Barcolana- 1402 Entrants RC44- Aqua Leads

by Barcolana Press on 14 Oct 2007 1402 entrants for Barcolana 39. Maxijena is ready to challenge Alfa Romeo 2. RC44: Aqua (Arab Emirates), with Chris Bake at the helm and tactician Cameron Appleton leads the race; tomorrow at 17.30 prize giving ceremony at the Barcolana Village. Tomorrow at 17.45, Stazione Marittima, Barcolana Classic prize giving and Barcolana Briefing will follow. Tomorrow evening Negrita will play at the Vodafone Barcolana Festival.

RC 44 TRIESTE CUP: Team Aqua (Arab Emirates), with Chris Bake at the helm and tactician Cameron Appleton, stays at the top of RC44 Trieste Cup overall results, coming in first and second in today's two races (2,1,4,1,2,1). Team Ceeref (Slovenia) finished second and won in the fifth RC44 Trieste Cup fleet race today (3,5,1,5,1,7) climbing up the overall results ahead of Team Omega (Switzerland), with Deneen Demourkas at the helm and tactician Russell Coutts (1,2,7,3,9,5) . The Kiwi's boat appeared to be less performing with light air conditions like today's breeze between 3 and 7 knots. Race details and champions' quotes are posted on www.barcolana.it.

Overall results: 1) Team Aqua 11 points (2,1,4,1,2,1). 2) Team Ceeref 22 (3,5,1,5,1,7). 3) Team Omega 27 (1,2,7,3,9,5). 4) Team Ekipa44 28 (7,4,3,6,4,4). 5) Es Bankers 33 (5,6,2,7,3,10). 6) Team Cro-A-Sail 37 (6,3,6,4,10,8). 7) Mascalzone Latino 39 (8,9,10,2,8,2). 8) Magia 41 (4,8,9,8,6,6). 9) Beecom 42 (9,10,5,10,5,3). Organika 50 (10,7,8,9,7,9).

'The wind was a lot lighter than yesterday, picking the right side of the course was fundamental and we were able to do a good race. We'll try to do the same tomorrow, we are looking forward to winning this important event' - said Chris Bake helmsman and owner of Aqua.

'Besides climbing up the rankings ahead of Coutts, we did very well in the first race and it was the first time the owner was at the helm with light air' - said Michele Ivaldi, ex navigator of Luna Rossa aboard Ceeref for the RC44 Trieste Cup .

'Tough racing today' - said Russell Coutts: 'the wind was light and we did our best, hopefully we'll do better tomorrow in order to climb up the rankings'.

Tomorrow at 11.00 other two fleet races will start. In the afternoon at 17.30, the prize-giving ceremony of the RC44 Trieste Cup on the Barcolana Village stage (at the beginning of Molo Audace).

BARCOLANA, 1402 ENTRANTS: There are 1402 entrants so far. The Yacht Club of Milan and Monaco will participate with Amer Sport Too, one of the splendid Wor 60 that took part in the 2000/2002 edition of the prestigious Volvo Ocean Race. Lorenzo Bodini at the helm will race next to tactician Stem Mohr, second helmsman of Oracle and match-race expert. The team consists of other two professional foreign sailors of Team Oracle and Marco Bodini, brother of Lorenzo, as strategist.

Meanwhile the number of big-boats participating in Barcolana 39 is increasing, Barcolana 39, besides the six Farr80, among which Banca Generali (Mauro Pelaschier at the helm), the Army (Cino Ricci at the helm, General Giovanni Ridinò on board, commander of Northern Italy Armed Forces) and Idrusa-Calvi of Paolo Montefusco, there are also Esimit, aiming at her sixth victory in the maxis, and TuttaTrieste that takes part in this edition of the Barcolana with Alta Badia banners: an unusual way to promote the mountain region with a sailing boat racing in the Autumn's Cup regatta. Today Fly-Cometa registered for the race too. The boat owned by Riccardo Bonetti won in Barcolana 2001 edition. Passere class has already 38 entrants: Cristina of Paolo De Spina Lodigiani, Moro di Barcola 2 of Doriano Gregoris and Seafox of Giuseppe Dalla Pria.

MAXIJENA CHALLENGES ALFAROMEO 2: Maxijena challenges Alfa Romeo again. Mitja Kosmina's super maxi will come directly from Koper without mooring with the other maxi yacht along the Waterfront of Trieste - he's ready to fight for victory against Neville Chricton's Alfa Romeo 2.

'The aim is once again to win' - says Kosmina, second in the last editions of the regatta. 'We have worked a lot on the boat but in order to win we need shifty wind conditions - said Slovenian helmsman - otherwise with constant wind conditions it is practically impossible to beat a yacht like Alfa Romeo 2, 7 metres longer than our boat'.

Kosmina, is ordering Aeolus a constant Bora on the first side of the course, a little lighter on the second and shifty gusts on the last side 'below the Karst kliffs where he hopes to battle it out', the final tricky part of the race which can be quite surprising. 'With these conditions on the race course we could think of victory, may be also using gennakers downwind, where we could have some advantage against Chricton's yacht'. Kosmina's team will consist of tactician Branco Brcin, skipper Enrico Zennaro and a group of Italian, Slovenian and Croatian sailors who have already won in the Muggia-Portorose race this year.

BRIEFING BARCOLANA AND PRIZE GIVING: While waiting for the Autumn's Cup, tomorrow the briefing for the Barcolana and prize-giving ceremonies will take place. Appointment at 17.30 Barcolana Village for RC44 Trieste Cup prize-giving ceremony, while at 17.45 Barcolana Classic prize-giving will be held at the Stazione Marittima, and around 18.00 race instructions for the most crowded regatta in the world will follow.

Fiv President Sergio Gaibisso together with Mayor of Trieste Roberto Dipiazza will welcome the about 1000 owners, skipper and helmsmen that every year take part in the pre-race meeting.

Recommendations on manoeuvres at the start, racing tips and compliance with the rules will be the three main points Giulio Geraldi, president of the Barcolana Race Committee will deal with. The Committee's task is that of checking what happens during the Autumn's Cup and solve any controversies that may arise between crews.

WEATHER FORECAST: According to the first mathematical models, not yet confirmed by local weather forecast services, on Sunday a light Bora wind should be blowing and calm down during the morning, turning into a north-west breeze. Strong wind will blow on Saturday night, so boats berthed along the waterfront should tie up adopting all safety measures so as to avoid the likelihood of collision.

APPUNTAMENTI DI DOMANI, SABATO 13 OTTOBRE:

09.00 Info Point Barcolana: Trieste Provincial Government will award prizes to Triestine sailors or staff who took part in 2007 America's Cup.
11.00 RC44 Trieste Cup Races start
11.00 Barcolana Classic coastal race starts
17.30 Barcolana Village Stage (at the beginning of Molo Audace): RC44 Trieste Cup prize-giving ceremony
17.45 Stazione Marittima: Barcola Classic prize-giving ceremony
18.00 Stazione Marittima: Barcolana owner's Briefing.
21.00 Piazza Unità: Vodafone Barcolana Festival with Negrita ending the show.