Audi TP52 World Championship - Quantum Racing claims victory + Video

by Jill Campbell/Donata Cuppone on 15 Jun 2014 The closing day of the Audi TP52 World Championship brought a long and frustrating wait for the nine teams competing in the event held from ninth-14th June 2014 and organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. The wind Gods refused to cooperate in Porto Cervo today and despite the Race Committee's every effort it was impossible to set a course in the soft and shifty conditions.

Yesterday's overall classification therefore remains valid with Quantum Racing, owned by Doug DeVos and with Terry Hutchinson calling tactics, taking home the World Title for the fourth time. Class newcomer Eduardo Souza Ramos takes second place with his Phoenix, while outgoing world champion Niklas Zennstrom with Rán claims third place.

Ed Baird, skipper and helmsman of Quantum Racing on the win: 'We always love coming to Porto Cervo, it's a great place to sail. Quantum Racing has been working so hard for the past six years to continually improve and here it was the closest it's been for a while. The new boat Phoenix is very good and Ran was sailing really well and of course Azzurra is always in the hunt so it's very exciting to finish in front of these boats.'

Double Olympic medallist Santiago Lange, tactician aboard the new Botin-designed Phoenix, was delighted with the team's result: 'It was a great regatta for us, we are a new team and a new boat and the owner was very happy so that's a big objective accomplished. The coastal race was one of those races you'll never forget. I wish we would have had a little more wind but it's always a pleasure and a privilege to be here.'

With the scheduled start having been moved forward to give the fleet the best possibility of getting the full quota of three races in today, crews had a long wait on the course in soaring temperatures until AP over Alpha was finally flown at 14.45. Although no other decision was possible, the disappointment was palpable given yesterday's extremely tight overall classification, which had just three points separating the top three boats. Italian boat Azzurra, flying the YCCS burgee, would also have been keen to gain points after she was pushed out of the top three and into fourth place in yesterday's final race.

Niklas Zennstrom expressed the sentiments of many: 'Unfortunately today was a bit of an anti-climax, we wanted to get three races in and have an opportunity to come back and win the regatta but that didn't happen. Our objective was to defend our title so we are disappointed but Quantum sailed really well and they are always hard to beat.'

Riccardo Bonadeo, YCCS Commodore, commented on the high standard of racing during the final prize giving ceremony at the YCCS: 'It was a difficult week because of some unusual conditions here in Porto Cervo but the Race Committee did an excellent job and we got in some great racing. Thursday's coastal race showed just how competitive the fleet is as they raced for three hours and arrived within seconds of each other. This is the fifth time the fleet has sailed in our waters and we look forward to welcoming everyone back here next year with some new boats for even better racing.'