Azzurra leads the Menorca 52 Super Series Sailing Week after Day 1

Azzurra - 52 Super Series Menorca © Martinez Studio / 52 Super Series

With second and first place finishes in today's two races the TP52 Azzurra is in the lead of the provisional results of the most competitive professional sailing league.

The 2019 52 Super Series has started on the right foot for the boat sponsored by the Roemmers family and flying the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda's burgee: she is in the lead with a comfortable margin on Platoon and Bronenosec, the other top placed teams today. Racing was in light shifty breeze at 8-10 knots from the southeast, tending to rotate to the east.

Of course, Azzurra and her team know that this is just the first day of racing in a long season of almost 50 races, still it's a good start. Better yet is the way the boat is handling as skipper Guillermo Parada describes: "We're really happy because today's results are the icing on the cake of a long winter spent working on the boat. Up until today Azzurra hasn't performed very well in light breeze, unlike her rivals. Today we felt like we were performing at least as well as Quantum and Platoon, teams who have always done well in light air. On top of that, we had an extra advantage from Santi and Cole's tactics and strategies and perfect manoeuvres done by the whole crew."

The day's racing in Mahon began with the AP hoisted ashore and the Principal Race Officer, Maria Torrijo, deciding that the first Warning Signal will get no sooner than 2 PM. Even so the course had to be moved further north. Racing finally got under way at 3:45 PM in conditions that were just barely within the parameters for starting the competition.

In the first race Azzurra got a clean start on the left even though it was Quantum, leeward of Bronenosec, that got the pin. The Russian team stayed left and caught the better breeze on that side and was first at the mark, followed by Quantum and Azzurra. Azzurra approached the gate from the left and rounded it second, a hair ahead Quantum who approached from the right. A series of perfect tacks on the left side of the course meant that Azzurra was solidly in second place followed by Phoenix 11 while Quantum dropped back in conditions that were difficult to read.

The second race saw Azzurra go for, and get, the pin, positioning herself in the lead and controlling the entire fleet. Platoon was the only team that attacked right up to the finish line, but it wasn't hard for Azzurra and her team to hold them off.

Santiago Lange, tactician: "We're really happy with this start to the season, last year a similar situation cost us a lot of points. But like I always say, the important thing is to sail as well as we can and above all to get better every day. This morning I spoke with Elena, our meteorologist, and with the support of her weather readings we decided that the left side of the course would be the best today."

Tomorrow the first Warning Signal is scheduled for 12.30PM CEST. Live updates straight from the regatta course will be posted on Azzurra's Facebook page. Fans can go to www.azzurra.it and www.52superseries.com for virtual tracking with commentary in English.

Menorca 52 Super Series Sailing Week after 2 races

1. Azzurra (ARG/ITA) (Alberto/Pablo Roemmers) (2,1) 3 pts
2. Platoon (GER) (Harm Müller-Spreer) (5,2) 7 pts
3. Bronenosec (RUS) (Vladimir Liubomirov) (1,7) 8 pts
4. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) (6,3) 9 pts
5. Phoenix 12 (RSA) (Tina Plattner) (7,4) 11 pts
6. Phoenix 11 (RSA) (Hasso Plattner) (3,10) 13 pts
7. Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) (8,5) 13 pts
8. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) (4,11) 15 pts
9. Team Vision Future (FRA) (Jean Jacques Chaubbard) (10,6) 16 pts
10. Sled (USA) (Takashi Okura) (9,8) 17 pts
11. Gladiator (GBR) (Tony Langley) (11,9) 20 pts