Audi MedCup, Audi A1 All4One fa sua la practice race
Audi MedCupGP 42Level ClassTP52Vela 20 Luglio 2010 Zerogradinord 0
Audi MedCup – Barcelona – Circa 7-8 nodi di vento, quest’oggi, sul campo di regata davanti a Barcellona, per la practice race della Regata Camper – Trofeo Conde de Godó – Barcellona. Grande prova per Team Origin, che si dimostra in splendida forza dominando tutta la regata. Con condizioni d’aria leggere, i britannici sembravano oggi avere quasi una marcia in più, con solo Emirates Team New Zealand e Audi A1 Powered by All4One, in grado di stargli dietro.
La scaramanzia non è più solo latina
Se un tempo erano solo italiani, spagnoli e portoghesi a preoccuparsi degli aspetti scaramantici dell’Audi MedCup, oggi la cosa sembra aver coinvolto anche popoli meno inclini a questo genere di credenze, come i britannici di Team Origin e i neozelandesi di Emirates Team New Zealand: i due team nelle prime due posizioni della regata odierna, hanno infatti entrambi deciso di non terminare la prova, sia per continuare l’allenamento con aria leggera, sia perché la leggenda vuole che chi vince la practice, non si riesca poi ad aggiudicare il Trofeo.
Vittoria ai franco-tedeschi
Con il ritiro di Team Origin e di Emirates Team New Zealand, è dunque Audi A1 Powered by All4One ad aggiudicarsi la practice race, confermando di essere sempre uno degli avversari più temibili per tutta la flotta. Seconda posizione per Matador, davanti ad Artemis e Quantum Racing. Soltanto ottava, invece, Luna Rossa, dietro a un ottimo Bribon, in seconda posizione fino alla rottura del fiocco.
Da domani arrivano i punti
Dopo la practice odierna, da domani si fa sul serio, con le prime prove in programma valide per la classifica generale. La GP42 Series affronterà invece la propria regata d’allenamento ufficiale. Tanta attesa per vedere la sfida fra le tre imbarcazioni spagnole (Islas Canarias-Puerto Calero, Madrid-Caser Seguros e Iberdrola), nelle acque di casa. Con Airisessential e Peninsula Petroleum in cerca però di riscatto.
AUDI MEDCUP, AUDI A1 ALL4ONE WINS THE PRACTICE RACE
[Audi MedCup Press Release] When they turned round the wrong side of the finish line, bowing to superstitions or not, Team Origin and Emirates Team New Zealand had done enough to prove during today’s official TP52 Practice Race that they should be contenders in the light breezes which are expected for the Regata Camper – Conde de Godó Trophy – Barcelona.
Racing in less than 10 knots of gentle sea breeze the British TP52 helmed by four times Olympic medallist Ben Ainslie was more than one minute ahead at the finish, after gaining on each successive leg, but they turned back upwind through the finish line, as did the Kiwi reigning champions – both registering DNF’s – leaving Audi A1 powered by All4One to take the winner’s gun.
The practice race played out pretty much in line with the expectations which have been voiced around Barcelona’s Moll de la Fusta dockside over recent days: this will be a close regatta, the TP52’s will be very even in speed in the lighter winds, and anyone who gets off the start line and around the first turning mark in the top two or three has a good chance of holding on.
Today it was TeamOrigin which got the early jump, after another sharp start from the British crew who were able to get to the favoured right, inshore side early along with Bribón. The Spanish boat lost a little on the first run when Team Origin gybed off earlier into a favourable shift, but Bribón were in touch until the second beat when the clew-patch on their new headsail gave way and they were forced to quickly hoist a replacement.
It was a day when it was easier for the leader to profit and one which life among the main pack was very even and hard to make gains. As if to illustrate this on the finish line only eight seconds separated fourth placed Quantum Racing and ninth placed Cristabella.
The consensus is that this will be a long, intense and hard fought regatta in light winds and high daytime temperatures, and with up to 12 races it could prove pivotal as we pass theoretical half way mark of the 2010 season here.
GP42’s Readying to go
After a run of bad luck in the first two regattas in Cascais and Marseille, there is no crew keener to go racing again in the GP42 Series than John Bassadone and his Peninsula Petroleum team. Twice in successive regattas they having broken their masthead crane, causing them to miss a race each time. The last time it was particularly heartbreaking, as they had just worked themselves up to lead around the top mark, only to have the crane crack and fail just moments before hoisting their spinnaker.
“We think they’ve finally got it right,” says tactician Iñaki Castaner. “The part is much thicker and the design is closed on the bottom to make it even stronger than the old, open design. It definitely weighs more than the original piece, but we cannot have this fail again. We’re ready to put this in the past and go out and win.”
The remaining GP42 teams are doing their final preparations and tuning to be ready for tomorrow’s Practice Race. Iberdrola, Airisessential and Madrid – Caser Seguros were also out on the water practicing, while Islas Canarias Puerto Calero is awaiting for their remaining team members to arrive on site.
No comments so far.
Be first to leave comment below.