RC44 Cup Rovinj, Aleph Racing finally takes the win

Rovinj – This morning Hugues Lepic’s Aleph Racing scored their third bullet out of four races, increasing their five point lead at the day’s start to a massive 10. Ultimately a fourth place in today’s second and final race handed the French team victory at the Adris 44Cup Rovinj. This was a considerable step up from their third to last place at the first 44Cup event of the season in Montenegro in April. But more spectacular was it being the first time since joining the class nine years ago that Aleph Racing has ever won an event on the high performance one design circuit.

The team, which has Italian maestro Michele Ivaldi calling tactics, was top scorer on Friday, won two races from three yesterday and one from two today. Ivaldi has said over the previous days that getting the boat set up well for light conditions and practicing starts helped.

Anticipating a difficult forecast, Principal Race Officer Peter Reggio sent the boats out an hour earlier and ultimately managed to lay on two races in a light northwesterly, albeit with a long intermission between the two and having to finish the second prematurely after the second upwind leg.

In the latter, another crew scored a prominent result when Tavatuy Sailing Team, enjoying their first full 44Cup season this year, won their first ever race. This week Pavel Kuznetsov’s team, on which leading match racer Evgeny Neugodnikov calls tactics, has been first to the weather mark only to lose the lead subsequently. But in today’s second race, as the course was shortened, they were still in front at the line.

Banging in podium positions in both today’s races was enough to earn Nico Poons’ Charisma second overall, a fine turnaround from their last place in Montenegro. The significant change since the last event has been adding America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race winner John Kostecki to the crew as tactician.

After their soaring performance yesterday, Peninsula Petroleum had an indifferent Sunday, while as Aleph Racing was on the ascent Team CEEREF, leader at the half way stage of the Adris 44Cup Rovinj, was heading the opposite way.

Chris Bake on Team Aqua did enough to keep Bronenosec Sailing Team astern of them, but was unable to beat Vladimir Prosikhin’s Team Nika which posted an improved 2-5 today.

Next event is the 44Cup World Championship in Marstrand, Sweden over 9-13 July.

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