Azzurra wins a race then suffers a technical setback at Menorca 52 Super Series Sailing Week - Day 3
by Giuliano Luzzatto 23 May 2019 16:14 PDT
21-25 May 2019
Azzurra - 52 Super Series Menorca © Martinez Studio / 52 Super Series
Azzurra light and dark: after winning today's first race she dropped back in the day's second and third races and is now second overall in the provisional results at the Menorca 52 Super Series.
Today was the third day of racing at the Menorca 52 Super Series in Mahon, the first event in the TP52's 2019 season. The most professional and competitive keelboat racing league ran three races today in southerly breeze at 12 to 14 knots to make up partially for yesterday.
Azzurra got an excellent start, winning the first race. After fighting hard to start on the Committee Boat, the boat flying the YCCS burgee managed to get free right away by taking a port tack to the right hand side of the course. First at the mark, Azzurra was passed by Alegre approaching the gate. While they approached from the left side, Azzurra chose the right and stayed to that side, regaining her lead quickly. She held on to her advantage to the end of the race winning handily ahead of Alegre and Provezza. Quantum placed fourth.
The start of the second race was similar to the first, but this time Sled closed the door and Azzurra had to follow. She alternated positions in the middle of the fleet with other teams and ended the race in seventh place. But the last race was the most difficult: just a few seconds after the start Azzurra had a technical problem with her mainsheet and dropped back. Her attempts at recovery were frustrated by the fact that the breeze had rotated closing any tactical opportunities and she didn't have any other options than to sail in her adversary's dirty air. Her tenth place finish was unusual for Azzurra and her team, but several other teams have also alternated excellent and disappointing results.
With two days left to go the provisional results see Azzurra in second place trailing her rival, Quantum, by just one point. Provezza is in third place, tied for points with Azzurra. Platoon is in fourth place, but just two points behind Azzurra and Provezza. Racing will begin tomorrow at 12.30 CEST
Guillermo Parada, skipper: "Clearly the first race was great, and in the second we recovered well after a difficult start. We lost a position on each run which isn't good, but we finished seventh and still felt like we were in a good place. Unfortunately, right after the start of the third race we had a technical problem with the mainsail winch. The mainsheet lost tension suddenly and we lost a length at just the wrong time. Even worse was that we didn't have any tactical options open to get back in the game. This is the third day of this event and tomorrow we'll have to start over. We didn't think that we would dominate from start to finish, but tomorrow for sure we'll fight, that's our style."
Fans can find live updates on Azzurra's Facebook page and the websites www.azzurra.it and www.52superseries.com will have virtual tracking with commentary in English.