As if proof is needed that a new 2007 TP52 not a necessity to win on the Breitling MedCup TP52 circuit, the three year old Botin & Carkeek design Balearia stole the thunder from the posse of brand new boats among the 23 strong fleet by winning the first - and only - race of the Trofeo Alicante today.
Good starting and astute first leg tactics proved much more important than sheer boatspeed today. In just a gentle southerly 6 knot breeze which swung slightly to the right, Balearia were smartly off the start line and quick to break to the favoured right side of the course. With French Olympic 470 gold medallist Thierry Pepponet calling tactics for skipper-helm Gonzalo Araujo, Balearia broke free of the traffic at the windward mark, passing the windward mark 11 seconds up on Vicente Tirado's new Caixa Galicia with Ricardo Simoneschi steering Anonimo, the 2006 Judel-Vroljk design, only four seconds behind in third. Anonimo went furthest right on the downwind leg to round the leeward gate in second, but they could make little impression on Balearia who went on take first gun with 45 seconds in hand over Anonimo and Caixa Galicia another 12 seconds behind.
After a long wait a second race was started but the breeze expired and just after 1730hours an end was called to a long day afloat in the heat when it as abundantly clear that no further racing would be possible. Complementing these changes, as well as recruiting Pepponet, Balearia has several new crew including former members of Spain's Desafio Espanol.
