Agustín Zabalúa wins the first edition of the Magic Marine BetPro D-One Gold Cup

A thrilling race in Valencia for the final day of the 1st Magic Marine BetPro D-One Gold Cup in Valencia. Thermal breeze between 6 and 8 knots for the first race won once again by Argentinean Agustin Zabalua. The sixth and final race carrying double points was abandoned on the second beat due to the complete lack of wind. Zabalua is the first Champion of the Magic Marine BetPro D-One Gold Cup that in 2011 will take place in Riva del Garda, Italy, at the end of July. Thirty helmsmen from 14 nations entered the event.

Valencia, Spain October 3nd 2010- Argentinean Augustin Zabalua is the first Champion of the Magic Marine BetPro D-One Gold Cup that wrapped up with a nail-biting race in Valencia on Sunday. The fifth race was held with a 6 to 8 knot thermal breeze from the southeast and Zabalua cut the finishing line first, thereby scoring his third victory. Italian Andrea Gancia was second over the line and the Hungarian Olympic Laser sailor Zsombor Berecz came in third. Zabalua was in the lead with a 4-point margin on the Hungarian and 6 on Croatian Ivan Gaspic. Nothing was yet decided though. There still was time to fire the gun for the sixth and final race that carried double points and could still shape the final scoreboard. The fleet cut the starting line with a six-knot breeze from 115 that slowly died down to nothing at all while competitors were working their way up the second beat. The excellent Real Club Nautico de Valencia Race Committee rightfully decided to abandon the race and sailors returned to shore where an enormous and delicious paella was awaiting them.

Final day of racing at the Magic Marine BetPro D-One Gold Cup. Valencia, 3 October 2010. Photo copyright Ignacio Baixauli

Agustin Zabalua won with the excellent results 4-2-1-1-1, with a 4-point lead on Hungarian Zsombor Berecz (1-6-2-3-3) and a 6-point margin on Croatian Ivan Gaspic (3-1-5-2-8), first among the six Olympic Finn athletes who took part in the Championship. British Ed Wright, who recently won the Finn Gold Cup, finished fourth overall (6-3-6-4-12) while Alberto Ferrari, the best of the Italians, finished is fifth (2-11-7-12-5).

In commenting the Championship, Luca Devoti stated, “We had three fantastic days and I am very satisfied with the fleet’s performance and with the way the event turned out. The weight equalization system proved to be a great intuition and success: all the best sailors between 72 and 95 kilos were vying for the lead. Our goal is to see the class continue to grow by working with the five national associations and collaborating with the International Class we created here in Valencia that has Philippe Rogge as its President. The Real Club Nautico de Valencia was perfect both on the water and on shore. The next edition of the Magic Marine BetPro D-One Gold Cup will take place in Riva del Garda, Italy, at the end of July 2011"

This concludes the first international event of the D-One Class that saw 30 helmsmen from 14 nations and 3 continents battle it out on Spanish waters.

The event is sponsored by Magic Marine and BetPro.it

Final day of racing at the Magic Marine BetPro D-One Gold Cup. Valencia, 3 October 2010. Photo copyright Ignacio Baixauli

MAGIC MARINE - BET PRO D-ONE GOLD CUP REAL CLUB NAUTICO DE VALENCIA 01 OCT 2010 - 03 OCT 2010

OVERALL LEADERBOARD

Class : D-ONE

Discards : 1

Pos	Helmsman	Country	1	2	3	4	5	TOTAL
1	AGUSTIN ZABALUA	ARGENTINA	4	2	1	1	1	5
2	ZSOMBOR BERECZ	HUNGARY	1	6	2	3	3	9
3	IVAN KLIAKOVIC GASPIC	CROATIA	3	1	5	2	8	11
4	EDWARD WRIGHT	GREAT BRITAIN	6	3	6	4	12	19
5	ALBERTO FERRARI	ITALY	2	11	7	12	5	25
6	ANDREA GANCIA	ITALY	11	20	8	5	2	26
7	JONATHAN LOBERT	FRANCE	10	14	4	7	9	30
8	MATT COUTTS	NEW ZELAND	22	9	9	6	7	31
9	ROMAN TEPLY	CZECH REPUBLIC	13	8	10	8	6	32
10	ANDREA GIAMMARINI	ITALY	5	4	11	16	31	36
11	MICHAEL MAIER	CZECH REPUBLIC	8	10	16	18	4	38
12	FABIO TOCCOLI	ITALY	12	5	21	9	15	41
13	ANDY TURTON	AUSTRALIA	19	17	3	10	31	49
14	TIM GARVIN	GREAT BRITAIN	9	12	17	11	17	49
15	PAOLO ROSSI	ITALY	7	7	18	20	20	52
16	GUIDO FALCIOLA	ITALY	23	21	12	14	14	61
17	GIOVANNI TRICARICO	ITALY	20	22	14	19	13	66
18	PHILIPPE ROGGE	BELGIUM	18	31	25	17	11	71
19	VICENTE IRANZO	SPAIN	28	31	15	13	16	72
20	STEFFEN BOCK	GERMANY	14	18	24	22	21	75
21	BRET PERRY	AUSTRALIA	16	15	23	31	22	76
22	MATTHIAS GROTHUES-SPORK	GERMANY	21	16	22	24	31	83
23	RALF BEHRENS	GERMANY	24	19	27	23	18	84
24	STEFANO CARUSO	ITALY	17	24	20	26	24	85
25	MICHELE TOGNOZZI	ITALY	25	26	13	28	25	89
26	KEITH FEDI	GREAT BRITAIN	15	13	31	31	31	90
27	WALTER RITSHCKA	AUSTRIA	27	23	19	25	23	90
28	SUMIO SHIMOYAMA	JAPAN	31	31	29	21	10	91
29	RAFAEL TRUJILLO	SPAIN	31	31	26	15	19	91
30	GIANCARLO PRAGLIOLA	ITALY	26	25	28	27	31	106