2015 52 Super Series – All change at the top

by Azzurra Sailing Team on 15 Jun 2015 2015 52 Super Series – Azzurra, the boat that is the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s sporting symbol, has won the Settimana delle Bocche with a handy first place in today’s race, the last one in this event. With this victory, Azzurra is now in first place in the series.

The last day of racing in the Settimana delle Bocche has sealed the victory for Azzurra, the TP52 heiress to the spirit of the first boat by that name that was the first Italian challenger in the America’s Cup back in 1983. The 2015 version of Azzurra is a state-of-the-art racer that competes in the 52 Super Series, the most competitive circuit for monohulls today.

Strong winds forecast prompted the Regatta Committee to anticipate the start of racing to 10:30 AM in the hopes of being able to get two windward/leeward races in. The course selected was the Gulf of Arzachena with the start at Capo d’Orso and the mark off Baia Sardinia. In the first race, with winds at about 15 knots from the southwest, Azzurra dominated from the start right on the pin. Quantum, the historic rival who Azzurra was trailing by just two points, started off the Committee Boat. Opposite tactical choices that saw Azzurra first at the upwind mark and Quantum second downwind only to later slip back to sixth place. With today’s win in race seven of this event, Azzurra is at the head of the provisional results, three points ahead of the rest of the fleet.

The second race started in fresh breezes that got stronger quickly. Azzurra and Quantum were tailing each other along the first upwind leg. Quantum and Azzurra approached the mark together in frequent wind shifts when the American team caught a lucky puff and arrived third while Azzurra was seventh. Azzurra then began a recovery that was something more than spectacular: in gusts at up to 35 knots, Azzurra managed to pass the entire fleet. She was the first boat to gybe towards the center of the course and the only one that could surf at 27 knots with ease. Other boats broke their spinnakers and broached in the wind. Azzurra arrived well ahead of the fleet at the gate, rounded it, but then shortly later the Regatta Committee called off the race. It was no problem to give up a sure win since she was already at the head of the provisional results.

With today’s results, Azzurra has won the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s most historic regatta for the second time. The first Settimana delle Bocche was in 1972, and Azzurra won it already in 2013. There was a big celebration back at port and congratulations on all sides.

Riccardo Bonadeo, YCCS Commodore and President of the Consorzio Azzurra, had these words: “Winning in home waters is a double satisfaction, and this is the second time it has happened; I guess the Costa Smeralda brings Azzurra luck! The team was excellent and compact and beat their competitors in conditions where it's the team that makes the difference, both in skill and in tactics. Today there was no room for mistakes and these sailors have shown that they really know their stuff; in sport like in life the best man wins. They have to keep it up, keeping in mind that the competition is fierce and the road is still long. I am very happy with the new Azzurra, without this new boat all of this would be impossible. Azzurra is a wonderful and we have to thank, yet again, the Roemmers family for all that they have made possible.”

Quotes of the day:
Owner and helmsman Alberto Roemmers: “The guys are a really great team and today we just went for the win. We didn’t have an eye on anybody in particular, we just wanted to do a very clean and nice race. We had an excellent downwind leg. We are really very happy and the team was excellent.'

Skipper Guillermo Parada: “It’s a good finish and a good feeling to finish with a win. Even in the second race that was cancelled due to the wind we were winning, so we’re very satisfied. I think this was a hard job so it feels good. We’re also happy to win our second event here. We have gone from zero to two in five days so we’re looking forward to the rest of the season.”

Tactician Vasco Vascotto: “It was a great event. Yesterday I was hoping that we’d keep on sailing as well as we had been and today we did it. Bravissimi to all, it’s always wonderful to win at home and on top of that we’re first in the 52 Super Series. You couldn’t ask for more!”

Final results Settimana delle Bocche

1. Azzurra (ITA) - 1/6/7/1/2/2/1 - 20
2. Quantum Racing (USA) - 3/4/4/2/3/1/6 - 23
3. Bronenosec (RUS) - 9/1/1/4/1/4/9 - 29
4. Provezza IX (TUR) - 5/5/2/6/5/3/3 - 29
4. Sled (USA) - 8/2/6/3/4/5/5 - 33
6. Gladiator (GBR) - 6/3/5/5/8/7/2 - 36
7. Platoon (GER) - 7/7/3/8/6/8/4 - 43
8. Alegre (GBR) - 4/8/8/7/7/10/7 - 51
9. Paprec (FRA) - 2/9/9/9/9/6/8 - 52

52 Super Series season rankings overall after two regattas

1 Azzurra, ITA (Pablo/Alberto Roemmers ARG) 74pts
2 Bronenosec, RUS (Vladimir Liubomirov RUS) 83pts
3 Sled, USA (Takashi Okura JPN) 86pts
4 Quantum Racing, USA (Doug DeVos USA) 91pts
5 Alegre, GBR (Andres Soriano USA) 99pts
6 Provezza, TUR (Ergin Imre TUR) 105pts
7 Rán Racing, SWE (Niklas Zennström SWE) 115pts
8 Platoon, GER (Harm Müller-Spreer GER) 118pts
9 Gladiator, GBR (Tony Langley GBR) 138pts
10 Interlodge, USA (Austin/Gwen Fragoman USA) 149pts
11 Paprec FRA (Jean-Luc Petithugeunin FRA) 153pts
12 Xio/Hurakan, ITA (Guiseppe Parodi ITA) 173pts
13 Phoenix, BRA, (Eduardo de Souza Ramos BRA) 213pts