Desafío winner of Trofeo Pirelli - GP42 Cup

by GP 42 Association media on 5 May 2008
Desafío, the Spanish GP42 team, was crowned winner of the Trofeo Pirelli, opening event of the Quebramar GP42 Cup 2008, after yet another excruciatingly light and testing day on the waters of Santa Margherita Ligure. Just three boats managed to finish the fourth and closing race of the event.

For the third consecutive day, Eolo, the Italian god of wind, was in a bad mood and put the 8 GP42 crews to test. Despite a breeze a barely 3 knots the race committee fired the starting gun just 15 minutes after the scheduled time. Seven of the eight yachts, as it has been the case throughout the event, rushed immediately to the right side of the course, as close as possible to the coast, in search of the slightest puff of wind.

Desafío, with Santiago López-Vazquez calling tactics, having come to a virtual stop at the starting line, opted for the left and got off almost 1:30 behind the leader. Nevertheless, the tactical decision paid handsomely for the Spanish who managed to work their way up to the top after watching their competitors struggle a few meters from Portofino’s rocks.

The green boat rounded the top mark ahead and despite the close attacks by Paolo Cian’s Roma GP 42.2, the held on to their lead, crossing the finish line with a comfortable advantage, ahead of Roma GP 42.2 and Near Miss, helmed by Bertrand Pacé.

In the meantime the breeze had completely died down and the remaining 5 boats were unable to finish on time.

In addition to the difficulty in understanding the wind, tacticians and helmsmen had to be very careful and attentive to the rest of the 130-strong fleet that was sailing very close, crowding the area around the buoys.

The closing race didn’t change much the series results, with Desafio distancing their competitors by a full 12 points, while Canarias Puerto Calero and AIRIS, closed in with a mere point distance from each other, the latter overcoming Near Miss and getting to the podium thanks to two second places in the previous races.

The GP42 fleet will now head to the French city of St. Tropez for the second leg of the Quebramar Cup 2008 circuit.

Provisional final standings after 4 races

1. Desafío, 6 points, (3+1+1+1)
2. Canarias Puerto Calero, 18 points, (2+3+4+9)
3. AIRIS, 19 points, (6+2+2+9)
4. Near Miss, 19 points, (4+9+3+3)
5. Madrid, 20 points, (1+4+6+9)
6. Roma GP 42.2, 21 points, (5+9+5+2)
7. Seawonder 007, 28 points, (7+5+7+9)
8. Roma GP 42.1, 31 points, (8+6+8+9)

On Day 3 and as forecasted by the weather bulletins, Santa Margherita Ligure and its gulf gave no chance to the eight participants to the first GP42 Quebramar Cup 2008 event, the Regate Pirelli, to race. A mirror-like sea and a shining sun greeted them and the situation didn’t change much with the hours passing, to all the teams’ disappointment.

The Race Committee tried in every possible way to find a decent breeze, but the wind was never stronger than 3 knots and shortly after 3 p.m. they decided to call it a day and send the crews back to the harbour.

GP42 Association website: http://www.gp42.it/