Thursday 3 May 2012
Hard to Handle
Antigua Sailing Week: Race Day 4
Louay Habib
It was yet another day of episode and drama at Antigua Sailing Week. This year's
Antigua Sailing Week is producing intense battles right through the fleet with
close encounters a plenty. Stress levels were running high today with start line
incidents a plenty and a major collision on the first upwind leg of the day in
the big boat class with just one final race tomorrow, nearly all of the classes
are yet to be decided.
In CSA 1A, Stefan Lehnert's Tripp 56, Passion 4C won both of today's races, virtually
assuring the German team of winning the division. Richard Matthews' Oyster 82,
Zig Zag retired from the first race of the day, dropping Zig Zag down to third overall.
Hector Velarde's NM92, Locura sailed with great precision today posting two second
places and lifting the team to second overall. However, the first race of the day
saw a serious collision between Oyster 82, Starry Night of the Caribbean and On
Deck's Farr 65, Spirit of Isis, which resulted in a large part of the Farr 65's
transom being smashed in. Luckily only very minor injuries were sustained and once
safely on shore, the skipper and owner of Starry Night were quick to apologise for
the collision showing good sportsmanship.
Skipper of Spirit of Isis, Vicky Blunt explained: "The regatta was going really
well and a fantastic performance has been put in by the team who are charter guests
of mixed sailing ability. We were looking forward to another good race vying for
a podium position. Whilst we were on starboard tack there was an unfortunate incident
involving Starry Night which came at us on port tack, ending our regatta in dramatic
fashion. Thankfully everyone on board responded well and rallied together to bring
the boat and crew safely back alongside. Many thanks to ABSAR and the Coastguard
for their speedy response and assistance in this incident."
In CSA 1B, Geoff Hill's Santa Cruz 72, Antipodes had a cracking day on the water,
scoring two bullets to pull the Australian yacht up to within one point of overall
division leader, Peter Harrison's Farr 115, Sojana. Both of today's races were on
tight courses with plenty of traffic from other yachts. Although Sojana got a great
start to the first race of the day, the magnificent ketch chose to stay offshore
to avoid tacking through the congested waters in shore but this made for more current
and less breeze offshore. Also in the first race of the day, Jan Rupert's Tripp
75, Blackbird had a problem on their first spinnaker hoist, as the chute's bag became
entangled in the clew. A crewmember was put into a harness and a spectacular 'zip
wire' retrieval was caught on camera by the Antigua Sailing Week video team. The
second race start did not go well for Blackbird and Sojana, Antipodes expertly
shut out both yachts at the pin end. However, two outstanding protests between Antipodes
and Sojana needed to be settled after today's racing and both were dismissed. Tomorrow's
last race looks set to be an absolute cracker.
In CSA 2, both races were won by Ulrich Rohde's Swan 53, Dragon Fly Plus, but only
just. In the fifth race of the series, Chris Brand's Swan 53, Merel Four took line
honours but could only watch with despair as Dragon Fly Plus came through the line
21 seconds later to take the win on corrected time. Andy Middleton's First 47.7,
Global Yacht Racing was extremely fast downwind today, to take third place in Race
5. The last race of the day was an even closer affair with Ross Applebey's, Oyster
48, Scarlet Oyster just missing out on a win. Christian Reynolds' Swan 51, Northern
Child got an excellent start to the last race hitting the line with full pace to
take third.
In CSA 3, Richard Wesslund's J/120, El Ocaso kept up its perfect score line with
two more bullets, to make it six straight wins (will it be lucky seven tomorrow?).
However, the two First 40s in the class were just seconds behind Wesslund's Florida
based team. Nick Burns' Royal Hong Kong YC team racing Lancelot II had to retire
yesterday due to a spinnaker pole problem but came back to take a second in the
first race today and move up to third overall. Mario Martinez's Smile and Wave
was second overall but just one point ahead of Lancelot II. Don Payan's Farr 40
Rigel was forced out at the pin end in the last race of the day, resulting in the
team from USA dropping to fourth overall.
In CSA 4, Calvin Reed's First 40.7, Elandra won both of today's races but this is
a very competitive class and the first race of the day saw Elandra get pinned out
at the start by Patrick Holloran's First 40.7, Caipirinha. Holloran's team was very
aggressive on the start line today and in the last race of the day, Caipirinha forced
Sir Hugh Bailey's Beneteau 456, Hugo B into a premature start. Hugo B had a long
way to go back to restart but the local Antiguan boat staged a sensational comeback,
to take second place by just 5 seconds on corrected time. The last race of the day
also saw a rare tie. After time correction, Jonty Layfield's J/39, Sleeper and Carlo
Falcone's Caccia alla Volpe could not be separated and were both awarded third place.
Caccia alla Volpe also completed the last race having badly torn its headsail just
after the start. Elandra has won the class with a race to spare and Hugo B is assured
of second overall but Caccia alla Volpe and Sleeper are tied for third place overall
and tomorrow's last race will decide the last podium position.
It looks like it is going to the wire in CSA 5. Stephen Carson's Dehler 34, Hightide
scored bullets in both of today's races just ahead of Geoffrey Pidduck's Six Metre,
Biwi Magic which is currently just a single point ahead overall. However, tomorrow's
scheduled race will mean a discard kicks in. Effectively, these two local yachts
will decide the winner of the class on the last day of the regatta - expect sparks
to fly tomorrow! Tanner Jones' J/30 Blue Peter had another consistent day to hold
off the challenge for third overall from Rick Gormley's First 38, Elethea.
In CSA 6, David Chatterton's Jeanneau 49, Resting Goose has won the class with a
race to spare scoring their fifth consecutive win of the regatta. Eduardo Lentz's
Sun Odyssey 44, Voilactus was second in today's race and lies second overall. Vincent
White's O'Day 35, Seal is on the same points as Vollactus and lies third.
In the Bareboat Class, the titanic struggle between three German yachts from KH+P
continues. The Race Committee elected to send the Bareboats on a long 3-hour course
offshore to Standfast. Horst Schulze, Sea You Later leads the class overall and
won today's race by just 34 seconds from Alexander Pfeiffer's L'Oiseau des Iles.
Andreas Kadelbach's Cayenne was third. All three of these yachts have occupied
the top three places so far in the six race series.
Tomorrow is the last day of Antigua Sailing Week and the last race will decide many
of the class titles, however the weather forecast for tomorrow is looking light,
which should make for some very tricky conditions. This has been an action-packed
Antigua Sailing Week but you never know, tomorrow might just top the lot! The Volvo
Ocean Race fleet is due to pass Antigua tomorrow and maybe, just maybe, the Volvo
70s may pop in to see what's going on!
KEEP UP WITH ALL THE LATEST NEWS FROM ANTIGUA SAILING WEEK
DAILY VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
Video highlights from the day's action on and off the water can be viewed on the
official Antigua Sailing Week website: http://www.youtube.com/user/AntiguaSWVideo
Feel free to use the embed code to upload to your website
IMAGE GALLERY:
2012 Photo Galleries can be viewed at:
http://www.sailingweek.com/v3/photogalleries.php?gallery=122#content
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