Bribon consolidates in coastal race

The latest from the Copa del Rey Mapfre

After a postponement ashore of approximately an hour due to the lack of wind, races today finally started at 13:00 as scheduled.

Bribón, Earlybird, Rats on Fire and Movistar consolidated their respective leads in IRC A, RC1 and 2, after victories in today's high scoring coastal race, which carried a 2x co-efficient. The wind for the start of the 30 miles long course - eventually shortened to 24 miles for the RI division - was 10 knots of southerly breeze (known locally as the Embat) but it soon lost intensity and dropped down to seven knots as it shifted to southwest. With six races to go, and a discard which is due to be applied tomorrow after eight races, the current leaders had consolidated their positions.

In IRC A the Bribón TP52, steered by skipper Gonzalo Araújo, was aheda at the first scoring mark 14,3 miles from the start (on corrected time), and managed to cross the finish line 14 miles later and was only beaten by the Shockwave Mini Maxi of American George Sakellaris, which now moves up to third overall after five races. Container could only managed fifth but remains in second, 11 points behind the leader Bribón. Hispano, steered by HRH Felipe de Borbón, has dropped to fifth after finishing today's coastal track in the same position (on corrected).

In IRC B, German flagged Earlybird holds to the lead despite of her third place finish in the coastal race, thus ending her run of six bullets.

While the Copa del Rey Mapfre's largest vessels enjoyed the coastal course, the newcomer in the Melges 32 fleet sailed two windward-leeward races which saw America's Cup skipper Jason Carroll's Argo win the first one, but then dropped to fifth in the second, although nevertheless she has extended her points advantage from second to seven points. Nicola Celon's 32 follows after second and fourth places today, while the reigning World Champions on B-Lin Sailing.com have dropped to third after fourth and seventh places today.

The scoreboard has got tighter in J/80 after World Champion Nextel Engineering of Ignacio Camino lost out to Jose María van der Ploeg's Factor Energía – Great Sailing Quum, which has moved into the lead after a second and a first today.

In X-35 the Italian fleet dominates the podium with Hotelplan posting a first and second holding onto the lead. Tixelio is second thanks to a win in today's second race, and is now tied on points with Ave María of Marco Balbo.

Both RI fleets also had their coastal race today, but the committee decided to shorten them to 24 miles after the wind started dropping. Rats on Fire is leader after today's clear win, while Movistar leads in RI 2 after finishing first ahead of Power Plate.

Full results here.