Congressional Cup – Long Beach – E’ in corso di svolgimento nelle acque californiane di Long Beach la quarantaseiesima edizione della Congressional Cup, evento di match race tra i più prestigiosi del calendario internazionale: l’unico che riconosce il diritto al vincitore di indossare un blazer rosso.
Dopo alcuni giorni dedicati alle fasi eliminatorie, l’imbuto si sta stringendo e a essere rimasti in gara sono ormai solo in quattro. Tra questi c’è il nostro Francesco Bruni che a partire dal pomeriggio di sabato – oggi negli Stati Uniti – potrà contendere l’affermazione assoluta al campione uscente Johnie Berntsson, al quattro volte vincitore Gavin Brady, ora skipper di Mascalzone Latino Audi Team, e, con ogni probabilità, a Bill Hardestay, in netto vantaggio per la conquista del quarto slot libero.
L’equipaggio di Azzurra ha agganciato il treno delle semifinali grazie a una sentenza favorevole della giuria che ha disposto il re-sail del match tra gli italiani e il già citato Berntsson, reo in tale occasione di una manovra irregolare. In virtù del successo ottenuto nella ripetizione del duello, Bruni ha sopravanzato Eric Monnin, Sally Barkow, Simone Ferrarese e Bill Hardesty, fermandosi due punti dietro Berntsson e Brady.
Una volta definita la composizione delle semifinali, inizieranno i duelli che si disputeranno alla meglio delle tre regate. Gli eliminati, invece, disputeranno una regata di flotta.
Per visitare il sito dell’evento clicca qui.
CONGRESSIONAL CUP, FRANCESCO BRUNI SWEEPS INTO SEMIS
[Congressional Cup Press Release] Francesco Bruni’s sailing world turned in the 46th Congressional Cup Thursday when the Azzurra team skipper from Italy swept five races to join defending champion Johnie Berntsson and four-time winner Gavin Brady in Saturday’s semifinals, as Bill Hardesty of San Diego slipped into position to claim the fourth slot.
In the steadiest breeze of the week – 8 to 12 knots from the southwest – the springboard for Bruni was a morning hearing that cost Berntsson his bid to keep Wednesday’s apparent win over the Italian in the runaway mark incident.
Instead of sinking to 6-5, Bruni then beat Berntsson in the re-sail by a comfortable 27 seconds after Berntsson’s sluggish start, then dispatched, in order, Switzerland’s Eric Monnin, Wisconsin’s Sally Barkow, Italy’s Simone Ferrarese and Hardesty to sit at 11-4, two points behind Berntsson and Brady, now tied at 13-2.
Brady beat Iehl by 15 seconds in the other re-sailed match.
None of that ruined Hardesty’s 2-2 day but likely just delayed his clinching the last semifinal slot. At 9-6, the first-time Congressional Cup skipper needs only to win two of the last three matches of the double round robin against non-contenders Friday, even if fifth-place Dave Perry (8-7) sweeps his remaining slate. Hardesty owns the tiebreaker with his win over Perry in their second match.
Following his 5-1 record a day earlier, Hardesty opened Thursday by dealing Brady only his second loss of the week. Later he overtook France’s Damien Iehl in a flag-waving, come-from-behind frenzy that got Iehl disqualified when he failed to do any penalty turns after two quick side-by-side fouls downwind.
The on-water umpires, showing little patience, flew first one, then two blue flags – Iehl’s ID color – then a black one in the array.
Despite slipping to fourth place behind Bruni on the day, Hardesty was happy with that. “We just wanted to be in the top four,” he said.
Berntsson, the week-long leader, pushed Brady hard but carried a pre-start penalty into a decisive skirmish at the windward mark. Brady broke off their luffing match and brushed the mark as he fell off to round it. That offset Berntsson’s foul, but the latter remained stalled for several seconds until Brady was gone.
But Bruni, runnerup to Berntsson last year, may now be the one to watch.
Bruni said the re-sailed win against Berntsson “was a good start of the day. But we don’t want to relax.”
Racing will continue through Saturday, starting at 11.30 each day, conditions permitting. Each boat will race every other boat twice in a double round robin. The top four will advance to best-of-three semifinals and finals Saturday. The non-qualifiers will run a fleet race.
The racing is in the Long Beach outer harbor off Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier, with free grandstand seating and parking for spectators. Snacks and refreshments are available.
To visit di event website click here.
