Victory Challenge leads AC Teams in Porto Cervo

by Media Pro Int'l, Barby MacGowan on 14 Jul 2006 At 10.45 this morning the four America’s Cup teams competing in the Jeep Challenge 2006, an invitational event organized by DaimlerChrysler Italy in collaboration with the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, set out for the first of two round robins scheduled for today.

Light northerly winds of around 3-4 knots allowed the race Committee to start 10 of the 12 regattas in the program.

The first match saw the Swedes of Victory Challenge up against the United Internet Team germany. The Germans, with skipper Michael Hestbaek at the helm, finish approximately thirty seconds ahead of Mattias Rahm.

Desafio Espanol 2007 and Mascalzone Latino-Capitalia Team competed in the second match which saw Italy’s Vasco Vascotto take victory over Spaniard Santiago Lopez Vazqueuz.

Racing continued with United Internet Team Germany triumphing again, this time beating Desafio Espagnol 2007 over the finish line by 20 seconds. Victory Challenge meanwhile beat Mascalzone Latino by 25 seconds.

In the third and final flight of the first round robin Mascalzone Latino finished just ahead of Team Germany in a hard-fought regatta and Victory Challenge beat Desafio Espanol 2007.

The final two flights saw a strong United Internet Team Germany beat first Victory Challenge and then Desafio Espanol 2007. The Spaniards lost out again to Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia Team and in the final race Mascalzone’s Vascotto was pipped to the post by Victory Challenge.

Spain’s Desafio Espanol are at the back of the classification on 0 points having failed to win any of their races today.

'Racing wasn’t spectacular today due to the conditions,' commented Vasco Vascotto, skipper of Mascalzone Latino, 'from a technical point of view it was difficult to interpret the light and shifty winds. We are happy with our results and tomorrow we will have the chance of moving up further.'

Racing is scheduled to start at 11.30 am tomorrow with the final two races of the second round robin followed by the semi-finals. The forecast predicts similar conditions to today, with clear blue skies and light and variable breezes.

Results:

1) Victory Challenge (four victories and one defeat) 4 pts

2) Mascalzone Latino – Capitalia Team (three victories and two defeats) 3 pts

3) United Internet Team Germany (three victories and two defeats) 3 pts

4) Desafio Espanol 2007 (five defeats) 0 pts