So far the Audi MedCup Circuit has seen 26 races sailed in three locations with 17 different boats taking part. Of those 17 no fewer than 8 boats have won individual races and there have been three different individual regatta winners. On top of that the leader of the Audi MedCup Circuit has also changed three times so far.
In Alicante, Marseille or Cagliari consistency has played the most significant part in the successful teams" approach. Consistency will continue to be the most important factor for the overall 2008 Audi MedCup Circuit honours, awarded at the end of the last event in Portimao in September.
A closer look at the results shows that a different yacht design offices have been responsible for each of the victories, Judel/Vrolijk in the lighter season opener in Alicante with Mean Machine, Reichel/Pugh with the windy Marseille event with USA-17 and most recently Botin/Carkeek with Quantum Racing in the most all round set of conditions, light airs, medium and windy conditions in Sardinia.
The overall lead of the 2008 Audi MedCup Circuit has been in the hands of three different yachts, firstly Mean Machine (MON), a brand new boat launched just weeks before the City of Alicante Trophy Regatta, secondly Bribón (ESP) a 2007 design that went through an optimisation programme with a few significant modifications over the winter, and the current leader, by just 6.2 points, Quantum Racing (USA) again a new boat launched in 2008 and beginning to find the consistency needed to be champion at the end of the year. The overall current standings sees the Reichel/Pugh designed Artemis (SWE) in second and Bribón (ESP) in third, still three different designs, two different generations and three different approaches to the campaign.
The only conclusion that can be drawn from this is that the 2008 Audi MedCup Circuit is continuing to produce the closest racing for the best sailors in the most exciting keelboat class the TP52.
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