16th Sail Racing PalmaVela: Day 3 - Azzurra is the Boat of the Day at PalmaVela

Azzurra - 16th Sail Racing PalmaVela - Day 3 © Nico Martinez

With first and second place finishes in today's races, Azzurra is "Boat of the Day" amongst the TP52s racing at PalmaVela. After a lacklustre beginning where Azzurra worked on her weaknesses, today her team was back at top level as her results confirm. Placing at the top in both light and stronger breezes, Azzurra's results show that- as always- she will be a team to be reckoned with in the upcoming 52 Super Series.

With today's results Azzurra is currently in fifth place overall and very close in points to the top-placed teams. She is five points behind Quantum, the event's new leader in front of Platoon, and is just one point from the third placed teams, Phoenix and Alegre, currently tied for points. So the race for a podium finish is on and all eyes will be on the action in tomorrow's races, the final two at Sail Racing PalmaVela.

The Race Committee re-scheduled the start of the first race and called it at 1 PM in south westerly breeze at 8 knots that built to 12 and tended to rotate to the right as cooler air pushed in from the northeast. After the first race there was a long wait in lack of wind while the northerly wind settled in. Finally at 4 PM the start of the second race was called in air that built quickly from 17 knots to 22 with the TP52 offering an excellent show of skilful, speedy and breath taking sailing.

In the first race Azzurra got just the start she was looking for, on the Committee Boat. As soon as she had crossed the line she tacked to the right in a decisive choice of sides that proved to be correct. First at the first mark, Azzurra had the freedom to chose her position in clean air and went on to lengthen her lead, winning handily in a race that she dominated right from the start.

The second race was tougher. Azzurra got a good start upwind from Gladiator but was soon in dirty air, especially Sled's. Her team interpreted the wind shifts and gusts at over 22 knots well and-by staying on the right at the approach- she rounded the mark in third place behind Alegre and Platoon. A well-timed gybe set, excellent surfing downwind at over 20 knots and perfect gybes put her in an optimal position at the gate which she rounded in second place. She defended her position along the course of the final two legs and held on to her second place right to the end.

Guillermo Parada, skipper: "Today was key to turning things around. Yesterday I said that we were well aware of our weaknesses but sure of our boat. In the evening we had a long meeting where we went over every detail, learning from our mistakes and making sure that we wouldn't keep making them. Today we were very concentrated and determined and we think that today is the start of a new trend. In the first race we used some new sails that we're very happy with. The teams we're competing against have been in Palma longer than we have, we only had two days to practice here and we were concentrating more on our sails than on our 'racing mode'. Tomorrow we're going to be fighting for a podium finish, it's just one point away."

Santiago Lange, tactician: "Of course we're happy with today's results, especially after two days of poor ones. Today we sailed well, with the right frame of mind, relaxed and loose. That's what we want tomorrow too."

Tomorrow, Sunday May 12th, will see the final two races in this event. The first Warning Signal will be sounded at noon CEST.

Sailracing Palmavela Results
Day 3 after 6 races

1. Quantum USA (5,4,1,4,4,5) 23 p.
2. Platoon GER (3,3,9,2,6,1) 24 p.
3. Phoenix RSA (1,7,4,1,8,6) 27 p.
4. Alegre GBR (4,7,3,3,7,3) 27 p.
5. Azzurra ARG/ITA (6,6,5,8,1,2) 28 p.
6. Sled USA (1,2,11,11,2,4) 31 p.
7. Bronenosec RUS (5,8,2,6,3,8) 32 p.
8. Provezza TUR (9,2,8,7,5,9) 40 p.
9. Team Vision Future FRA (10,10,6,5.9.10) 50 p.
10.Gladiator ENG (9,8,7,9,10,7) 50 p.