Audi TP52 World Championship - Azzurra fourth in Porto Cervo

by Giuliano Luzzatto on 15 Jun 2014 The fickle and light breeze prevented the race committee from holding any race on the final day of the Audi TP52 World Championship. Azzurra wishes to congratulate the brand new world champion, Quantum Racing.

The complex weather situation in the Porto Cervo area saw storms in Sardinia's inland that blocked the entry of the Mistral that was forecast by mathematical models. When a light thermal breeze finally began to build up, it was too late to give a start. The world champion title goes to Quantum Racing. A mere two points behind them lies a surprising Phoenix, the Brazilian team with Santiago Lange calling tactics, which has shown its great form already in its second event after the maiden participation at the 52 Barclays Super Series in Capri. The 2013 world champion, Ran, closes the podium, three points behind Quantum while Azzurra had to settle for fourth place.

Guille Parada, skipper of Azzurra, said: 'As I said yesterday, it was a tough week for Azzurra with many things that didn't work out the proper way. Wind conditions weren't the best for us but the reality is that we simply didn't sail up to our potential. We now have to look back at everything, assess it and make sure that we reach the Copa del Rey well prepared. The championship leaderboard is still very tight and things can change every day. There's still two more regattas in the season and we need to race at the top of our form.'

Vasco Vascotto, tactician on Azzurra, commented: 'It was a sad week in which many unfavorable factors added up. We are analyzing the reasons why we didn't have good races. Undoubtedly, the light breeze and the lesser number of races held prevented us from recovering a fifth and a seventh place that weighed on our score. However, that's the sport of sailing and we aren't looking for excuses. We need to work hard and promptly to recover, while we applaud the winners.'

One of the most memorable moments of this Audi TP52 World Championship held on Azzurra's home waters was certainly the visit of the young sailors of Club Nautico Arzachena (photo) who, accompanied by their coach, got off their Optimists and got onboard the TP52 to listen to Vasco Vascotto's and Guille Parada's advice.

The next rendezvous for Azzurra is the Copa del Rey, scheduled from August 4th-9th in Palma de Mallorca.

Results: Audi TP52 World Championship - Porto Cervo, Italy

Overall after five races
1 Quantum Racing, USA, (Doug De Vos USA) (1,2,2,3,2) 10pts
2 Phoenix, BRA, (Eduardo de Souza Ramos BRA) (4,3,3,1,1) 12pts
3 Rán Racing, SWE, (Niklas Zennström SWE) (3,1,1,4,4) 13pts
4 Azzurra, ITA, (Alberto Roemmers ARG) (2,5,7,2,5) 21pts
5 Gladiator, GBR, (Tony Langley GBR) (5,7,4,5,3) 24pts
6 Provezza 7, TUR, (Ergin Imre TUR) (6,4,6,7,DNF) 33pts
7 Paprec, FRA, (Jean Luc Petithugenin FRA) (8,6,5,9,6) 34pts
8 Hurakan, ITA, (Giuseppe Parodi ITA) (7,8,8,6,8) 37pts
9 B2, ITA, (Michele Galli ITA) (9,DNF,9,8,7) 43pts

Barclays 52 Super Series

Overall after two events
1 Quantum Racing, USA, (Doug De Vos USA) (23, 10) 33 pts
2 Rán Racing, SWE, (Niklas Zennström SWE) (24,13) 37pts
3 Azzurra, ITA, (Alberto Roemmers ARG) (17, 21) 38pts
4 Phoenix, BRA, (Eduardo de Souza Ramos BRA) (30, 12) 42pts
5 Gladiator, GBR, (Tony Langley GBR) (34, 24) 58pts
6 Provezza 7, TUR, (Ergin Imre TUR) (35, 33) 68pts
7 Vesper USA, (Jim Swartz USA) (21,50) 71pts
8 Paprec FRA, (Jean Luc Petithugenin FRA) (40, 34) 74pts
9 B2, ITA, (Michele Galli ITA) (46,43) 89pts
10 Hurakan, ITA, (Giuseppe Parodi ITA) (60, 37) 97pts