis between them and Roma in third, thereby leading the series in the tie-break.

Their time at the top was short-lived, however, since in the second race there was a heated exchange of tacks among all six teams coming in the final approach to the first top mark, from which Javier Goizueta’s Caser-Endesa emerged from the cloud of dust (and a flurry of protest flags) at the front of the pack for the first time, followed closely by Roma and Islas Canarias taking up the rear. A huge right shift on the last windward leg then vaulted Roma into vying for the lead, with enough margin gained to cruise to their third victory of the regatta.

And in the last race, the course area was relocated even further south of Pointe Rouge. But it was still far not enough, as another big right shift helped Caser-Endesa and Turismo Madrid now take and hold the lead, even after a course change to square up the course. Endesa held on long enough to take their first-ever MedCup win and finally realize the potential they’ve shown in numerous other races in this series.

Quotes of the day:

Morgan Larson (USA), tacticican Quantum Racing (USA): “I think what was critical today was that on the long run down to Cassis that the split breeze was important with more of a sea breeze offshore and the land breeze closer inshore. We were first to make the gain down the run on the shore side and then probably got a little too conservative after that. And then we ended up getting passed by guys who went a little further, but at least by that stage in the race we were up there.
It was very similar to last year.”

“We knew that on the final beat you needed to be inshore. At the spinnaker set we were probably not close enough to the leaders but by the leeward turn we were OK, and we stayed with our game plan, staying on the right on the beat back, and that paid off for us. It was a tough race on the trimmers and grinders. The wind was anything from 12-25 knots and was shifting up to 20 to 30 degrees.”

Adam Beashel (NZL), strategist Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL): “ETNZ It was not quite the Mistral we would have liked, but a nice long run but it makes it hard then when there is a long beat home, its nicer the other way around.”

“We were close to our game plan. We knew there was a good chance of pressure in under the cliffs and we thought we were safe staying a little bit offshore where we did. I should probably have gone up to the spreaders at the gate to see if there was more pressure but I don’t think anyone else did, I think they just knew it was there, so hats off to them.”

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009 – Marseille Trophy

TP52 Series – Overall – Day 3
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 1+3+1+2+1+2+4,5= 14.5 points
2. Quantum Racing (USA), 8+5+2+6+3+1+1,5= 26,5 points
3. Matador (ARG), 2+6+4+1+2+5+16,5= 36,5 points
4. Bribón (SWE), 7+28+5+5+3+7,5= 41,5 points
5. Bigamist (POR), 5+4+6+3+10+4+10,5= 42,5 points
…

GP42 Series – Overall – Day 2
1. Roma (ITA), 1+2+1+3+1+2= 10 points
2. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP), 2+1+3+1+5+4= 16 points
3. Caser-Endesa (ESP), 3+3+4+5+2+1= 18 points
4. Turismo Madrid (ESP), 4+4+2+4+3+3= 20 points
5. Airis (ITA), 5+7(DNF)+7(DNF)+2+4+5= 30 points
…

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: AUDI MedCup] The Rade Sud delivered the conditions which both the TP52 Series and GP42 Series fleets came to Marseille with hopes of, as westerly winds to 20 knots produced fast, physiscally challenging racing for both fleets.

Emirates Team New Zealand proved the most consistent, top scorers of the day across the three windward-leeward races when they posted a 2,1,2 from the three races which were contested with a windward mark set off the Ile Maire on the eastern entrance to Marseille, while there was an occasional benefit too from the Cape Caveaux to the right of the course, the south west corner of the Ile Pomegues.

“There was no particular rhyme or reason to the day, boats did well on both sides. I think the secret of success today as much as anything was sailing good runs. Also if you were in touch at the top mark then you could pick a few boats off.” concluded Emirates Team Zealand’s skipper-helm Dean Barker (NZL) of the conditions.

In the brisk conditions Emirates Team New Zealand’s polished boat handling, smart starting and excellent, assured tactics combined to prove they are this regatta’s class act so far. From seven points clear of Matador (ARG) this morning, the Kiwi team eased out to ten points ahead of the Alicante Trophy winners who won the first race today and then added a third and a fifth.

While there was often a dividend to the left of the track upwind, it was not as regular as opening day’s three TP52 contests. After Bigamist (POR) and Valars (RUS) lead at the windward mark first time up Matador and Emirates Team New Zealand made gains on each successive leg to take first and second places.

Ray Davies (NZL) and Adam Beashel (NZL) called the shifts on the first downwind leg of the second race well to make their key move which gave the Kiwi boat the lead by the first leeward turn and they reversed the first race order when they kept Matador in second.

Audi MedCup Circuit 2008 champions Quantum Racing (USA) made their best start so far this regatta on the third race of the day and went on to lead Emirates Team New Zealand home. With a tally from the day of 6,3,1 Quantum Racing are now third overall.

Tomorrow’s coastal race to the east along towards Cassis, against the spectacular backdrop of the sharp limestone karst Calanques, is easily the most incredible scenery of any of the Audi MedCup Circuit venues. It will be the first coastal race for the TP52 this season. Unlike previous seasons the points multiplier for the coastal race is now 1.5 and the midrace scores only stand if the race finish is not achieved.

Roma day at the GP42 Series

Each of the three races for the GP42’s went to the wire, down to one final surf in the high speed downwind sailing. In the first race it was Roma (ITA) which lurched ahead on a wave to pip the Spanish boat Islas Canarias Puerto Calero by just four seconds.

The Spanish boat turned the tables and got their revenge in the second race when they stole the winning gun by only two seconds from Roma. Only four seconds separated winner Roma from Turismo Madrid (ESP) in the third race, with Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP) third.

It was a frustrating day for the Italian team on Airis who suffered a broken backstay which failed twice, forcing them to retire from the second two races.

Roma Mk2 lead the Marseille Trophy for the GP42 Series by two points from Alicante winners, Islas Canarias Puerto Calero.

Japanese GP42 Swing make their debut this year in the AUDI MedCup circuit. Marseille, 11 June 2009. Photo copyright Max Ranchi

Quotes of the day:

Dean Barker (NZL), skipper-helm Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL): “The breeze was shifting quite a bit, nothing big but enough to be a nuisance if you were on the wrong side of it. It will be a bit of a change for us tomorrow, we have not done a coastal race for a while. It’ll be interesting and a time to learn with the team. I think the format is good, not holding quite the same penalty if you don’t do well. I am really happy with the boat and we can still do a better job sailing, so if we are on the pace now we can keep better and better.”

Terry Hutchinson (USA), skipper-helm Quantum Racing (USA): “The entire day was good for us. We did it to ourselves in the first race a little bit. We have little spinnaker keepers and one got sucked into the block and we could not trim the spinnaker in the gybe and so we lost Valars, Artemis and potentially a shot at third in the first race, That was frustrating.”

“That last race was a good indication of how the boat is going. We were over once last year and it was here.”

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009 – Marseille Trophy

TP52 Series – Overall – Day 2
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 1+3+1+2+1+2= 10 points
2. Matador (ARG), 2+6+4+1+2+5= 20 points
3. Quantum Racing (USA), 8+5+2+6+3+1= 25 points
4. Artemis (SWE), 7+28+5+5+3= 30 points
5. Bigamist (POR), 5+4+6+3+10+4= 32 points
…

GP42 Series – Overall – Day 1
1. Roma (ITA), 1+2+1= 4 points
2. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP), 2+1+3= 6 points
3. Turismo Madrid (ESP), 4+4+2= 10 points
4. Caser-Endesa (ESP), 3+3+4= 10 points
5. Swing (JPN), 6+5+5= 16 points
…

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: AUDI Medcup] Emirates Team New Zealand seize the early initiative with two wins from three starts to lead the Marseille Trophy TP52 Series. Turismo Madrid win GP42 Practice Race.

Emirates Team New Zealand confirmed that their powerful new Botin Carkeek designed TP52 is no slouch in lighter breezes when they won two of three races today on Marseille’s Rade Sud. Added to the third place in the day’s second windward-leeward contest the Kiwi team lead overall by seven clear points in the Audi MedCup Circuit’s Marseille Trophy.

Racing in six to eight knots of mainly SSW’ly winds on smooth Mediterranean seas and in perfect June sunshine, the winds scarcely built by more than a couple of knots through the course of the day, but there was always enough for the race committee to realise the target of three races in smart succession.

The New Zealand crew arrived smarting from having let a possible regatta win in Alicante slip through their fingers on the last race. But today the team were consistent in their strategies, often winning the favoured left side of the track, making two good starts and keeping their boat moving well in the light-moderate sea breeze.

After three races Emirates Team New Zealand lead the Marseille Trophy by a clear seven points from José Cusi’s Bribon (ESP) who won the second race, a victory which they bolted to a fifth and sixth. The only Spanish TP52 team on the Audi MedCup Circuit, with France’s double Olympic medallist Thierry Pepponet on the helm, earned a boost to their confidence after their modest 10th in Alicante and lie second overall, locked on 12 points the same as Alicante Trophy winners Matador (ARG).

With a regular dividend paid on the left of the course upwind, reaped towards the Marseille coast where the Pointe Rouge and its craggy 400m high Marseilleveyre mountain influences the breeze, clean, smart starting off the line was always paramount today. Often it was speed as much as position which was crucial, but Peponnet and tactician Ross MacDonald (CAN) conspired to make the start of the day to the second race when they jumped off the pin end and were never challenged again before taking their first winning gun this season on the waters where they finished third overall last year.

Watched by 20 young local Optimist sailors enjoying their Wednesday afternoon away from school, French hero Peponnet and crew gave the kids a text book display from start to finish.

Emirates Team New Zealand’s de-brief after Alicante seems to have improved their decision making, while Adam Beashel (NZL) strengthens their hand, sniffing out the best of the breeze – a role he accomplished with distinction during the team’s last America’s Cup campaigns.

“Conditions were much easier to read here than in Alicante.” Confirmed Ray Davies (NZL), Emirates Team New Zealand’s tactician, “We had two good starts down the pin end when it was favoured, and then we moved up the line. When it was really congested we started off the line a little but much faster and were able to roll over everybody.”

“But, it is really easy to be positive when you are winning.” He smiles.

GP42 Practice Race. Madrid wins the practice race by a nose

Many sailors take practice races rather seriously, even though there’s an old superstition against winning it for fear of jinxing the outcome of the regatta when it really counts. It’s a time to not just get the team warmed up from their hiatus from the last event, but to try some new moves, new rig or sail settings, and new ideas while the competition is close at hand.

Roberto Monti’s Airis (ITA), driven by Cameron Appleton (NZL), rounded the last top mark with a substantial lead earned from a good start and superior pace in today’s light air seabreeze. But closing fast in this last leg was Jose Maria van der Ploeg’s Tourismo Madrid (ESP), challenging the composite Kiwi-Italian team to a furious gybing dual downwind. This in turn allowed Fillippo Farufini’s Roma 2 (ITA) to close their gap to now challenge the leaders into the final few hundred metres of the race.

Feeling the pressure, Airis gybed for the line while Madrid held out Roma to the pin end layline. Having gybed a bit too soon to lay the line, Airis had to gybe once more, which allowed Madrid to waltz in and bear away at the line to win the race by what could not have been more than a metre.

“That’s alright,” said a relaxed Appleton, “It’s never good luck to win the practice race anyway! But seriously, we felt good today and tried a few different things to be ready for the week.”

Quotes:

Ross Macdonald (CAN) tactician Bribon (ESP): “We have to get better eveyday and seems to be working, we try to get faster and get off the starting line well, that’s been our main Aquile’s heel if you can call it like that we just haven’t been getting into the front crew off the starting line and we seem to be doing a better job with that, Thierry did a phantastic start on the second race it made it realy easy to win we didn’t have to do anything after that. So that’s it we had two better starts in the last two races and first race we were lucky enough to get back in on a windshift.

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009 – Marseille Trophy

TP52 Series – Overall – Day 1
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 1+3+1= 5 points
2. Bribón (ESP), 6+1+5= 12 points
3. Matador (ARG), 2+6+4= 12 points
4. Quantum Racing (USA), 8+5+2= 15 points
5. Bigamist (POR), 5+4+6= 15 points

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: AUDI MedCup] Audi Q8 prove they have all they need to win on the Audi MedCup Circuit when they won today’s practice race by a long way

Riccardo Simoneschi’s team on Audi Q8 deciphered the difficult, changeable breeze on the Rade sud best to win the Marseille Trophy’s practice race today for the 11 TP52 Series crews, but the lesson learned by all is that fortune will favour the brave on a race area which today offered many different patterns to the winds which are affected heavily by the majestic surrounding geography.

Racing in the moderate S to SE’ly breeze, with the high, rocky mountainous promontory of the Point Rouge inshore to the left, and the Isles Frioul to the right of the course arena, the breeze was often uneven across the race track. Upwind there was often the choice of staying inshore where the breeze was puffier and the gusts offered a beneficial angle, or offshore where there was a more settled wind.

The winning gun today is a confidence boost for owner-driver Simoneschi’s mainly Italian team who struggled at times in Alicante. They proved today that they can build from a good start and first beat to work up a big, comfortable lead.

Tactician Charlie McKee (USA) – double Olympic medallist – called a gybe-set at the windward mark to earn the lead on the first run, but Audi Q8’s biggest gain was in the shifty gusts at the top of the second beat where they jumped to 1 minute and 42 seconds ahead of the jousting Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) and Circuit leaders Matador (ARG).

Emirates Team NZ grabs second place in the TP52 practice race. Marseille, 9 June 2009. Photo copyright Max Ranchi

Downwind, when the breeze peaked at 16-17 knots there were sparkling moments of fast marginal planing speeds, just a brief reminder of last year’s great conditions here.

Emirates Team New Zealand were able to hold off the Alicante Trophy winners Matador to take second across the finish line, over one and a half minutes behind Audi Sailing Team powered by Q8.

The six GP42 Series teams were on the water, practising and observing the TP52 action to see what they can learn prior to their first ever races as a class on these waters. Their practise race is tomorrow.

Three windward-leeward races are scheduled for tomorrow for the TP52 Series, a target which could have been achieved comfortably in today’s welcomed wind strength.

Photo finish for Matador and Emirates Team NZ. Marseille, 9 June 2009. Photo copyright Max Ranchi

Quotes of the day:

Charlie McKee, tactician Audi Q8 (ITA): “Small fleet racing where everyone is super-smart then whenever you tack and gybe in the right places then you are going to do well, and if you don’t you can be last. That’s the bottom line.”

“We have tried to take the lessons from Alicante, but really it is just trying to sail well, tack and gybe in the right places.”

Thierry Peponnet (FRA), helmsman of Bribon (ESP): “It was complicated in these S and SE’ly winds which were changing a lot. We were surprised a bit by the 20 degree wind shifts. We are not expecting to be so changeable for the rest of the week. I think it will be a little more regular, but we do know now to expect everything.”

Guillermo Parada (ARG), skipper-helm of Matador (ARG): “Our goal is to leave here still leading the Audi MedCup Circuit. And that, with a lead of just one point, means we come here to win.”

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: AUDI Medcup] Marseille’s Rade Sud is one of the most challenging race areas on the Audi MedCup Circuit.

Tightly bordered to the west by the Iles Frioul – the Ile Pomègues and the Ile Ralonneau – and the mainland to the east, the natural amphitheatre is watched by a whole collection of historic landmarks, not least the iconic Notre Dame de La Garde church which defines the Marseille skyline.

Even the Chateau d’If, on a small somewhat randomly placed islet on the fringe of the race arena, a former penal colony where the Count of Monte Cristo was set, has an influence on the breeze and racers’ strategies.

It’s an intoxicating setting for the second Audi MedCup Circuit regatta of the 2009 season, the second time that the Circuit has been hosted by the sailing savvy highly cosmopolitan city.

Quantum Racing practices on the eve of the Marseille Trophy. Video copyright Quantum Racing

But in sailing terms Marseille is synonymous with the famous blustery Mistral winds. Last year’s Marseille Trophy regatta was visited by the Mistral, strong breezes to produce some of the most exciting conditions of the season, one contributing reason that the Circuit is back, hopefully for more.

“The one thing about the race area here is that there is no simple formula for this week. We could see a little bit of everything, maybe with some Mistral on Friday. Honestly it will not be simple at all, they are not classic conditions at all.” Confirms Dimitri Deruelle, 1992 French Olympian in the 470 class and currently 470 and 49er coach who is offering local input to the Emirates Team Zealand challenge in Marseille.

Tuesday’s TP52 Practise Race for the eleven TP52 Series is preceded today by a muscular 23 knots of breeze out on the Rade Sud.

Alberto Roemmers’ Matador (ARG) team, who top the Audi MedCup Circuit leaderboard after winning the City of Alicante Trophy last month, know how fragile their one point lead is, as do those crews who are in hot pursuit.

British crew Cristabella, who missed Alicante, return to the fray after just one day sailing with a full crew on their new boat, the former El Desafio.

Only two points separate the top three TP52’s. Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis (SWE) lies second by one point and Emirates Team New Zealand are third on the table.

Highlights from the opening event of the 2009 AUDI Medcup in Alicante. Video copyright AUDI Medcup

Racing begins for the TP52 Series again on Wednesday with three planned windward-leewards. The coastal race is scheduled for Friday with racing concluding on Sunday.

Quotes:

Ray Davies (NZL), tactician Emirates Team New Zealand: “It would be nice to see a little more breeze. These boats are a lot of fun when you get up into 20 knots plus. Last year Marseille was incredible and we would like to see more of that.”

Audi MedCup Circuit 2009
Current Overall Standings

TP52 Series
1. Matador (ARG), 36 points
2. Artemis (SWE), 37 points
3. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 38 points
4. Quantum Racing (USA), 40 points
5. Bigamist (POR), 46 points
…

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back

[Source: AUDI Medcup] After being unable to race in Alicante, John Cook’s Cristabella (GBR) team will return to compete on the 2009 Audi MedCup Circuit with their new boat and some additional key crew members.

The British team will race in the City of Marseille Trophy (June 9-14) with the 2008 TP52 of El Desafío.

Cristabella have recently secured the TP52 which was previously El Desafío which finished seventh on the 2008 Audi MedCup Circuit and raced her final regatta in Spanish colours at the 2009 City of Alicante Trophy, finishing seventh.

The new Cristabella is a 2007-8 Judel Vrolijk design built in Valencia by the Spanish America’s Cup Challenge.

The hull sister to Bribón is now being prepared to be raced in Marseille as Cristabella. “Now we have a bit on to be ready, to get the boat sorted and on our way to Marseille”, explains Brendan Darrer (IRL), Cristabella’s boat captain. “Now we just want to get there and to enjoy our sailing again. It was very disappointing to miss out in Alicante. We have only missed four MedCup regattas since we started in 2005 so we really are looking forward to being back.”

Limited time means that the boat will be green and silver, with the sponsors’ logos removed. “It looks pretty good in green and silver,” Darrer notes. “I am not remotely superstitious and green, of course, is my national colour!”

The British team is happy about racing again with a Judel/Vrolijk design, as Barren highlights: “I’m really happy with the boat. The thing about the Judel Vrolijk boats is they are all so similar, just very small differences, and we are great believers in it being the way you sail them. We had already bought some new sails for this season and have some good, later ones from the ‘old boat’ so I feel we’ll be OK in that area to start with.”

Cristabella’s crew will include Desafio’s Olympic Finn bronze medal winning John Cutler (NZL). The Manchester, England born Kiwi sailed as tactician last year when the El Desafío team finished seventh overall, including a third overall in Cartagena, Murcia. World No 1 match racer Ian Williams (GBR) joins the crew, which is otherwise largely unchanged from the usual core including navigator Nat Ives (GBR) and owner/skipper John Cook (GBR).

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Valencia Sailing) and software by Elliott Back