News

Cascais, Portugal July 21, 2018. It was a picture perfect day for the boat flying the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s burgee at the Rolex TP52 World Championship in Cascais, Portugal. Azzurra won the first race of the day and was just three points behind Quantum Racing, who then won the world championship after edging Azzurra out in the second race.

It was a prestart in match race style between Quantum and Azzurra, in wind at up to 25 knots with waves and lots of fast surfing. Again today conditions were spectacular for the fleet at the TP52 World Championship and the 52 Super Series, the most competitive circuit for monohulls today.When the boats were docking out this morning, Quantum was ahead of Azzurra by seven points. Azzurra’s team knew that recovering would be hard, but not impossible. No sooner said than done: with an excellent start on the left and thanks also to the choice of using a J4 jib, smaller than what most of the fleet chose, Azzurra dominated from the start and went on to win by a good margin. The rest of fleet was compact at the finish line after incredible recoveries and many alternating positions during the race. Alegre and Platoon both had excellent recoveries sailing downwind and finished second and third respectively behind Azzurra. Quantum had recovered positions up to third place, but ended up fifth losing a good piece of their lead in points overall.

At the start of the second and last race at this event anything was possible. Aboard Quantum, helmsman Dean Barker and tactician Terry Hutchinson – who already won a Louis Vuitton Cup together in 2007 aboard ETNZ – certainly are not lightweights who cave in under pressure. They put pressure on Azzurra setting up a match race in the prestart, with the rest of the fleet off to one side as if they didn’t want to get in the way of the duel. Azzurra got away from Quantum by sailing towards the spectator boats then tacking towards the Committee Boat to start from the right. Quantum chose the left on the pin.  At their first cross Azzurra was behind by a hair, and the two teams arrived at the first mark almost side by side. Quantum gradually lengthened her lead over the course of the race and only Alegre wedged herself between the two at the end of the second beat. After Alegre dropped back second place was left to Azzurra.

No one can describe the day better than Skipper Guillermo Parada: “We went for it and gave it our all and it was a tough and challenging day with plenty of breeze but also  lots of wind holes. We played our cards and it went well. In the first race we went with our J4 and were the only team flying one except for Provezza. We were able to sneak in front of the fleet and from there now we extended nicely and won by a fair margin. In the second race we knew that Quantum was going to go for a match race and they did. We were able to escape from them and get around a spectator boat and we started to the right and got a good start. At the first cross we were behind by just one length. It was very close and very hard to predict but we can’t have any regrets about today. We did a very good job, put a lot of pressure on them and I’m sure they had to work hard for this win. They deserve it because they were more consistent than we were. Overall looking back, we lost this event in the coastal races. If only the windward/leeward races had counted we would have been ahead by 8 points. We need to correct that but overall we have to be satisfied. We have started to win again and were consistently at the top of the fleet and we got results. Quantum is ahead but the fight for second in the season is wide open. We’ll see what’s coming and have to bring our A game to the upcoming events.”

In terms of standing overall in the 52 Super Series circuit, Azzurra is now in third place overall 19 points behind the leader, Quantum, and 10 points from the second placed team, Sled.

Santiago Lange, Tactician: “It was a good regatta for us, especially considering where we were coming from. We weren’t sailing very well in Zadar so this is a nice feeling even though I wanted to win. I think the team did really good work and for sure as a team we are improving. I’m learning and understanding the boat better. It’s a question of lots of small details and of teamwork. I’m new to the team and that made us a little weaker, but now we are better coordinated and you can see the results.”

Riccardo Bonadeo, Commodore of the YCCS, congratulated the team: “Heartfelt congratulations to all of team Azzurra for getting so close to winning the world championship. Congratulations also for the hard work and the great sailing that they have done over the course of this week: the team has shown that they are cut from the fabric of real champions and that they know how to sail in difficult conditions. They put the world champions, Quantum Racing, to the test. I want to congratulate the champions on the part of the whole YCCS and extend my compliments to them too. I have been following the racing from Porto Cervo, watching the excellent TV production of the 52 Super Series. It’s even better than watching the racing from a boat, thanks also to our friends from Rolex and their support."

The next appointment will be at Puerto Portals, nearby Palma de Mallorca, for the Puerto Portals 52 Super Series Sailing Week, fourth event in the 52 Super Series that will be held from August 21st to 25th.

Rolex TP52 World Championship 2018, Final results:
1.Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) (2,1,3,4,1,5,1,5,1) 23 p.
2. Azzurra (ARG/ITA) (Alberto and Pablo Roemmers) (1,2,2,7,6,1,5,1,2) 27 p.
3. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) (4,4,5,1,4,7,7,2,3) 37 p.
4. Sled (USA) (Takashi Okura) (8,3,7,2,3,2,3,6,4) 38 p.
5. Luna Rossa (ITA) (Patrizio Bertelli) (10DNF, 6,1,3,5,3,4,7,6) 45 p
6. Platoon (GER) (Harm Müller-Spreer) (3,5,6,6,9,8,2,3,8) (2 penalty p.) 52 p. 
7. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) (5,9,4,5,7,4,6,8,5,) 53 p.
8. Phoenix (RSA) (Hasso/Tina Plattner) (6,7,8,8,2,6,8,4,7) 56 p.
9. Onda (BRA) (Eduardo de Souza Ramos) (7,8,9,9,8,10,10,10,10) 81 p.

2018 52 SUPER SERIES
1. Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) 96 p.
2. Sled (USA) (Takashi Okura) 115 p.
3. Azzurra (ARG/ITA) (Alberto and Pablo Roemmers) 125 p.
4. Luna Rossa (ITA) (Patrizio Bertelli) 126 p.
5. Platoon (GER) (Harm Müller-Spreer) 129 p.
6. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) 133 p.
7. Phoenix (RSA) (Hasso/Tina Plattner) 147 p.
8. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) 163 p.
9. Onda (BRA) (Eduardo de Souza Ramos) 184 p.
10. Gladiator (GBR) (Tony Langley) 218 p.
11. Paprec Recyclage (FRA) (Jean Luc Petithuguenin) 226 p.


52 SUPER SERIES 2018

Sibenik 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week
May 23rd - 27th, Sibenik, Croatia

52 SUPER SERIES Zadar Royal Cup
June 20th - 24th, Zadar, Croatia

ROLEX TP52 World Championship Cascais 2018
July 17th - 21st, Cascais, Portugal

Puerto Portals 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week
August 21st - 25th, Mallorca, Spain

52 SUPER SERIES Valencia Sailing Week
September 18th - 22nd, Valencia, Spain

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AZZURRA
Pablo and Alberto Roemmers - Owners
Guillermo Parada - Skipper, Helm
Santiago Lange - Tactician
Bruno Zirilli - Navigator
Giovanni Cassinari - Mainsail
Mariano Caputo - Bowman
Juan Pablo Marcos -  Midbow
David Vera - Pitman
Grant Loretz- Trimmer
Ciccio Celon - Trimmer
Mariano Parada - Trimmer
Gabriel Marino - Grinder
Alejandro Colla – Grinder
Nicola Pilastro - Grinder
Pedro Rossi- Boat Captain
Coach: Guillermo Baquerizas
Coach: Marco Capitani

Contact:
Giuliano Luzzatto
Media Relations
Tel. +39 348 5966160
pressoffice@azzurra.it
www.azzurra.it