At times it was spectacular as the sea breeze off Alicante built to 17 knots at times, but it was never easy or straightforward as the Audi MedCup champions Quantum Racing (USA) eased into the overall lead of the City of Alicante Trophy Regatta after three close races today. In the GP42 Series which revelled in the sparkling conditions today, it is the Italian Roma Mk2 which leads. Quantum Racing struck gold early, winning the first race of the day, threatening the kind of dominant performance which they displayed in certain conditions last season but it was their consistency across Races 3 and 4 of the TP52 Series which ensured they hold a three points lead over second placed Matador (ARG).
Matador, new this season, lead the overall standings after Race 3 but were slow off their final start and could only manage an eighth to share the same points tally as third places Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL).
Emerging as the day’s winner on an impressive 1-1-2 record in the GP42 Series, the Roma 2 team, led by skipper Paolo Cian (ITA), showed their experience from two previous years of GP42 campaigning in having strong starts and fast pace all around the course, but particularly so downwind where they often stretched their lead when ahead and closed the gaps when behind. Designed by Farr, the boat has just emerged from tummy-tuck surgery to the stern sections to better optimize performance downwind and in light air.
After three more windward-leeward contests in a gentler sea breeze today off Alicante an exciting final Sunday showdown is now in prospect with the City of Alicante Trophy at stake as only three points separates the top four TP52 Series boats on the 2009 Audi MedCup Circuit. In the GP42 Series the Italian boat Airis leads by three points.
In the gentler conditions Torbjorn Tornqvist’s new Artemis was the standout performer in the TP52 Series today bettering back-to-back second places when they won the third race of the day, to vault six places up the leaderboard sharing the same points aggregate as Emirates Team New Zealand.
The tight knit New Zealand team started their day well when they won the first race but a less than glamorous first beat in Race 7 saw them get a taste of life in the nether regions of the fleet. But as much as their first race victory of the season it is their ability to pull back a couple of places for a tenth that ensures they could rightfully claim joint tenancy at the top with Artemis.
Emirates Team New Zealand got the better of their duel with Artemis in the first race when they held on longer to the right of the first downwind. The early stages tested the mettle of Quantum Racing who rounded the windward mark down in tenth, but the current champions dug deep for a useful fifth.
In the second race it was the turn of the Portuguese crew on Bigamist 7, long standing competitors on the Circuit, to take their first ever MedCup Circuit winning gun. The team from Lisbon and Cascais, which numbers as many amateurs aboard as they have professionals, not only proved the value of their winter training at home on their Atlantic waters and the speed they are getting from their new boat – the former Platoon powered by Team Germany – but they remained cool and unflustered, holding their nerves to win Race 6 from Artemis.
Bribon looked to be well set to win the final race of the day when Artemis managed to get inside them near the top end of the second beat, getting a left hand windshift and a little extra wind pressure and that was enough to seal the first winning gun with his new Artemis for the Swedish owner-helm Tornqvist.
Quantum Racing remained steadily consistent concentrating on sailing safely and conservatively to post a 5,6.7 to leave them only one point off in third while Matador stayed largely under the radar today – never great but never terrible – to go into the final day with a deficit of only three points on the overall lead in the TP52 Series.
While yesterday Filippo Faruffini’s Roma 2, helmed by Paolo Cian (ITA) looked as though they might dominate the GP42 Series in their MedCup debut, what a difference a day makes, as a new leader has emerged and others in this class have started taking turns in the front of the pack.
A very modest trio of results across yesterday’s races proved a spur to the Matador (ARG) team to come out fighting today and score the best pair of scores in the TP52 fleet to win the City of Alicante Trophy today after a very close fought first regatta of the 2009 Audi MedCup Circuit.
From the disappointment of yesterday’s mixed bag of 7,5,5 Alberto Roemmers’ team had a long de-brief to analyse where they felt they had made mistakes. Perhaps it was the catalyst which set them up to eliminate their weaknesses, to start well in both races today, sailing fast and smart to clinch their first MedCup regatta win since 2007 when they won the prestigious Copa del Rey in Palma.
In 9-12 knots of sea breeze conditions and perfect early season Mediterranean sunshine the four leading protagonists Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), Artemis (SWE), Matador and reigning champions Quantum Racing (USA) lined up side by side off the start line in the first race. Emirates Team New Zealand profited from good upwind speed and an excellent start to win the first race and earn a four points lead.
As Matador seized the lead early on the first leg of the final race, Emirates Team New Zealand looked to have done enough to score a maiden regatta win with their new boat when they rounded fourth, less than a boat length behind Artemis and with a four boat cushion to Quantum Racing.
For the Matador team, who lead after Day 1, victory is a just reward for two and half months of hard work to prepare their new Judel Vrolijk design which was build near Valencia. Three excellent periods of training in Valencia and Palma ensured the team reached the season’s first regatta in good shape.
Just when the scorecard in the GP42 Series was taking on a familiar look, the extraordinary competitiveness of this class can turn things inside out. Going into the first of today’s two races, Roberto Monti’s (ITA) Airis, driven by Cameron Appleton (NZL), looked to have things well in hand with a three-point lead, good overall speed, and smooth teamwork.
