Audi MedCup Circuit Barcelona 2010

20.-25.Juli 2010
medcup.org - Übersicht

21 Jul 2010
TP52's racing kept on ice in hot, very light winds.
Champions win GP42 Practice Race

&xnbsp; &xnbsp; &xnbsp; There was no racing for the TP52 Series fleet today due to winds which were too light while Islas Canarias Puerto Calero won the GP42 Series Practice Race &xnbsp; &xnbsp;

&xnbsp; &xnbsp; Only the GP42 Series’ official practice heat was completed today, the first scheduled racing day of the Camper Regatta – Conde de Godó Trophy – Barcelona.
The 11 strong TP52 Series fleet representing 10 different nations, were left waiting, poised and ready for their first ever points racing off Barcelona, but the light breezes proved insufficient to get competition under way.

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Around five hours in the hot summer Mediterranean sunshine, tracking the fickle breeze proved to be in vain for the TP52 teams who watched closely to see what they could learn from their smaller GP42 cousins as they took part in a slow, shifty practice race. But the breeze all but evaporated before the second windward leg was completed and their race was shortened before the final downwind. For the GP42’s the light airs practice was considered a good chance to get attuned to the kind of conditions which are expected to prevail for some of this regatta. Their practice race today started in a promising 8 knots, but soon degraded to less than 6 knots with many light air zones and shifts in direction down.

Even though AIRISESSENTIAL (ITA) had an enormous lead around the first top mark, they fell prey to the fickle conditions and Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP) was able to take and hold the lead into the finish. This must be promising for the Canarias team, as light air has not been their strong suit in previous stages. Madrid Caser-Seguros (ESP), runner-up in the practice race today and a sistership to Islas Canarias Puerto Calero, has been aggressively changing their boat set-up to optimize for light air. They did this by removing some heavy items on board and adding corrector weights to get to the absolute bare minimum all-up weight (4200 kg) which was verified by class measurer Jorge Flethes (ESP) on a crane scale yesterday. This and “a few rig and sail changes,” says helmsman Paolo Cian (ITA), “will make us a little faster in the light air. But overall we feel really good for this regatta.”

While they retired today, another team to watch in the light air will be Iberdrola (ESP), who won handily in the first day’s light air at the last stage in Marseille. They have an older generation Botin Carkeek design that has proven to be a good overall performer, and in the light they seem to have an edge on the newer Botin Carkeek designs.

And if only through sheer will, Peninsula Petroleum (GBR) will be strong in their quest to dig out from the points deficit. Opening partyLast night the Audi MedCup Regatta village for the Camper Regatta – Conde de Godó Trophy – Barcelona on the Moll de la Fusta came alive for a huge opening party which drew more than 700 invited guests, including many local Barcelona celebrities and VIP’s. Three races are scheduled for the both the TP52 Series fleet and the GP42 Series fleet tomorrow (Thursday) with this evening’s forecast seeming to offer the prospect of a racing breeze.

Follow all the racing live on Audi MedCup TV which starts broadcasting daily at 1000hrs (CET). Quotes:María Torrijo (ESP), Principal Race Officer: “The sea breeze has been struggling against the gradient breeze, and in the end neither of them won. The final wind direction was between the 120 and 180, but the breeze was too light. We've decided to call two practice starts and the practice race because the fleet was already out on the water and the race didn't count for anything. The TP52’s were keyed up to go but the wind just never was enough.”

Laureano Wizner (ESP), helmsman of Iberdrola (ESP):“I don’t think they should have made a start. In the end we retired because it was really hard and frustrating to sail in such a light breeze, and it was really hot.” Sebastien Col (FRA), tactician Audi A1 powered by ALL4ONE (FRA/GER):“We knew we would have this kind of wind today, and that we wouldn't be able to race, our forecast told us that. It seems there might be more wind tomorrow, and also a bit of rain, which wouldn't do any harm, after these hot, hot days.”

Nacho Postigo (ESP), technical director of the Audi MedCup Circuit:“The forecast says we'll have wind tomorrow, around 15 knots in the morning, and that it'll drop a bit in the afternoon, but will pick up later again, up to 8-12 knots. It'll be from the NE-E, so we might have some waves too.”Camper Regatta - Conde de Godó Trophy - Barcelona GP42 Series Oficial Practice Race1. Islas Canarias Puerto Calero (ESP)2. Madrid-Caser Seguros (ESP), +02:513. AIRISESSENTIAL (ITA), +3:384. Iberdrola (ESP), DNF5. Península Petroleum (GBR), DNFTV ftp feed details:Server:&xnbsp; ftp.medcup.infoUser: drd_medtvPasssword: deredtv10Folder: 2010

Pictures rights free for editorial use only:
1) 21 07 2010, Camper Regatta – Conde de Godo Trophy – Barcelona © Ian Roman/Audi MedCup 2) 21 07 2010, Camper Regatta – Conde de Godó Trophy – Barcelona © Ainhoa Sanchez/Audi MedCup 3) 21 07 2010, Camper Regatta – Conde de Godó Trophy – Barcelona © Ainhoa Sanchez/Audi MedCup 4) 21 07 2010, Camper Regatta – Conde de Godó Trophy – Barcelona © Ainhoa Sanchez/Audi MedCup 5) 19 07 2010, Camper Regatta - Conde de Godó Trophy - Barcelona © Nico Martinez/Audi MedCup &xnbsp; &xnbsp; &xnbsp; &xnbsp; &xnbsp; &xnbsp; &xnbsp; &xnbsp; &xnbsp; &xnbsp;