Team Sardegna set for victory, Sardinia Rolex Cup

by Rolex Event Media on 10 Jun 2006 With one race still to go, the game is still on at the 2006 Sardinia Rolex Cup/ISAF Offshore Team World Championship, organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. But only just. With two storming victories today by the TP52 Santa Ana, Team Sardegna has increased its lead to a highly comfortable margin of 15 points. Fellow team member Mintaka, Stefano Polti's Swan 45, scored a fifth and a third; while Vincenzo Onorato's Farr 40 Mascalzone Latino came in third and second.

For Team Germany, lying in second with 81 points, it is virtually impossible to bridge the 15-point gap in last remaining race. Team Sardegna would have to fail on all fronts - something that seems unlikely given the team's impressive consistency so far. Pinta, until today the best performing yacht of the series, had an indifferent day finishing sixth and fourth. And whilst Opus One and Struntje Light were able to clinch one victory each, they also added a seventh and sixth to their respective tallies.

If the champion appears to be crowned, the battle remains fierce for the second and third spot in the overall standing. Team Monaco is in third with 88 points, just 1 point ahead of Team Italy. Defending champion Team Spain is currently in fifth a further 3 points behind.

The Race Committee was able to complete two windward/leeward races in an easterly breeze ranging from 12 knots at the first start to around 7-8 knots in the second race.

Santa Ana's tactician, British sailor Adrian Stead whose background includes America's Cup, Round the World and Olympic regattas, commented on the difficult conditions that the teams faced today: 'We had two very tricky races. The breeze was dying and we had quite choppy water left over from the wind of this morning, it was really hard work. Today we changed mainsails with our newer one and this helped. The guys were really working hard to make the boat go faster, they were never satisfied with the numbers we were doing, and they were being very aggressive every time the waves stopped the boat. We had perfect boat handling and I probably got a few more shifts right today. Stuart (Robinson) sailed really well and hopefully tomorrow it will be a good day for Team Sardegna.'

Race Seven, the first of the day, saw most of the fleet opting for the pin end of the starting line and the competitors immediately splitting into two distinct groups, one headed to the far left corner of the course, the other to the far right. Among the TP52s, Santa Ana rounded first at the top mark, followed by Orlanda, Team Monaco and Bribon Movistar all in a tight pack.

Santa Ana was able to keep well in the lead throughout the race, eventually taking line honours, followed by Team Spain's Bribon Movistar and Team Italy's Orlanda. Pinta suffered its first major setback of the campaign, coming in last, while Team USA's Wokita.com was finally able to mix it in the fleet scoring a fourth. Opus One gave a short-lived boost Team Germany's morale, with a well earned victory amongst the Swan 45 fleet. T.Too, the only boat flying the Alpe Adria colours, came in second, followed by Team Spain's Vertigo. With a great performance, fellow team member Nerone led home both the Farr 40 and the Swan 45 fleets. Team Monaco's Joe Fly, who yesterday had scored a brilliant victory, today finished fifth. Team Italy's Fiamma came in second, followed by Team Sardegna's Mascalzone Latino.

Race Eight, sailed in a lighter breeze, saw a different line up of winners, with the exception of the TP52 Santa Ana. Most of the fleet once again chose the pin end of the starting line and Wokita.com and Opus One got pushed over early. The German entry took a very long time to re-start and finished last, in stark contrast to the previous race. Santa Ana showed another strong performance, cashing in another important victory, while Team Monaco finished second, followed by Bribon Movistar. Team Italy's Swantastic led the Swan 45 fleet, ahead of T...Too, and Mintaka from heir apparent, Team Sardegna. Wolfgang's Schaefer's Farr 40 Struntje Light gained its first victory of the series, balancing fellow team member Opus One's disappointing result. Team Sardegna's Mascalzone Latino, with Russell Coutts calling the tactics, came in second, followed by Monaco's Joe Fly.

America's Cup and Olympic sailor Hamish Pepper, calling the tactics on the Farr 40 Nerone, summed up an uneven day; 'Today we had mixed results. We had a good first race, we got off the line cleanly and managed to sail our own race without getting too mixed up with the Swan 45s. In the second race we didn't have such a good start, we got involved in a little bit of a luffing match at the start and some boats rolled us. From there on it was hard, but the team did well, they fought on. It's a tough regatta especially being the smaller boat, but it's really challenging.'

Internationally renowned match racer Markus Wieser, calling the tactics on Opus One, recounted the incident during the second start of the day: 'We had a good start, but our radio transmission wasn't working so we didn't hear we were over the line and we sailed on for two minutes. Then our team mate called us up and told us we had been over. We had to go back and lost around 5 minutes.' Attempting to rectify the situation, Wieser explained how they went far left in effort to get back on terms. Unfortunately the right side of the course came through. 'We were the last boat, far back in the fleet and scored 7 points in the race.' The outcome of the race may have been very different without this incident, however the team was happy with its previous victory: 'We won the first race easily' commented Wieser, adding: 'We got a few nice shifts in the first upwind leg by going to the left side, got a good lead and rounded ahead. When you are in front, it's always quite easy, you have free air and we were clear of the Farr 40s. You could go where you wanted. But at the back of fleet all roads are locked and you have to take what you get. Sometimes it's not much.'

Tomorrow's final windward-leeward race should feature, again, an easterly breeze of 9-12 knots.

Provisional Team Standings after 8 races:

Position - Team - Points
1 - SARDEGNA - 66
2 - GERMANY - 81
3 - MONACO - 88
4 - ITALY - 89
5 - SPAIN - 91
6 - USA - 120
7 - ALPE ADRIA - 156