Big day out

Bribon, the King and Dean Barker win coastal race at the Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre

There is no sleep for the just in the GP42 class. If the regatta so far has been dominated by Near Miss, the cards were reshuffled once again on the third day of the Quebramar GP42 Cup, at the Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre.

Today Airis, Roma GP42.2 and Desafio got a win each shaking the series overall results.

As the official Copa del Rey programme located the race course on the Charlie area, near Arenal where there was a good 'Xaloc' breeze of around 14 knots, the race committee fired the starting signal only a few minutes later that expected, at 13.20, for a 2 miles long windward/leeward course.

The sixth race of Copa del Rey was particularly intense, resulting in the entire fleet of GP42s crossing the finish line separated by just 22 seconds, the winner being the Italian Airis helmed by Sandro Montefusco. The Spanish on Desafio also showed excellent speed finishing second ahead of Roma GP42.2, Caser Quum, Madrid, Near Miss and Canarias Puerto Calero’s turn.

As is usual in the Bay of Palma the sea breeze increased over the afternoon and for the start of race two it blowed at 16 knots: just the perfect conditions for another close and exciting race. Right after the GP42 flag was lowered, it was a battle between Roma GP42.2 , Desafio, Airis and Near Miss . The Italian boat skippered by Paolo Cian led the way closely followed by Desafio, all the way to the finish when she got her very first win in the event. Desafio kept their second place, Near Miss was third followed by Airis, Canarias Puerto Calero, Caser Quum and Madrid.

The third and final race of the day got underway at 16.30, on the same course and bearing, but with a slighter stronger wind still, topping 20 knots. Near Miss made a good start but Desafio and Airis showed their muscles and claimed this eighth race. They match raced all the way to the upwind and downind marks and on the finish Desafio finally scored her first win of this regatta, ending an historical day for the GP42 class and leaving Airis nearly one minute behind. Near Miss closed in third, Roma GP42.2 fourth followed by Caser Quum, Madrid and Canarias Puerto Calero.

Despite no wins today Near Miss still heads the provisional scoreboard of Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre with a three point lead on both Airis and Desafio.

Provisional results after 8 races – one discard:

Boat Country Points (partial scores)
1.   Near Miss – Switzerland – 16 points (6, 1, 1, 1 1, 6, 3, 3)
2.   Airis – Italy – 19 points (1, 7, 2, 7, 2, 1, 4, 2)
3.   Desafio – Spain – 19 points (2, 2,5, 6, 5, 2, 2, 1)
4.   Roma GP42.2 – Italy – 25 points (4, 5, 3, 5, 6, 3, 1, 4)
5.   Madrid – Spain – 31 points (7, 4, 4, 2, 3, 5, 7, 6)
6.   Canarias Puerto Calero – Spain – 32 points (5, 3, 6, 3, 7, 7, 5, 5)
7.   Caser Quum – Spain – 36 points (3, 6, 7, 4, 4, 4, 6, 7)