Desafio's day

An update from Copa del Rey

Desafio and Roma GP42.2 were the main characters playing on the Mallorcan waters for the fourth day of the Quebramar GP42 Cup, at the Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre.

Two races today for the seven GP42 boats on the Alpha course; the first start was delayed for more than one hour, as it was on the previous days, with a postoponement flag ashore in order to await the wind strengthening and becoming more stable. The ninth start of the series went underway with some 8 to 10 knots and it was so hard-fought that three boats were recorded over the line: Airis, Caser Quum and the provisional series leaders, the Swiss/French crew on Near Miss that thus compromised their subsequent performance.

The Spanish form Desafio were, on the contrary, always in full control and their leadership was never threatened neither upwind nor downwind. Helmsman Laureano Wizner and tactician Santi López-Vázquez, were first at each and every mark with a comfortable advantage, while Roma GP42.2, skippered by Paolo Cian, was trying to put a remedy upwind to her poor speed downwind. At the finish Desafio had gained a 60 seconds lead on the Italians, with Near Miss, Airis, Caser Quum, Madrid and Canarias Puerto Calero closely following behind. Once again, the GP42s showed their closeness as just 15 seconds separated the 2nd from 6th.

Still some ten knots for the second race, started exactly at 15:10. While the Commitee boat was hoisting the individual recall flag for an OCS by Airis, that was forced to re-start, a new, fiercer than ever, battle was going on between Roma GP42.2 and Desafio. Paolo Cian and Laureano Wizner went to the max in order to earn a precious victory in the tenth race, while having to watch out for the rest of the fleet too. As reported by a spectator on the race course the last downwind leg to the finish line was a “heart stroke” and the Committee members had no easy task in getting the arrival times right, with seven boats in a 45 seconds span.

RomaGP42.2 crossed only 8 seconds ahead of Desafio and 11 on Canarias Puerto Calero. Fourth was Near Miss, that as soon as she reached shore protested Desafio their number one enemy at the Copa del Rey for a suspect rule infringement at the start, but the International jury rejected it and the results are unchanged.

After today’s results Near Miss is no longer at the top of the scoreboard which is now occupied by Desafio, 22 to 23 points, and the third and the fourth too, Roma GP42.2 and Airis respectively, are on 28 and 29 points respectively.

Nano Negrín, mainsail trimmer on Desafío commented: “We slightly changed our trim and it appears the boat is going better. In the first race we had a good start, we were also lucky a number of boats were OCS and we were able to stay ahead. Onwards, the battle was against Roma. In the second race we also had a very good start, leaving Near Miss a little out of place on the line. Near Miss then recovered and our focus was on them and Roma. We are very happy because we keep a steady pace despite the fact Near Miss has a newer boat.”

Paolo Cian - helmsman on Roma GP42.2 added: “For sure today we did better, because we managed to retain the best possible speed downwind, while in the previous days after rounding the weather mark we used to fall back in the fleet. Today this didn’t happen. That’s better. Today the fight was not only against Desafío but a tight fight, considering there were OCS in the first race, such as Near Miss. We didn’t control them as we should have done and we gave them the right to come back and finish third. In the second one we were again together ahead of the fleet but we were able to better control and kept the lead over the rest. In this class nothing is ever definitive. Near Miss has achieved a series of 4 firsts but whenever the rest have “recalibrated” they can cause the Swiss problems. If you consider that the maximum delta between first and last in each race is less than a minute, then it’s clear it’s a fight from start to finish.”

Provisional scoreboard after 10 races, one discard, protest pending:
1.   Desafio –22 points (2, 2,5, 6, 5, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2)
2.   Near Miss – 23 points (6, 1, 1, 1 1, 6, 3, 3, 3, 4)
3.   Roma GP42.2 – 28 points (4, 5, 3, 5, 6, 3, 1, 4, 2, 1)
4.   Airis – 29 points (1, 7, 2, 7, 2, 1, 4, 2, 4, 6)
5.   Caser Quum – 42 points (3, 6, 7, 4, 4, 4, 6, 7, 5, 5)
6.   Madrid – 44 points (7, 4, 4, 2, 3, 5, 7, 6, 6, 7)
7.   Canarias Puerto Calero – 46 points (5, 3, 6, 3, 7, 7, 5, 5, 7,3)

As for the Quebramar GP42 Cup Desafio is still leading with 84 points, followed by Near Miss at 92 and Airis at 99 points.

Tomorrow two more races, that will define the winners of the 27th Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre and that will, no doubt, be as exciting as ever.