The last stand

TP 52s line up for the last Breitling MedCup regatta

With series leader Mutua Madrilena poised for victory or preparing to take on all comers, the stage is set for the decisive final races of the season long Breitling MedCup TP52 championship.

When the 20 boat fleet lines up tomorrow off Ibiza town with the 12th century castle, built to defend the island, and the Faro de Botofoch lighthouse forming a distant backdrop, it will be down to series leader Peter de Ridder and his team to repel the advances of all who seek to topple their 14 point lead.

De Ridder and crew, know they need only to sail a consistent series to lift the overall title. But as has been proven at numerous regattas this season, this TP52 class does not simply bow down and respect Olympic medal, America’s Cup or Volvo Round the World race winners. A momentary lapse of concentration on the start line, or an ill chosen tactical call can mean a heavy loss in a fleet of this standard.

With light and fickle winds expected for the first couple of days of racing, there will be no easy races at a venue which is all new to the TP52 fleet.

“Today’s practice race proved that there will be some surprises here,” warned De Ridder, “It was very shifty and very random at times, light and difficult. But I like the tension here. I am not worried. We are well prepared having just done the Farr 40 world championships which was a great opportunity to do a lot of starts in a high quality fleet, and many mark roundings, so it was nice preparation.”

According to their nearest rivals, Steve and Fred Howe’s Warpath, Mutua Madrilena’s lead is not impregnable.

The majority of their crew arrive in Ibiza well rested and ready to do battle. Only three of their key sailors, including tactician Terry Hutchinson, have been racing at major regattas. In their final push to overturn their arch-rivals on Mutua Madrilena, Warpath arrives in Ibiza having had some undisclosed work done to her keel.

“We have made a couple of changes. I think we’ll get through the first couple of days and see how it goes, but I don’t think it will be for the worse,” commented Hutchinson. “We are looking forward to a good week of racing. The Mean Machine guys have sailed very well all summer and we have sailed well. It will be down to this week, which is fine. If they sail the way they have sailed for the previous five regattas and we sail the way we have then we will get to Saturday with them the winners. But if we can raise our game a little and they falter a little then we will be there to take advantage.

“For us it is not about raising our game much. Start a little better, sail a little smarter in the open course, picking better lanes to sail in.” Hutchinson continues. “But it is still all on here. With more boats (than Athens) and more traffic for both of us. Our team is pretty relaxed and ready to go.”

There is a battle lining up for third and fourth places with the Roberto Bermudez skippered Caixa Galicia having a 26 point lead over Siemens, skippered by Ian Walker.
While Caixa had their best result in Athens, where they finished third with John Kostecki calling tactics, Kostecki has returned to his longstanding role on this occasion with Michael Illbruck’s Pinta while Walker will be supported by American tactician Morgan Larson with Ian Moore looking after the navigator’s role on Siemens.

“I think that the situation with Warpath and Mutua Madrilena can be good for us," explained Bermudez. "They are quite a long way ahead on points but our intention is to come here are win the regatta. That would be a good note to end the season on for Caixa Galicia.”

Last week they were rivals one the race courses off Italy’s Costa Smerelda, but Paul Cayard and three times America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts return to join forces to get the best out of George Andreadis and Jaime Yllera’s Lexus, with Coutts steering, fresh from winning the Farr 40 world title in Newport.

The only notable absentee from this regatta is John Coumantaros' Bambakou.

Racing starts Tuesday with a day of windward-leewards in forecast light breeze. Coastal races take place on Wednesday and Friday with the final races due on Saturday.

Standings after five regattas:

Pos	Boat	Punta Ala	Castellon	Porto Portals	Copa del Rey	Athens	D1	D2	D3	Tot
1	MUTUA MADRILEÑA	33	38	27	58	24	14	13	13	140
2	WARPATH	27	37	46	58	38	22	16	14	154
3	CAIXA GALICIA	42	46	58	66	38	18	17	17	198
4	SIEMENS	93	30	55	34	60	17	16	15	224
5	CRISTABELLA	42	82	110	43	47	22	22	18	254
6	LEXUS	72	64	52	65	63	16	13	12	262
7	SANTA ANA	66	57	77	59	68	19	16	16	276
8	BRIBON	54	50	81	100	65	20	19	15	296
9	ORLANDA	72	43	95	78	70	22	18	17	301
10	ANONIMO	48	84	92	88	69	22	19	18	322
11	RUSH	80	78	117	37	79	19	19	18	335
12	FRAM XVI	90	82	106	92	100	20	19	19	412
13	PINTA	41	161	57	42	192	24	24	24	421
14	BAMBAKOU	161	105	80	89	80	23	23	23	446
15	ONO	94	52	87	98	192	24	24	24	451
16	BALEARIA	86	84	97	65	192	24	24	24	452
17	AIFOS	111	121	141	93	104	20	20	19	511
18	PLATOON	65	76	89	168	192	24	24	24	518
19	TAU CERAMICA	108	78	126	118	192	24	24	24	550
20	BIGAMIST VI	107	161	128	168	66	24	24	24	558
21	C-QUADRAT	161	132	139	123	192	24	24	24	675
22	ARTEMIS	161	161	184	64	192	24	24	24	690
23	RUSAL	161	161	184	168	117	24	24	24	719

NB: The discards (D1, D2, etc) apply after 10, 20 and 30 races over the complete series. Thus after 30 races in the whole 2006 Breitling MedCup series have been sailed three discards from any of these 30 races can be made. The exception are the long offshore races which score as two races - only one of each of these two races can be discarded.

To see the complete crew line-up -