2016 52 Super Series – Tough week for Azzurra

by Azzurra on 29 May 2016 It was a tough week for Azzurra, who closed the first event in the 2016 52 Super Series in fifth place. Podium finishers are Quantum, Alegre and Platoon. The next event will be at the end of June: the Audi Settimana delle Bocche organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.

The final day in the first event of the 2016 52 Super Series, the Scarlino Cup, started off with fresh breezes from the southeast at 18-20 knots that blew away the early morning’s thunder clouds.

The first race started at 12.30 and Azzurra got a good start right on the Committee boat. The ups and downs of first beat put Azzurra at the middle of a fleet led by Alegre. Azzurra recovered positions during the first run and rounded the gate in third place together with Quantum. During the final downwind leg Azzurra blew out her gennaker then managed to recover positions to finish ninth.

The second race began in southwesterly breezes and became a guessing game when breezes died down to just 7 knots - even less on the right hand side of the course- halfway through the last downwind leg. Azzurra was in fourth place when the winds died and managed to control the damage and finish fifth. Others were more unfortunate: Provezza, for example, slipped back to last place from second.

Sled won the last race in the Scarlino Cup followed by Quantum and Alegre. The former two boats finished the first event in the 2016 52 Super Series in first and second places respectively, followed by Platoon in third place.

The eleven teams in the 52 Super Series are now heading for the Audi Settimana delle Bocche in Porto Cervo, Azzurra’s home waters. There Azzurra hopes to recover points after a tough week. The first practice race will be June 27th at 1:00 PM.

Quote of the day:
Guillermo Parada, skipper “It has been a disappointing week for the team. Things didn’t seem to go our way the whole week. We weren’t doing things as well as we could and sometimes luck just wasn’t on our side. It’s time now to analyze the reasons we under performed, and reset. We have to head into the next regatta in a few weeks with a clear minds and forget about the points for now. We have to make sure we perform as a team at the level we should and that’s all we can do for now.'

Vasco Vascotto, tactician: “We didn’t have a good week, but we’re not looking for excuses. I honestly can’t remember another week as bad as this one, but we knew last year, after we won the Series, that tougher times could follow. We can’t talk about merit or fault when things just go wrong including blowing out sails and trouble with other boats. It’s time to correct our mistakes and turn things around in our favour.”