I hate using superlatives and exclamation points in a race report but if one had to make an exception it would be today. The six TP52′s and IRC52 sailed a 31-mile coastal race that was anything but boring despite what seemed to be initially a clear domination by Azzurra and Quantum Racing. During the 4 hours the race lasted, we were lucky to watch numerous lead changes, drama, the fleet being trapped in a massive wind hole, the French crew failing to read correctly the sailing instructions and a 500-meter final stretch that threw the finish order upside down. Even in light winds, the TP52′s provide close and exciting racing!
After a 15-minute delay, the race committee gave the start and Azzurra quickly took the lead, crossing in front of Quantum in the first 1.2-mile beat. Paprec, despite having been red-flagged at the start managed to weave their way to third place. After rounding the first weather mark at the top of the fleet, Azzurra and Quantum built a significant advantage over in an 8-mile run that took them past the island of La Maddalena and towards the island of Spargi, which the fleet had to leave to starboard.
Quantum Racing showed better speed in that long run and overtook Azzurra. The American and Italian-Argentinean boats kept a very comfortable until they reached the island of Spargi. That’s where disaster stroke and the leaders found themselves being the laggards in less than 10 minutes. While the two leading boats sailed very close to shore the rest of the fleet opted for a course further offshore. That proved, momentarily, to be an enormous error as a massive wind hole trapped them and allowed the other 4 boats, with Paprec and Ran in the lead to sail away. After an agonizing 6 minutes, Quantum and Azzurra manage to sail away. Still, it was the Italian grey matter onboard Azzurra that found a better way to escape from the trap. While Quantum sailed further offshore, Azzurra went closer to the shore, reaching the northern tip of the island ahead of the Americans.
In the meantime, the French boat, Paprec, was sailing flawlessly and had reached the halfway point of the race in the lead. That was when we seemed to have missed something when we saw the French sail between the island of Spargi and the islet of Spargiotto while all the other TP52′s sailed behind it. We thought Paprec had found a perfect shortcut but it proved they were wrong because the sailing instructions prohibited that precise passage.
As expected, Paprec came out of Spargiotto with a massive lead. However, the nice surprise was to see two owner-driven boats, Powerplay and Gladiator round Spargiotto and be in the lead of the pack. The very long beat back to Porto Cervo wasn’t still without drama. Azzurra was fourth while Ran and Quantum were fighting to avoid being last. Azzurra was putting a fight with Gladiator and won it, climbing into third place and putting a boat between themselves and Quantum. That was enough of a margin to take the overall lead on the last upwind stretch before the final mark rounding and a short run to the finish.
As the breeze was dying in front of the port, Paprec crossed the finish line with great ease, only to be radioed by the race committee that they hadn’t sailed the proper course. The fight behind them was ferocious. Powerplay rounded the last mark in the lead, something that would have given the victory. However, the IRC52 proved to be too heavy for the nonexistent breeze. They were overtaken by Azzurra, Gladiator and Quantum Racing. Azzurra’s crew didn’t give up and fought to the last inch with Gladiator, taking the victory in the last gybe.
Azzurra are now in the lead, one point clear of Quantum.
Overall score table
1 Audi AZZURRA Sailing Team (ITA) 3,2,2,4,1,1.5 13.5pts
2 Quantum Racing (USA) 1,1,3,1,4,4.5, 14.5pts
3 Gladiator (GBR) 2,3,1,2,6,3 17pts
4 RÁN (SWE) 4,4,4,3,2, 7.5 24.5pts
5 PowerPlay (CAY) 6,6,6,5,5, 6 34pts
6 Paprec Recyclage (FRA) 5,5,5,6,3, DSQ 34.5 pts
Paprec take a penalty at the start of the coastal race. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Start of the coastal race. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Azzurra take the lead in the first, short beat. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Azzurra round the first weather mark in the lead. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Excellent recovery by the French that round in third place despite a red flag at the start. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Quantum Racing takes the lead in the long run to the Spargi Island. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Quantum Racing and Azzurra are well ahead of the fleet as they pass La Maddalena. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Paprec show excellent downwind speed. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Azzurra and Quantum Racing opt for a course that takes them much closer to the Spargi coast. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Azzurra and Quantum Racing are trapped in a massive wind hole off the shore of Spargi. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Paprec are in the lead at the halfway point of the race. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Paprec take a shortcut between Spargi and Spargiotto. The rest of the fleet sails behind the islet. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Powerplay and Gladiator round Spargiotto in second and third place, respectively. The rest of the fleet sails behind the islet. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Azzurra put the pressure on Gladiator. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Quantum overtakes Ran, relegating them to last. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Paprec are happily sailing towards the finish line, away ahead of the other five boats, but that would prove to be useless. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Ran has been struggling all week. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Azzurra is ahead and has one boat between them and Quantum. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Powerplay is leading in the final downwind stretch but the dying breeze will throw them back… Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Azzurra attack Gladiator. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info
Azzurra take the win. Porto Cervo, 16 June 2012. Photo copyright Pierre Orphanidis / VSail.info