Matador and Bigamist let Artemis win TP52 practice race in Cagliari

[Source: AUDI MedCup] With Paul Cayard on board calling tactics for the 2007 Audi MedCup winning owner-skipper Torbjorn Tornqvist (SWE) seized the opportunity presented to them to win today's practice race for the TP52 Series' Region of Sardinia Trophy.

Racing in a light, even but well established 7-8 knots of sea breeze off the Sardinian capital Cagliari, Cayard and Torbjorn Tornqvist shrugged off the long standing superstition which prevented first Matador (ARG) and then Bigamist (POR) from winning the practice race.

After two lacklustre attempts in the preliminary starts Cayard and Tornqvist gelled to produce a strong opening off the pin end of the start line which allowed them to mine the dividend on the left of the course on the first beat.


Artemis lead around the windward mark first time up, by just over 15 seconds, ahead of the Portuguese team who reaped a similar gain on that side of the course. Bigamist did hit the front of the fleet on the second beat, but had to exonerate themselves for a rules infringement on the short leg from the mark to the offset buoy.

While Emirates Team New Zealand, current overall TP52 Series leaders by 16 points, sailed consistently, leading a close matched group of boats to effectively take second gun, the teams who will most welcome any fillip after Marseille – Matador, Artemis and Bigamist – confirmed clearly that they have what it takes to win races here in these sea breeze conditions which are expected to prevail through the first days of this regatta.