64th Nice Christmas Regatta at Club Nautique de Nice - Overall
by Alexander Panzeri 30 Dec 2021 15:40 PST
27-30 December 2021
After the dinner with the traditional tombola last night, this morning started with another red-purple sky of cirrus clouds, and meeting Diego on the way to the club, he had the calm and firmness typical of established champions.
Meanwhile, setting up for the race, the sky has become a grey-blue layer of clouds, not those which bring bad weather, but enough to stop the thermal breeze, also connected to the melting snow on the peaks. However, the Race Committee found a course and the dance started. The wind never built above 6-7 knots, even when finally our closest star (a.k.a. the sun) was clear, actually it totally killed the breeze and the second race closed with 0-1 knots.
The first race started with the fleet compressed on the R.C. boat. Taking the wrong route could generate difficult moments, like FRA-8328 After Math Chaboud-Ruppert has discovered crossing the field from the left and finding the lay line very busy. The first Italian duo on the mark today, has split with ITA-8557 Coppo-Bradanini more right/inside of the field, while ITA-8567 Negri-Lambertenghi gybed and continued on the left.
Diego and Sergio finished first with the rest of the fleet struggling to catch them, and this has closed the story. Diego and Sergio at this point after their on-water interview left the course with a DNS, as it would be discarded.
Until now I haven't spoken about the final step of the podium where the Italian boat has had to fight with the Swiss and Austrian teams to keep it. The final race with less and less wind was an "all in".
At the start again the fleet decided to stay on the R.C. end but a small "alpine" group took advantage from the momentum using all the rest of line, bringing them to the front.
Giovanni^2 had great downwind pace, but was sluggish upwind. A third place consolidated their third place overall (ruing their UFD in the first race as they were even with the second placed team. An awesome result to be the first "normal" sailors, just behind on the podium to the World champion and European champion!
Diego Neri and Sergio Lambertenghi have closed the year with the title of French Champion and District 9th Champion and winner of the event and of the Trophy.
It's been a pleasure to close this crazy season of sailing (or just restart it, with one week at the Optimists in Monaco, a Laser race in February on Lago di Lecco and a very late Primo Cup in March...) with the family spirit of the Star Class and of the Club Nautique de Nice, I hope to be here next year for the 65th edition, as I did for the 60th, and more importantly without the spectrum of the pandemic, and a huge number of Stars, as boat as champions.
Buon Anno a tutti!
For more information visit www.nicechristmasregatta.com.