Despite an unpromising forecast, PRO Maria Torrijo and the race team managed to complete three races on the penultimate day of the 44Cup World Championship in Cowes. After a one-hour delay ashore, a light six-knot southwesterly breeze developed in the Western Solent, prompting the fleet to head out.
The conditions were challenging, with three knots of ebb tide complicating the starts. Teams jockeyed for position at the line, resulting in chaos as boats desperately tried to avoid being over the line early (OCS). Notably, Markus Törnqvist’s GeMera Racing and Vladimir Prosikhin’s Team Nika were OCS, with Nika responding quickly while GeMera Racing took longer to recover.
Team Aqua, helmed by event host Chris Bake, capitalised on a strong pin end start, leading Christian Zuerrer’s Black Star Sailing Team and John Bassadone’s Peninsula Racing to the top mark. Following a brief stint on starboard, the fleet gybed towards shallower waters to escape the strong ebb tide. Torbjörn Törnqvist’s Artemis Racing and Murat Edin’s Wow! Sailing Team benefitted from this strategy, with Artemis Racing moving up to third.
Team Aqua continued to extend their lead, and despite a strong performance from Artemis Racing, which secured second place after gaining on a shift, Team Aqua crossed the line first. This left Aleph Racing in a disappointing sixth, sharing first overall with Team Aqua.
In the second race, Team Aqua and Peninsula Racing started well from the committee boat end, with Team Aqua maintaining good height to lead at the top mark. The two teams split at the leeward gate, but Team Aqua managed to cross ahead on port tack, ultimately scoring her second consecutive bullet and third win from six races.
However, a sixth-place finish in the final race allowed Aleph Racing to regain the overall lead by two points, heading into the final day ahead of Team Aqua, with GeMera Racing and Artemis Racing trailing behind.
Chris Bake expressed satisfaction with the day’s performance under challenging conditions, highlighting the importance of clean starts and maintaining a lane off the line. He noted that the tide presented a significant challenge but was pleased with the team’s ability to navigate these difficulties.
For the third race, the wind conditions improved, allowing for better starts, with GeMera Racing leading around the top mark. Aleph Racing managed to secure second place, maintaining their position through to the finish.
Tomorrow’s racing has been brought forward by one hour to 1100 in anticipation of optimal conditions for the championship’s grand finale.
About the 44Cup:
Five-time America’s Cup winner Russell Coutts conceived the design of the light-displacement, high-performance one-design RC44 with naval architect Andrej Justin in 2005. Created for top level one design racing in international regattas under strictly controlled Class Rules, the concept and design features of the RC44 are aimed at the amateur helmsmen with professional crews.
#44Cup #the44Cup #Cowes
Interested in seeing more Racing News? Click here
