Puerto Calero promises great Royal Cup racing conditions in Lanzarote

Conditions for this week’s Puerto Calero Lanzarote 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup look set to be much more manageable than last month’s high winds, edge of control, regatta which was contested about 20kms west on Lanzarote’s south coast. Practice racing today saw moderate to fresh winds but strong winds are forecast for Friday and Saturday suggesting a muscular, top end finale.
 

Today’s two short, sharp practice races – both single laps of a windward-leeward course – were raced in 15-22kts of offshore breeze and saw different winners in Pieter Heerema’s No Way Back and then Andrea Lacorte’s super fast Alkedo Cetilar. No Way Back sat out the second test whilst the three times winner of the Royal Cup, Harm Müller-Spreer’s Platoon Aviation were absolutely in contention in both races, chasing No Way Back through the finish line before doing as well again on the next singl circuit warm up.
 

“I think we are sailing well. I look back at the last regatta and consider we won the last two races including one coming back from being over th start line and I feel we can do well here. And for me racing for a trophy which has a history, a legacy is a great, additional reward.” said owner-driver Harm Müller-Spreer.
 

The Dutch owner-driver Heerema has done many hours, many days of racing and training out of the Puerto Calero marina, first in the RC44 and then the Dragon, also keeping his IMOCA here training for his 2016 Vendee Globe solo round the world race. He is confident on his ‘home waters’ – he has a house overlooking the race área – but plays down their winning chances.

“I think we are still missing a little in terms of communication. I feel like we are good in a straight line in terms of speed but maybe in the high pressure situations we can improve our communication. There are a number of boats which could win here, I think we maybe have a five to ten per cent chance.” said Heerema.
 

Ergin Imre’s Turkish flagged Provezza showed well in the second race and is one of several teams whose results last month were compromised by numerous spinnakers tearing in the heavy, gusty breeze.
Provezza’s Spanish navigator Nacho Postigo explains, “There is a low pressure over the Iberian peninsula which has really broken the flow of the trade winds. When it moves in a couple of days we will see the trade winds re-establish themselves. As it moves the wind will fill over the race area. But today we were not expecting more than 16 knots. We sailed with 20-22kts which was very much today. We had a good second race and were going well in the first race until we tore a kite and went backwards from there. We had good pace, we made good starts, I think we can do much better than we have so far, we are more consistent in our starts and the speed is good.”

Puerto Calero Lanzarote 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup entries

Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano
Alpha + (HKG), Shawn and Tina Kang
Alkedo Vitamina (ITA), Andrea Lacorte
Crioula (BRA), Eduardo and Renato Plass
Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley
No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema
Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin
Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer
Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre
Sled, Takashi Okura
Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim
Trinity Racing (SWE), Joakim Sundberg
Vayu (THA), familia Whitcraft

Circuit standings after three of five regattas

1. Sled, Takashi Okura, 42+47+31 = 120 puntos
2. Platoon Aviation (GER), Harm Müller-Spreer, 51+53+33 = 137
3. Alkedo Vitamina (ITA), Andrea Lacorte, 58+56+26 = 140
4. Paprec (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, 72+61+24 = 157
5. No Way Back (NED), Pieter Heerema, 52+69+44 = 165
6. Trinity Racing (SWE), Joakim Sundberg, 73+49+46 = 168
7. Alpha + (HKG), Shawn & Tina Kang, 67+55+49 = 171
8. Provezza (TUR), Ergin Imre, 56+71+62 = 189
9. Crioula (BRA), Eduardo & Renato Plass, 59+76+66 = 201
10. Alegre (GBR), Andy Soriano, 90+72+50 = 212
11. Vayu (THA), familia Whitcraft, 86+73+55 = 214
12. Teasing Machine (FRA), Eric de Turckheim, 83+82+70 = 235
13. Gladiator (GBR), Tony Langley, 59+88+91 = 238
14. Caballo Loco (BRA), Mauro Dottori & Fabio Cotrim, 100+102+98 = 300
15. Vudu (ITA), Mauro Gestri, 135+126+98 = 359