Το Quantum Racing κέρδισε στο Audi Sardinia Cup

Ο Ed Baird και η Quantum Racing Team στην τελευταία κούρσα του Audi Sardinia Cup έβαλαν σε εφαρμογή τις ικανότητες τους στο match racing και εγκλώβισαν το Audi Azzurra Sailing Team κατά την εκκίνηση και έτσι κέρδισαν και το δεύτερο σταθμό του 52 Super Series. 

PORTO CERVO, ITALY, (photo by Xaume Olleros/52 Superseries)

Στο ίδιο μέρος που πέρυσι κέρδισαν το 2011 TP52 World Championships, στην Costa Smeralda, 20 δευτερόλεπτα πριν την εκκίνηση ο Ed Baird έκανε την κίνηση, έκλεισε την πόρτα στο azzurra πάνω στο σκάφος της επιτροπής, που τους έδωσε τη νίκη στον μοναδικό αγώνα που έγινε την τελευταία μέρα.
Και με μόνο μια κούρσα που έγινε και με μέτριο αεράκι το azzurra δεν είχε καμία ελπίδα να επανακάμψει, παρόλο που ξεκίνησε την μέρα στην πρώτη θέση της γενικής βαθμολογίας με έναν βαθμό μπροστά από το Quantum Racing. 

PORTO CERVO, ITALY, (photo by Xaume Olleros/52 Superseries)

Το Azzurra αν και τερμάτισε στην 5η θέση στην τελευταία κούρσα κατάφερε να πάρει την 2η θέση στην γενική μπροστά από το Gladiator στην 3η, το RAN στην 4η, το Paprec Recyclage 5ο και το PowerPlay στην 6η θέση. 

PORTO CERVO, ITALY, (photo by Xaume Olleros/52 Superseries)

Η Γαλλική ομάδα του Paprec Recyclage, του Stephan Neve, ήταν η έκπληξη της διοργάνωσης με ένα παλιό (2007) TP52 τροποποιημένο για αγώνες IRC και με ερασιτεχνικό πλήρωμα κατάφερε να φέρει μερικά καλά αποτελέσματα, 2ο στην τελευταία κούρσα, και αν δεν είχε κάνει και ένα λάθος στον παράκτιο αγώνα θα ήταν σε πολύ καλύτερη θέση. 

Αναντίρρητα το Γαλλικό πλήρωμα αποδείχτηκε άξιος αντίπαλος για τις επαγγελματικές ομάδες με τα νέα σκάφη και τόσο το Paprec όσο και το PowerPlay ήταν πάντα μέσα στον ανταγωνισμό.

Τελικά αποτελέσματα 52 Super Series, Audi Sardinia Cup:

1. Quantum Racing (USA) 1,1,3,1,4,4.5, 1 15.5pts 

2. Audi AZZURRA Sailing Team (ITA) 3,2,2,4,1,1.5,5 18.5pts 

3. Gladiator (GBR) 2,3,1,2,6,3,3 20pts 

4. RÁN (SWE) 4,4,4,3,2, 7.5.6 30.5 pts 

5. Paprec Recyclage (FRA) 5,5,5,6,3, DSQ,2 36.5 pts 

6. PowerPlay (CAY) 6,6,6,5,5, 6,4 38pts 

52 Super Series μετά από 2 αγώνες (Trofeo Conde de Godó and Audi Sardinia Cup)

1. Quantum Racing 14, 15.5, 29.5pts 

2. AZZURRA 14, 18.5 32.5pts 

3. RÁN 16, 30.5 46.5pts 

4. Gladiator 29,20 49pts 

5. Paprec Recyclage DNC, 36.5pts 78.5pts 

6. PowerPlay DNC, 38pts 80pts 

7. Audi ALL4ONE 35, DNC 87.5pts 

Quotes: 

Ed Reynolds (USA) Team director Quantum Racing (USA): “Today was good, over the last couple of years as a team, in situations when they have had to have their best race they have done it. Today was a day when we needed our driver to take control of the race from the very beginning and Ed did an amazing job. Fifteen seconds after the start I was thinking it looked good for us, it would be difficult for Azzurra to get back. It was a little bit of a one sided race track, you don’t want to be in the position Ed put them in, but we’ll take it. Every time we have sailed there you have to hit that right side. To me the hardest thing in sailing is to win the boat when you have to win the boat. It was a tough situation. Everybody wanted, it was pretty impressive, Ed just went in there and took it. 

PORTO CERVO, ITALY, (photo by Xaume Olleros/52 Superseries)

We have won two regattas but we are still almost tied. It is going to be nerve racking all season long. The Azzurra guys are so good. In tight situations there was a couple times this week where we thought they’re done, we’ve got them’ they just got out of it and came back. Today they understood it too, they were fighting for the same spot that Ed was and Ed took control of it and that was the race. 

You have Juan Vila, Warwick Fleury, Lorenzo Mazza, Andy, Tommy Burnham who have sailed match racing with Ed before, we kind of configured the team a little bit around that, with some real strengths, knowing that with not so many boats, at some times it could come down to that, if we needed to beat one boat we could do it.” 

PORTO CERVO, ITALY, (photo by Xaume Olleros/52 Superseries)

Simon Fry (GBR), trimmer Audi Azzurra Sailing Team (ITA): “To be polite I’d have to say we are disappointed. I am sure we will debrief it, but the start did not go as we wanted. I am not sure if the geometry was not what we thought, or if there was a little more current pushing us on, from a call of them not being able to shut the door on us, to he could definitely shut the door on us, so then we were on the back foot on a right hand race track. I think possibly you would say we could have tacked under them and then would have been at no risk, an even start, and if you are still in it at the weather mark you can fight on, so maybe a little bit of a risk management lesson. Over the period we have learned a lot about sailing the boat in the light, but now we are going back to Palma, where the boat lives and we have all sailed a lot, so here is hoping!” 

Chris Larson (USA), tactician, Gladiator (GBR): “Third overall for us, I think we are all going away pretty happy with what has happened this week. Luckily we have had some light air which has been good for the boat, we did pretty well, we stayed consistent and had good finishes. We had one bad race which was pretty much my fault. But in general, everyone did a really good job, we are coming together more and more as a team as time passes. 

PORTO CERVO, ITALY, (photo by Xaume Olleros/52 Superseries)

I think Tony is getting more and more time on the helm and is getting more confident in the instructions that I am trying to pass along, like sailing narrower ranges with the boat speed and true wind angles in the light winds, he is getting more confident and accustomed to what we are asking him to do and as that happens the boat’s performance increases. It is a good thing. 13-14kts and under that we are competitive. 

Ado Stead (GBR) tactician RAN (GBR): “There was no way back today from an OCS today, it was a shame really. We thought we were OK but we were called and there was not way back on a right hand race track. 

We are disappointed with the result here, but in terms of the way we are sailing the boat as a group we have made big strides forward in the light. And we have certainly made big steps forwards in conditions which we considered to be our weak spot. So, onwards to Palma. We just need to finesse what we have been working on, and in fact we were probably going the best we have in those conditions yet.