Breitling MedCup - Coastal race on the fourth day

Friday's program for the TP52 fleet of the Breitling MedCup consists of a coastal race inside the Follonica gulf. On the fourth day of the Yacht Club Punta Ala regatta the boats will have to round a number of buoys and islands in order to cover a distance of at least 30 miles and less than 40 miles.

Weather conditions are expected to be similar to yesterday's, starting with a light breeze of around 8 knots and then gradually building up to 18-knot northeasterlies. Flat seas are expected to give way to some waves in the afternoon.

With 14 points and four ahead of its closer competitor, Warpath could hold on to its leadership, while after yesterday's remarkable three wins, Mutua Madrileña will surely try to steal the top spot. Sharing between them 11 sailors from Emirates Team New Zealand, it's no wonder they have been dominating the first event of the Breitling MedCup 2006 season.

Note: We have added a permanent table on the left-hand column of the website with the current rankings of the Breitling MedCup, just under the America's Cup challenger ranking table. It is updated after the official results of each race are published. As some of our readers have already commented, we only publish photos of three Spanish boats, Mutua Madrileña, Siemens and TAU Ceramica - Andalucia. This is not due to any preference, on the contrary, but to the fact that they are the only ones that provide us with photos bigger than a large stamp.