Lexus wins the Breitling Regatta

Expectations were high in the final day of the 11th Breitling Regatta, the third event of five in the Breitling MEDCUP TP52 Circuit. Today the fleet were facing two races which would prove to be decisive in the general rankings of the Regatta.

In the first race of the day, with 6-7 knots of south-westerly breeze, Lexus performed a great start, showing the full acceleration capacity of the vessel. The team took the lead, ahead of the other nine TP52s, and maintained their position for the duration of the race. It was impossible for the other boats to even get close to Dean Barker and crew, and Cristabella was also unwilling to give away their second place, gained at the first mark and managed to stand their ground until the end of the race. John Cook’s Cristabella, who came second in yesterday’s race, now move into fourth place in the general rankings. Orlanda-Olympus, who left the port today in second position in the general rankings, came in third in the race, putting them into first place, thanks to Leche Pascual’s poor performance.


Lexus, winner of the Breitling Regatta. Photo copyright: Jorge Andreu - Medcup

The fleet faced the second race with Orlanda leading on 44 points, Lexus just one point away on 43, and Leche Pascual on 41, with Cristabella in fourth place. There was much excitement, given the fact that in these races anyone can win.

The wind had picked up to 10 knots, and Lexus delivered a great start, racing forward into first place. Only a few seconds behind, Caixa Galicia were moving in, with the rest of the fleet following. At the first windward buoy, Dean Barker’s team was in first place, followed by Caixa Galicia, Orlanda-Olympus, Bribon, Bambakou, Leche Pascual, Cristabella, Siemens, Atalanti XV and Aifos. The excitement didn’t subside in the heart stopping downwind course where Bribon managed to get ahead into third place, in front of the Italian Orlanda-Olympus team.

The level of the Transpac 52 racing is so high that even simple errors can be very costly during a regatta. As such, Lexus took the decision to move slightly more to the right than their rivals in the second upwind course, which cost them a win, against Caixa Galicia who were really fighting for a place on the podium. Bribon also got ahead of Lexus and the three boats sailed the last downward course with only a few bowlines between them. At the leeward buoy, it was HM King Juan Carlos of Spain’s boat that turned first, thanks to a well made tactical decision to gybe more leeward than their rivals.


Photo copyright: Jorge Andreu - Medcup

Caixa Galicia who had started the last upwind course in second place, pushed forward to pass Bribon and cross the finish line first, followed by the King of Spain’s boat, and Lexus, who had achieved victory in the general rankings in this regatta. Bambakou owned and driven by John Coumantarous came in fourth in the race, and seventh in the event. Fifth place went to Vasco Vascotto’s Leche Pascual, who were not able to keep up the winning streak they experienced in Valencia, and as such came fourth in the general classifications, drawing on points with Orlanda-Olympus who are on third place on points, thanks to their better performance in the individual races. Orlanda, who were winning at the start of the day, finished seventh.

Quotes:
Vasco Vascotto, skipper of Leche Pascual: “It’s been a very hard regatta and the conditions have been extremely hard. Today we have sailed very bad and we deserve the position we have achieved. We remain leaders at the overall ranking of the Breitling MEDCUP Tp52, although the margin with our rivals have been reduced.”

Carlos, “Charlie”, Martínez Viaña, trimmer of Caixa Galicia: “The championship has been very tight with constant changes in the leadership of each race, as it has became common. What I most like at these races is the high level of competition.”

Lorenzo Bressani, skipper of Orlanda Olympus: “The last race has been a bit peculiar, but really beautiful, although I would have preferred it wouldn’t have been raced, as we lost our leadership.”