In the bag for Vascotto

As 2005 Breitling MedCup circuit ends in Porto Rotundo

The Breitling MedCup now has a winner. After five events and 38 races sailed, only nine points separated first and second boats on the leaderboard, the Chilean/Italian Pisco Sour owned by Emilio Cousiño, Bernardo Matte and Antonio Orlyi and helmed by Vasco Vascotto taking victory in the Breitling MedCup TP52 Circuit 2005, from Russell Coutts' Lexus-Quantum.

Vascotto's team have led the first Breitling MedCup TP52 circuit since the regatta in Valencia, despite Lexus winning the two following events - Breitling Regatta and the King’s Cup in Palma, Mallorca). Tonight Vascotto and crew will take home the Breitling MedCup trophy after a dinner hosted by Breitling at the Porto Rotondo Yacht Club in Sardinia. HM King Juan Carlos and his boat Bribon, take home the Corinthian Trophy for owner-driver participants, and finish the 2005 season in fourth place overall on the leaderboard.

The excitement was high in today’s two races. The first race started with very little wind, - just 4 knots - meaning the search was on for an area of higher wind pressure throughout the whole racecourse. Although Pisco Sour set out with enough of a lead to sail a fairly conservative regatta, they couldn’t let their guard down. On the upwind leg the leaders were those who managed to find more pressure such as Sjambok, with Gavin Brady at the wheel, followed by Aifos, who put in a first class performance today. Next at this point were Caixa Galicia, Orlanda, Balearia, Bribon, Pisco Sour with Patches and Lexus at the back of the fleet, sailing their own match race - which didn’t benefit either of the vessels in the end.

After rounding the top mark spinnakers were hoisted and the lead was taken by Aifos, who were able to hold their lead until finish line, followed by Caixa Galicia 12 seconds behind, then Sjambok, Pisco Sour, Orlanda-Olympus, Bribon, Lexus, Patches and Balearia.

The key to the second race was that although Vascotto and crew had already won the Trophy, Lexus and Caixa Galicia were battling for second place, both on equal points. This battle was won by Russell Coutts, Mark Reynolds and Peter Isler on Lexus.

Despite not winning second place, Caixa Galicia finished the Circuit on a high note, as they took a victory as winners of the Audi Cup, the fifth and final event in the Breitling MedCup Circuit. They beat Pisco Sour, who came in second place and Bribon who finished third in the event.

Pisco Sour finishes the Breitling MedCup TP52 2005 Circuit on 249 points, nine more than their closest rival Lexus.

With end of the Audi Cup comes the close of the Breitling MedCup 2005 circuit which has included five scored events placed in five different locations. In June, the first event, Punta Ala, on the Tuscan coast, was held with seven Transpac 52s competing. The event was won outright by Caixa Galicia. The boats then went to Valencia, Spain where two new vessels joined the fleet ( Aifos and Cristabella) and Vasco Vascotto swept the floor with the other TP52s, and gained the points advantage that has carried them to the top of the final leaderboard overall for the Circuit.


Final results - Audi Cup

1. Caixa Galicia. Roberto Bermúdez 5+7+9+7+8+2=44
2. Pisco Sour. Vasco Vascotto. 9+9+8+5+6+4=41 pts
3. Lexus. Russell Coutts 7+8++7+3+3+9=37
4. Patches. Ian Walker. 8+5+4+9+2+5 =33
5. Bribón. S.M. Don Juan Carlos. 4+6+5+6+4+7=32
6. Aifos. Iñaki Castañer. 3+4+3+2+9+6=27
7. Sjambok. Gavin Brady. 6+2+6+4+7+2 =27
8. Orlanda-Olympus. Lorenzo Bressanni. 2+3+2+8+5+3 =23
9. Balearia. Antonio Gorostegui.1+1+1+1+1+1=6


Overall results:

1. Pisco Sour. Vasco Vascotto 249 pts
2. Lexus. Russell Coutts 240
3. Caixa Galicia. Roberto Bermúdez 239
4. Bribón. S.M. Don Juan Carlos. 193
5. Orlanda-Olympus. Lorenzo Bressanni. 191
6. Atlanti. Paul Cayard. 167
7. Bambakou. John Coumantaros. 147
8. Cristabella. John Cook. 115
9. Aifos. Ricardo Maldonado. 100
10. Siemens. Jim Allsop. 41
11. Patches. Ian Walker. 33
12. Sjambok.Gavin Brady. 27
13. Balearia. Antonio Gorostegui. 23