Platu25 Worlds

Vilagarcia, Tuypan and Central Lechera Asturiana: the first, second and third step of the provisional podium are all Spanish, the first two tied for points at 30 and the third closely following at 34. The crews coming form the Iberian Peninsula are dominating the Platu25 Worlds, underway in Punta Ala, on the Tuscan coast. And, if it is Spanish the most spoken language on the top part of the scoreboard, you have to go down to the sixth place to find a “foreign” opponent. It’s the Greek crew, and 2008 champions, on Modus Vivendi, who is steadily climbing back to the top after an unlucky first part of the series. If the Greeks dream to bring the Trophy back home to Athens the Italian champion Nanuk is also showing a strong determination not to give up, tied at 70 points with the German team on Flexi. Today Punta Ala offered excellent sailing conditions to the Gold and Silver fleets with a good 20 plus knots breeze and a stunning view for the spectators, especially in the downwind legs with the 25 footers fast surfing down the waves, putting to a test the crews’ manoeuvring abilities. Three more races were sailed, the scoreboard now being calculated out of ten results, on the fourth day of the series the top spots went to Central Lechera Asturiana, skippered by Natalia Via Dufresne, Vilagarcia and La Revoltosa, all from Spain. In the second race it was La Revoltosa to leave all the competitors behind, followed by Bribon and by the Danish crew on Seklklub who profited from this good result to get a better position in the overall results. The third daily podium was made of the Greeks on Modus Vivendi followed by Central Lechera Asturiana and by the Italians on Brera Hotel, who are still fighting in the Gold fleet despite a disqualification that obliterated the points they obtained on the second day. In the same Gold fleet we also find one of the two Japanese crews Bross, 20th, the Kiwis from Ocean Bridge, 21st and the Swiss on Aramis, currently 29th. While there are still some protests pending- the Jury is expected to go on with the hearings until late at night- the 92 crews are preparing their best strategy for tomorrow, the final racing day that will decide the 2009 Platu25 World best sailors.

Platu25 Worlds

Thursday was the “Spanish armada” day, with the crews coming from the Iberian peninsula showing strength and consistency, keeping up against the Italian, Danish and German teams and consolidating their position on the general scoreboard. It is now Real Club Nautico de Palma’s Iberdrola (4,3 and 1 today); Caixanova Men skippered by Marcus Perez from Vigo (4, 2 and 7 their partial results) and Vilagarcia (with an excellent 1,2, 3) to occupy the three steps of the podium. The first Italian crew is still Brera Hotels, helmsman Sandro Montefusco, fourth, followed by Antonello Ciabatti’s VIS. The Germans from Kyra, scored a victory today but also a 17th and a 11th place, which put them in eighth position. They are followed by Central Lechera Asturiana, with Spanish top sailor Natalia Via Dufresne at the helm, that is to say the first female skipper of the fleet. It was a good day for some but a very unlucky day for others, like the Greeks on Modus Vivendi, world reigning champions and one of the most serious pretenders to the podium. Despite all their efforts their championship has been plagued by a series of troubles: a black flag yesterday, a technical issue to a spreader today that forced them to go back ashore and not start in the second and third race, and making them loose precious points in the overall results table. The Japanese Yuki Koike and Noafumi Kamei on Bros made a big jump ahead today, passing from 47th to 17th and still having some chance to do well on the next days. Same as the team from New Zealand, Ocean Bridge Sailing, who follows closely, distanced only by a mere point.

As defined by the class rules, having sailed seven races, the crews could discard the worst result. The provisional overall results is then already calculated with a discard but does not consider any possible pending protest still to be discussed in front of the Jury. The points scored up to now will not be cancelled as the teams can have a second discard after the ninth race.

Platu25 Worlds

Today, the competition entered the second day of the Platu 25 World Championship. Ninety three crews run three regattas off with a weak and very unsettled wind – no more then 6-8 knots – that forced the crew to continuous sail regulations and complex tactical strategies.
After three regattas, today for many crews was the occasion to show their real talent, gaining positions and points in the general ranking list. So, there were many surprises that changed deeply the partial results of yesterday.

The only confirmation was for the Spanish “Tuypan Caixanova Men” of Marcos Perez and Roy Alonso (Rcn Vigo) who – after a 5-3-2 in the three regattas of today, conquered the top of the general ranking list. Today “Tuypan” was in the Group B, the Blue one; yesterday in the yellow one it arrived third.

The division between Group A and B was maintained but, calculating every day different scores, all the crews will change group and will be able to confront with all the adversaries until next Saturday.

The Italian “Vis” of Francesco Vallicelli is second in the general ranking list followed by an other Italian crew, “Brera Hotels” of Emanuele Vitrano, with Alberto Wolleb at the helm and Sandro Montefusco as a tactitian.

The German team “Kyra” di Herman Muller, that yesterday dominated in the Yellow Fleet - is now 4th in the general ranking list. The Spanish of the “Invincible Armada” confirmed their talent with “La Revoltosa” of Jaime Pont and “Iberconsa” of Fernando Morillo, 5 e 6 in the general ranking list. A very good position also for “Menef 8” of Marco Gambardella with Pablo Soldano on board; they are 7th in the general ranking list.

As every body expected, “Central Lechera Asturiana” of Natalia Via Dufresne emerged with a very good performance; she gained a first place in the Yellow fleet and now she is 8th in the general ranking list. “Profumo” of Michele Valiante is 9th and “Niente Paura” of Gino Angelini is 10th in the general ranking list.

In the Yellow group, big return for the Japanese “Bros” of Nafumi Kamei (3th in the second and in the third regattas) and for the German “Flexi” of Bogdhan (4 in the first regatta). Great confirm for the Italians too, with “Parco Cinque Terre – Breakwind” of Giovanni Bocelli, with Ugo Giordano at the helm (Lni Procida) who, in the third regattas of today, arrived first.
In the Group B of the Blue Fleet, very good performance for the Spanish Bribon- Movistar” of José Cusì and “Iberconsa” of Fernando Lago, the President of the Spanish class who yesterday managed very well. In the second regatta, good result for “Iberdrola” of Manuel Weiler, World Champion in Vigo in 2006.

Protagonist in the third regatta, in the Group B, is the Italian crew “Amici Miei” of Giacomo Bufalini who conquered the first place followed by “Tuypan CAixanova Men” of Marcos Perez and Roy Alonso.

Platu 25 World Championship

The World Championship started Tuesday, September 29, 2009 with 93 teams competing with each other in two groups. Yellow and Blue.

After a long waiting until late afternoon, the 2009 Platu 25 World Championship started officially at 17 p.m. In Punta Ala there were 93 teams coming from all over the World. With a very weak wind – no more then 6-7 Knots – the crews could compete just one regatta.
They were divided in two groups: the blue fleet started before, followed just five minutes later, by the yellow one.

Between the blue fleet, today the Spanish crews were absolutely the best. The first place is for “Bribon-Movistar” of Josι Cusi, with Marc de Antonio at the helm (Real Club Nautico de Barcelona): they confirmed the most optimistic forecasts. We should remind that “Bribon” last year, during the 2008 Platu 25 World Championship in Greece, conquered the third place, and this year they managed very well during the Spanish Championship.

At second place there is “Iberconsa” of Fernando Lago (YC Argentino Club Maritimo Ca), the President of the Spanish class, followed by “Tuypan Caixanova” of Alberto Garcia (Rcn Vigo)., The Greeks of “Modus Vivendi – 3 Alfa Kostas” – they were 2008 Platu 25 World Champions – conquered the 7th place, showing to be hi competitive.

In the yellow ranking list, the first is the German “Kyra” of Herman Muller (Byc) followed by the Larian crew of “A Sail 1Ma” of Dulio Bassani, with Roberto Spata, a very talented tactitian, on board (Lni Mandello del Lario). In this case a team of “sweet water” yachtsmen showed, in the very thirst day, all its own competitive potential.

The third place is for “Profumo” of Michele Valiante (Crv Italia) and 4th is for the German “Randale 3” of Ingo Lochman and Christian Maedel.