Sail-World.com : AudiMedCup: Last place kills Quantum Racing on Day 3 at Barcelona
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AudiMedCup: Last place kills Quantum Racing on Day 3 at Barcelona |
A day of late, but fresh breezes, gave good racing but played games with the points table, breaking the tight grouping at the top of the table after Day 2 of the series. when three races were sailed.
Three more races were sailed today in the third round of the Audi Med Cup being sailed in Barcelona, Spain.
With a consistent scoreline across three races today Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) now lead the Camper Regatta - Conde de Godó Trophy -Barcelona. The reigning champions won the first race today after leading round each mark, finished third in the second race and chased Quantum Racing (USA) across the finish line of a close fought third contest for a second place.
Two wins weren't enough for early leader of the round, Quantum Racing (USA) today, and they slid to third on the points table. An 11th place, in an 11 boat fleet, knocked the former points leader down the points table and allowed the defending champion out to a five point lead.
Emirates Team New Zealand's 1,3,2 for the day sees them top the TP52 table, while Madrid-Caser Seguros lead the GP42's.
After a morning postponement ashore waiting for sufficient breeze to build, Barcelona’s renowned Garbi sea breeze checked in on cue in the early afternoon, to offer two excellent races under clear skies and sunshine with up to 17 knots of breeze.
The wind backed to the left for the third race of a long day on the water, to offer a welcome change of strategic choices. The delay meant the latest start of the season so far, with the TP52’s setting off at 1825hrs, but it was well worth the wait and the effort, for the evening breeze remained solid, 12-14 knots, to ensure the close racing action continued right up until the final GP42 had crossed.
Emirates Team New Zealand laid down the gauntlet in Race 4, the first contest today, as they lead the initial drag race to the right, inshore side of the course, tactician Ray Davies (NZL) just finding the ideal balance between being too greedy and losing the wind pressure inshore, and staying too far out where the favourable bend in the breeze was less pronounced.
 | Audi MedCup TP52 Barcelona Day 2
Synergy - Guido Trombetta/AudiMedCup |
The current title holders just eased around the first mark ahead of Synergy (RUS). Karol Jablonski (POL) and the mainly Russian crew held on for second place, their second best finish of the season after their second place in Race 2 back in Cascais in May. For Emirates Team New Zealand it was their seventh victory in 20 starts. Quantum Racing had one of those races which displayed just how easy it is for a small mistake to knock on to another, and the slid down the fleet to 11th, their worst result of the season.
But to their immediate and lasting credit the 2008 champions Quantum Racing bounced straight back with a pair of back-to-back wins, both gained under sustained and consistent pressure. Artemis (SWE) took second in the second race of the day, just eight seconds up on third placed Emirates Team New Zealand as Paul Cayard (USA) steered Artemis to their most consistent day for a while, averaging better than fourth over the three races.
 | Audi MedCup TP52 Barcelona Day 2
Fleet - Guido Trombetta/AudiMedCup |
In Race 6, Quantum Racing and Emirates Team New Zealand were best placed from the unruly scrabble off the pin end of the line fighting to get left. They were rewarded with first and second places as Quantum Racing held off the current Audi MedCup TP52 title-holding Kiwis down the final run.
‘A line of ones we didn’t really want’- Quantum Racing’s 11,1,1 - ironically also fits the description of a profile of inconsistency which skipper-helm Terry Hutchison described Thursday evening, as best avoided, drops them to third overall in the Camper Regatta – Conde de Godó Trophy – Barcelona, one point behind second placed Artemis.
 | Audi MedCup TP52 Barcelona Day 2
Artemis - Guido Trombetta/AudiMedCup |
GP42 Series, composed under pressure
Staying composed through a long day which rolled on almost to sunset, the Madrid-Caser Seguros (ESP) team led by helmsman Paolo Cian (ITA) has had another strong day posting 1-2-1 for the day. This strengthened their lead to six points in the Camper Regatta - Conde de Godó Trophy – Barcelona over second placed Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP) led by skipper Jose Maria Ponce (ESP).
The team performance has been without the onboard help of their usual skipper/tactician. 1992 Olympic Gold medallist Jose Maria van der Ploeg. Van Der Ploeg again sat out today, nursing the ankle injury sustained yesterday.
Saturday three races are scheduled for the TP52 Series fleet and two races for the GP42 Series.
Camper Regatta – Conde de Godó Trophy - Barcelona
TP52 Series
Day 3
1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 1+4+8+1+3+2= 19 points
2. Artemis (SWE), 7+2+4+5+2+4= 24
3. Quantum Racing (USA), 5+5+2+11+1+1= 25
4. Bribón (ESP), 3+3+7+7+5+11= 36
5. Cristabella (GBR), 2+1+11+9+6+9= 38
6. TeamOrigin (GBR), 10+6+3+3+9+7= 38
7. Synergy (RUS), 6+10+6+2+7+8= 39
8. Bigamist 7 (POR), 8+7+10+8+4+5= 42
9. Audi A1 powered by ALL4ONE (FRA/GER), 12(DNC)+8+5+4+8+6= 43
10. Matador (ARG), 4+9+9+10+10+3= 45
11. Luna Rossa (ITA), 9+11+1+6+11+10= 48
GP42 Series
Day 2
1. Madrid – Caser Seguros (ESP), 1+1+1+1+2+1= 7 points
2. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP), 2+4+2+2+1+2= 13
3. Iberdrola (ESP), 3+2+3+3+3+4= 18
4. AIRISESSENTIAL (ITA), 4+3+5+4+5+5= 26
5. Península Petroleum (GBR), 5+5+4+5+4+3= 26
by MedCup Media and Sail-World Share
8:40 PM Fri 23 Jul 2010 GMT
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