Audi MedCup - Conde de Godo Trophy final race win to Azzurra

by Giuliano Luzzatto on 18 Sep 2011 In the Audi MedCup Conde de Godo Trophy, Audi Azzurra Sailing Team have taken third place despite the difficult week that they’ve experienced. The boat which represents the YCCS won the final regatta in the Barcelona Trophy by a clear margin, auguring well for the TP52 Worlds that will be held in Porto Cervo in October.

With a clear victory in the final race of the Audi MedCup 2011, Azzurra claimed third place after having come close to overall victory which instead went to Quantum. Bribon took second place and concluded a great yachting adventure of almost 40 years in their home waters. The many variables inherent in the sport of sailing played some cruel tricks on Azzurra over the course of this last week and the team had risked missing out on a podium finish. However a resounding victory in the final race confirmed third place for Azzurra and improved the team's outlook for the TP52 World Championship where hopefully the Mistral win will blow harder than the imperceptible Catalan breezes.

'This is not what we were aiming for in Barcelona,' affirmed Riccardo Bonadeo, Commodore of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, 'but we are happy with a podium finish in wind conditions which were difficult for us. Once the wind strengthens a little, like in this last race which we won, we obtain the results that we work so hard for. I would like to thank the crew and the owner, our member Alberto Roemmers, and I would invite everyone - participants and fans - to Porto Cervo from 2nd to 8th October for the TP52 Class World Championship.'

'Final feliz', said tactician Francesco Bruni, echoing his Argentinean team mates, 'the first race was a hard one, the conditions were not ideal for us and we were left fighting for a podium finish in the final race. The wind filled in to twelve knots and Guillermo did a fantastic start, at the beginning we were controlling Container, who started badly, then we decided to go for the victory that was within our reach.'

Strategist Vasco Vascotto never loses his smile but regretted only taking third place and preferred to quote an sms received from his mother: 'It could have been worse, hugs to everyone!'

Skipper Guillermo Parada concluded with a brief analysis of the Audi MedCup Circuit 2011: 'It has been a difficult season during which we suffered more than we deserved to, sometimes it was us who made mistakes but at other times circumstances slowed us. In any case we never gave up and we have finished in good spirits because defending our podium finish with a victory gives us high hopes for the Worlds in Porto Cervo.'

Audi Azzurra website
Yacht Club Costa Smeralda website