Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai- Mascalzone Latino Audi Team bows out

by Lorenza Priamo on 27 Nov 2010 Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai: Good but not perfect, yet. There was nothing to be done against the kiwis, for the fourth and fifth time. Even if they hadn’t shined every single day of the Louis Vuitton Trophy Dubai, today, in a best-of-three semifinal, the crew of Emirates Team New Zealand was in full form and with two wins they blocked Mascalzone Latino Audi Team’s access to the finals.

As a result, Mascalzone Latino Audi Team clinches third place in the overall leaderboard, All4One finishes fourth while fifth and sixth place go to Artemis and Synergy. Tomorrow takes place the grand final.

It is a very positive result, only trailing the winners of the latest America’s Cup edition, BMW ORACLE Racing and the always formidable Team New Zealand. The finals were within reach of Mascalzone Latino but, just like in the previous races, the 'chemistry' seemed not to be onboard in order to guarantee a consistent performance.

In any case, these events don’t count towards the America’s Cup but are used in order for the sailors to remain in the game and for the newcomers to hone their match racing skills.

Racing was very tense and of the highest level possible, aspects that teach and enrich even the 'occasional sailor', such as the famous friend from Naples, former captain of the Italian national football team, Fabio Cannavaro, today at the back of the Mascalzone Latino yacht as 18th man.

'It was a wonderful experience –explains the famous football player-. I liked it so much because I witnessed some great team effort, where everybody had great concentration and all had to work in a synchronized manner. It’s a pity for the result but that’s sport.

The atmosphere was tense and, apart from the noise of the yachts and the voices during the maneuvers, there were also prolonged periods of silence. They all seemed very calm, concentrated; they knew they were sailing in important races.'

It has to be said that today Gavin Brady (NZL) tried to battle it out, showing his usual aggressive nature with brilliant starts, the team’s Achilles’ heel in the first days of the Dubai regatta that later turned out to become in many occasions the strongest point for the 'Latin Rascals'. What failed on the other hand, in both races today, was the calm in the decision-taking process.

In the first race, after a great start with a big speed-advantage of their opponent, Mascalzone Latino was clearly ahead at the first weather mark, rounding 22 second ahead of Team New Zealand. In the first run, without feeling excessive pressure from the Kiwis, a bad gybe turned the race upside down, slowing down Mascalzone while giving their opponents the opportunity to pass them, choose the gate they wanted and rounded with a 4-second lead.

An intense tacking duel followed in the second beat and the Italian bow was again in front according to Virtual Eye. Brady and the rest of the Mascalzone afterguard opted for the right side of the course but the correct call was on the New Zealand yacht. Much better pressure on the left lifted the kiwis to a 13-second lead at the last mark. There was nothing the Italians could do but give the first point to New Zealand.

In the second race Mascalzone Latino Audi Team prevailed once again in the start but a tactical error at the approach to the first mark sentenced the result. Emirates Team New Zealand sailed to the right side of the course and approached the mark using the starboard advantage. Brady thought the lead was enough to cross ahead but Dean Barker (NZL) was able to put his boat between the Italians and the mark and forced them away.

Not only did the New Zealanders rounded ahead, they imposed a penalty on the Italians. The race was over and Team New Zealand sailed to the finals.

Yesterday, Mascalzone Latino Audi Team showed it could be the leader in fleet racing, winning the two matches it took part in and left an important mark in the history of this class.

What we witnessed today seemed to be the copy of a script already seen, as Emirates Team New Zealand has been the only team so far to take part in the finals of all five events of this series. The prestigious host locations (Auckland, Nice, La Maddalena and Dubai), haved lived with great excitement these races, named after Louis Vuitton, initially with the suffix 'Pacific Series', before the creation of the World Sailing Team Association, and then 'Trophy', organizing as well numerous side events such as the Dhow races here in Dubai and other youth events.

In generals, the 'big family' of Cup sailors had the chance to live a series of event that, without forgetting the terrific Louis Vuitton Acts and especially the Louis Vuitton Cup, allowed us to enjoy the glorious America’s Cup Class yachts in the last three years.

The first one took place in January of 2009, in the middle of the fierce legal battle that followed the end of the of the world’s most famous regattas in these yachts, held in Valencia in 2007.

The sun is about to set on the last of these events in the United Arab Emirates with a final winner, Emirates Team New Zealand or BMW ORACLE Racing, two teams that have deservedly dominated so far.

Quotes of the day

'Gavin Brady (NZL), skipper and helmsman of Mascalzone Latino Audi Team, comments today’s action:

'It was definitely a big battle today with Emirates Team New Zealand. It’s been that way not only this year in the Louis Vuitton regattas but it has been like that for many, many years with Dean, growing up from our Optimist days. It’s always a full battle. Right now they are the form team, probably the team to beat and to do that you have to be working 100%. We sailed very, very well today, we had chances and we were leading both races, so it’s very positive. We went today ready to fight and I’m very proud of the team because that’s exactly what we did.'

Regarding his experience with Mascalzone Latino Audi Team and its owner, Vincenzo Onorato, Brady said:

'Mascalzone Latino Audi Team has been a wonderful year for me to be part of the group. Vincenzo’s style and vision match mine very well. He’s a great leader and he allowed us to go out there this year. We have made mistakes and we have done other things well and all the way through he has been very positive. He has been behind us 100% and that to me shows a lot of character and he will be a very successful Challenger of Record, a very successful team in the next America’s Cup.'


Steve Hayles, navigator on Mascalzone Latino Audi Team, commented the first race:

'We had a great start, we got the side we wanted and Gavin Brady got the yacht off the starting line in great shape. We had a great first beat after being ahead in the first cross. We probably made a tactical error at the bottom of the first run. We could have crossed them at some stage and go to other gate. From there it was very tight and we were right behind them in the second beat. The important thing is that it’s at two points, so they are not there yet. We proved we are very, very strong and we’re just going to go into the same thing.'

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