Cascais 52 Super Series Sailing Week - Day 4
by 52 Super Series 20 Jul 2019 07:27 AEST
17-22 June 2019
Quantum Racing on day 4 of Cascais 52 Super Series Sailing Week © Nico Martinez /
www.MartinezStudio.es
Quantum Racing go into the final day of the Cascais 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week with a five-point lead over Azzurra and so sit on the threshold of their first major regatta title since victory in Puerto Portals in late August last year.
After a hard-earned third today, when the course area was moved inshore and east where the much lighter NW'ly breeze proved super-shifty, Quantum Racing need to keep up the same level of consistency through Saturday's two showdown races. An unexpected interlude of lighter breeze prevailed today - the wind range during the one race achieved today was between 6 and 20 knots - but the Saturday finale should see a return to classic Cascais, 18-20 knots and a return back out to the open sea course.
As the new line up settles in to functioning at its optimum level the 2018 champions have had a tough couple of regattas, but here they have sailed here with a higher level of confidence.
While they now look odds on to repeat the success they had here last year, winning the Rolex TP52 World Championship on these Portuguese waters, tactician Cameron Appleton plays down the prospect of the regatta win. As ever their primary focus in on defending their overall 2018 circuit title.
"We have to keep executing, to keep pushing hard and keep doing what we are doing well. But we are just looking at the season. The main thing right now is to be chipping away point by point at Azzurra's lead on the circuit," emphasises Appleton who has visibly been more confident and relaxed around Cascais, a venue that he knows well having had enjoyed many other successes in different classes here.
When the fleet went out to the race course there was a steady 30kts blowing at the windward mark. The race area was moved to the inshore, easterly option where the wind promptly died. It took nearly three and a half hours of waiting around for a decent, settled breeze to return.
When it did, the course proved very challenging with a much more pronounced difference between the wind offshore and close to the land. Bronenosec - third overall going into today - and Provezza both went right, inshore and paid a heavy price. Andy Horton and Kelvin Harrap did the best job of reading the first upwind to guide Andy Soriano's Alegre to first around the weather mark after a very close cross with Azzurra. Alegre gybe set and that gave them enough breathing space to ensure that Soriano's crew earned their first win of the regatta.
"It was a nice win. We had a good battle with Azzurra. It was good fun. It feels good to get a race win in the heavier stuff too in which we did well here last year but that has eluded us so far. I guess we have not been sailing as well as we should be," said owner-driver Soriano.
Regatta standings after Day 4:
1. Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) (2,1,2,2,1,4,3,) 15 p.
2. Azzurra (ARG/ITA) (Alberto/Pablo Roemmers) (3,3,1,3,6,2,2,) 20 p.
3. Platoon (GER) (Harm Müller-Spreer) (5,4,3,1,7,5,5,) 30 p.
4. Bronenosec (RUS) (Vladimir Liubomirov) (4,2,4,7,3,3,7,) 30 p.
5. Phoenix 11 (RSA) (Hasso Plattner) (6,6,5,4,5,1,4,) 31 p.
6. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) (1,5,7,5,2,7,6,) 33 p.
7. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) (7,7,6,6,4,6,1,) 37 p.
Full results at www.52superseries.com/events/2019/eu/cascais-52-super-series-sailing-week
Update from Azzurra
Skipper Guillermo Parada tells the story of the day: "It was a long day that started with meetings on shore at 8 AM and on the water we had everything from 30 to 7 knots so it was demanding. In the morning we went off shore but just a couple of minutes before the start the reading said 30 knots at the bottom and even stronger at the top mark so Maria (Torrijo, PRO) decided to move the course. When we finally got a race started we got a clean start on the Committee Boat which gave us the option to chose the side we wanted and Santi (Lange) and Cole (Parada) did a good job positioning us. We were leading at the top mark, but a big lift came at the very end and Alegre squeezed inside. We weren't able to do a 'sandokan' (gybe-set) at the top mark so they extended their lead. Quantum did a sandokan and was catching up to us but we held them off. In the last run we were getting close to Alegre and looking for a chance to attack, but we're happy with the second place. I was hoping for a second race to narrow the margin, but Maria preferred not to run it, but tomorrow is another day."
Santi Lange, tactician: "It was really, really tricky today. Outside was very windy and inside was fluky, so it was very difficult to race. But we're still in second place and tomorrow is another day. I don't look so much at our scores as at how well we are sailing and today we can be happy."