Azzurra holds on to her leading position at the 52 Super Series 2019

There’s just one day of racing left in the 2019 52 Super Series and Azzurra is still 11 points ahead for the season overall on Platoon, her closest competitor. The boat flying the YCCS burgee is also still in second place at the Porto Cervo event, behind the event’s provisional leader, Sled.

After having had to abandon racing yesterday due to strong Mistral winds, today the Race Committee managed to get three races in. Mistral winds were still blowing but at 8 knots that were shifty and built to 18 knots during the third race.

In the first race Azzurra got a very good start but soon afterwards had a technical problem. “The first race was tough for us even though we got a good start,” said skipper Guillermo Parada. “We crossed in front of Platoon, but on the next tack had a problem with the traveller that cost us two lengths and let Quantum catch up to us. We lost contact with the leading group and it’s too bad because it would have been a different story if we hadn’t hit that snag.” 

Platoon won the first race while Azzurra finished eighth, but her team didn’t lose its composure. In the following two races, which were both won by Sled, Azzurra finished second. So her lead for the season overall stays the same: 11 points over the second placed team, Platoon, who finished 1-3 and 8 today, which goes to show how high the level of competition is. “After the first race we had a good, solid day,” Parada continues. “Two second places and always ahead of our closest rivals for the season’s victory. I don’t want to tally up the score, but tomorrow I turn 52 and the stress I was suffering after the first race made me feel as if I were 75!”

Azzurra and Platoon were at it all day, but especially in the second race right after their starts on the pin. The YCCS boat got ahead thanks to better choices along the first beat and rounded the mark second, behind Sled but ahead of Platoon. Even though she tried to attack constantly, the German team never managed to get ahead of Azzurra and they finished third. The third race saw breeze at 18 knots. Azzurra took a risk that paid off and crossed behind most of the fleet on the first beat to sail in clean air. The fleet arrived compact at the mark where Azzurra managed to slip in and round second, behind Sled. She held on to that position right to the end, while Quantum Racing finished third.

The provisional results at the Audi 52 Super Series Sailing Week in Porto Cervo see Sled in the lead with a 9-point advantage on Azzurra. Quantum Racing is currently in third place at this event. Tomorrow, September 28th, the first warning signal has been moved up to 11:00 AM with the intention to get three races on the final day.

The forecast calls for Mistral breeze at 10 to 22 knots.

Audi 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week Porto Cervo after 6 races
1. Sled (USA) (Takashi Okura) (1,2,6,2,1,1) 13 p.
2. Azzurra (ARG/ITA) (Alberto/Pablo Roemmers) (3,5,2,8,2,2) 22 p.
3. Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) (5,3,7,4,5,3) 27p.
4. Platoon (GER) (Harm Müller-Spreer) (8,4,4,1,3,8) 28 p.
5. Phoenix 11 (RSA) (Tina Plattner) (6,6,3,7,4,5) 31 puntos.
6. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) (2,7,8,3,6,6) 32 p.
7. Bronenosec (RUS) (Vladimir Liubomirov) (4,10,1,5,7,7) 34 p.
8. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) (9,1,5,10,9,9) 43 p.
9. Gladiator (GBR) (Tony Langley) (7,8,9,9,8,4) 45 p.
10. Team Vision Future (FRA) (Jean Jacques Chaubard) (10,9,11DNF,6,10,10) 56 p.

52 SUPER SERIES Provisional Overall scoreboard:
1. Azzurra (ARG/ITA) (Alberto/Pablo Roemmers) 154 p.
2. Platoon (GER) (Harm Müller-Spreer) 165 p.
3. Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) 171 p.
4. Bronenosec (RUS) (Vladimir Liubomirov) 181 p.
5. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) 190 p.
6. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) 213 p.
7. Sled (USA) (Takashi Okura) 215 p.
8. Phoenix 11 (RSA) (Tina Plattner) 232 p.

52 SUPER SERIES 2019

Menorca 52 Super Series Sailing Week, 
May 21th - 25 th, Menorca, Spain.

Puerto Sherry 52 Super Series Royal Cup, 
June 18th - 22th Cadiz, Spain.

Cascais 52 Super Series Sailing Week, 
July16th - 20th Cascais, Portugal.

Rolex TP52 World Championship Puerto Portals 2019, 
August 25th - 29th Mallorca Spain.

Audi 52 Super Series Sailing Week, Porto Cervo
September 23th - 28rd Sardinia, Italy.

AZZURRA
Pablo and Alberto Roemmers - Owners
Guillermo Parada - Skipper, Helm
Santiago Lange - Tactician
Bruno Zirilli - Navigator
Giovanni Cassinari - Mainsail
Mariano Caputo - Bowman
Juan Pablo Marcos -  Midbow
David Vera - Pitman
Grant Loretz- Trimmer
Ciccio Celon - Trimmer
Mariano Parada - Trimmer
Gabriel Marino - Grinder
Alejandro Colla – Grinder
Nicola Pilastro - Grinder
Pedro Rossi- Boat Captain
Coach: Guillermo Baquerizas
Sail performances: Gonzalo Ramos Vertiz