Sardinia remain ahead

A report from day three's racing at the Sardinia Rolex Cup team racing

Day three of the Sardinia Rolex Cup 2006, organised by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and valid as ISAF Offshore World Championship, saw the competing teams take on the Island Race in fairly shifty winds that diminished as the day progressed. The Race Committee set a course of approximately 30 nautical miles which gave the fleet a tour of the La Maddalena Archipelago using islands and rocks as natural marks for much of the race.

The three fleets - TP 52, Swan 45 and Farr 40 - set off together from the Gulf of Saline, northeast of Porto Cervo, to head upwind and around the Monaci Islands before turning back, rounding the Tre Monti Rock and repeating the upwind leg to the Monaci. After rounding the Monaci Islands for the second time the fleet sailed southward to the Gulf of Pevero before crossing the finish line just outside the mouth of Porto Cervo harbour.

At roughly the halfway mark, as the fleet rounded the Tre Monti Rock, Pinta held the lead for the TP 52s, with Atlantica Racing heading up the Swan 45 fleet and Joe Fly the Farr 40s. The fleet leaders remained unchanged at the finish-line which was set in front of the YCCS Observatory. In the TP 52 class, Pinta was followed by Anonimo and Bribon Movistar; Mintaka and T…Too placed second and third in the Swan 45 behind Atlantica Racing; and Joe Fly was followed by Mascalzone Latino and Fiamma, respectively, in the Farr 40 class.

Team Sardegna (Stuart Robinson’s TP 52 Santa Ana, Stefano Polti’s Swan 45 Mintaka and Vincenzo Onorato’s Farr 40 Mascalzone Latino) remains the overall leader of the series with 51 points after six races. Team Germany (Michael Illbruck’s TP 52 Pinta, Wolfgang Stolz’ Swan 45 Opus One and Wolfgang Schaefer’s Farr 40 Struntje Light) is six points back in second place. Monaco and Italy, tied yesterday at 57 points, have switched places in the overall standings. Monaco (Riccardo Simoneschi’s TP52 Anonimo, Vittorio Codecasa’s Swan 45 Jeroboam Ca’nova and Alessandro Barnaba’s Farr 40 Joe Fly) is third with 66, while Italy is now fourth on 69 points.

Tomorrow’s forecast, courtesy of official weather forecaster for the event, Filippo Petrucci, predicts an 8-12 knot north-easterly breeze with two windward leewards expected to be run starting at noon.

Position. Team – Points
1. Sardegna – 51
2. Germany – 57
3. Monaco - 66