Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre: another spectacular day with the breeze reaching 20 knots
(Photograph Pedro Martinez 27 Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre)        pedro_martinez_31_july_a__irc_3034.jpgThe Palma bay delivered what it usually promises this time of the year, especially during the Med’s top sailing event, the Copa del Rey Audi-Mapfre. The 4th day was raced under excellent wind conditions and a southern breeze that started at 12 knots and reached to 20 in the 3rd race of the GP42’s and X-35’s. The TP52´s held their coastal race and the kiwi superstar helmsman, Dean Barker, had no problem driving the Spanish King’s boat Bribón to victory. The New Zealander put the Spanish boat in front of the fleet, followed by Platoon that wanted but couldn’t. The two yachts crossed the scoring gate in that order, followed by Desafío. Terry Hutchinson was not able to maintain third place until the end of the race and passed it to the Argentinean Matador that had a spectacular comeback after crossing the starting line early. 

The GP42 class showed how close and tight it is in the first race, where the delta between the 1st and the 7th yacht was an incredible 22 seconds. AIRIS won, followed by Desafío and Roma GP42.2, in a 5-second photo-finish. The second race was once again an Italian affair and was won by Roma GP42.2, followed by Desafío and Near Miss. In the day's last race the arrival order was inversed and Desafío, helmed by Laureano Wizner, easily dominated, crossing the finish line 1 minute ahead of AIRIS and Near Miss.

There is nothing that can stop Aifos, the former TP52 yacht, in the IRC 1 class. With seven bullets in seven races, they couldn't do any better. Sir Peter Ogden's Spirit of Jethou and Philip Mecklenburg's Moana continue second and third overall, respectively. Is the IRC the future for the TP52 yachts?

There was a change in the leadership of the IRC 2 class. Tony Buckingham's Ngoni, proved to be the most consistent of the day, scoring a 2nd and a 1st, and overtook Give me five, while Jesus Turrós' Sercotel Hotels remains 3rd.

The coastal race of the SWAN 45 class didn't alter the top three as much as the discards potentially could do. The book form was respected and No Limits-Bolidt, owned by RW Bol, is still leading the table, followed by Danilo Salsi's DSK-Comifin, and Codecasa's and Battistela's Jeroboam Ca'Nova. One of the boats that was catapulted to 4th place, just one point behind, was Tea Ekengren-Sauren's Blue Nights that was bale to discard a 17-point race.

The X-35 class saw Nic Bol's Quantum Racing jump to 3rd place overall, thanks to a very consistent day (two seconds and one first). Thorckild Juncker's Cool Runnings is still the leader but with a shrinking advantage, while Carlo Brenco's Tixelio is third.

In the ORC 670 class there was no change from yesterday. Jesús Pintos' Navantia remains on top and Vell Marí, the best-performing locals in this regatta, are second overall. Daniele Augusti's Cometal-Ferrobeton was more consistent that yesterday and was able to keep its third place.

In the ORC 570 class, Icaro, owned by Carles Rodríguez, is the overall leader with another bullet and a 6th. Second position is held by Gustavo Martínez Doreste's Hempel-Power Plate while Ernesto Vera's Pasión x Castellón regains 3rd place.

Copa del Rey AUDI MAPFRE - Provisional standings

TP 52

1. Platoon, Jochen Schuemann, 1-3-1-6-2-2, 15 points

2. Bribón, Dean Barker, 5-1-4-4-1-1, 16 points

3. Desafío, Terry Hutchinson, 4-7-3-1-3-4, 22 points

4. Mutua Madrileña, Vasco Vascotto, 2-8-2-2-4-6, 24 points

5. Matador, Alberto Roemmers, 3-4-7-8-5-3, 30 points

GP 42

1. Near Miss, Bertrand Pacé, 6-1-1-1-1-6-3-3, 16 points

2. AIRIS, Sandro Montefusco, 1-7-2-7-2-1-4-2, 19 points

3. Desafío, Laureano Wizner, 2-2-5-6-5-2-2-1, 29 points

4. Roma GP42.2, Paolo Cian, 4-5-3-5-6-3-1-4, 25 points

5. MADRID, José Maria Van der Ploeg, 7-4-4-2-3-5-7-6, 31 points

IRC 1

1 Aifos, Jaime Rodríguez Toubes, 1-1-1-1-1-1-1, 7 points

2 Spirit of Jethou, Sir Peter Ogden, 2-3-3-2-2-2-2, 16 points

3 Moana, Philippe Mecklenburg, 3-2-7-3-3-4-4, 26 points

4 CAM, SAR Felipe de Borbón, 4-4-4-6-7-5-3, 33 points

5 Aegir, Benjamin Brian, 6-8-8-4-4-3-5, 38 points

IRC 2

1. Ngoni, Tony Buckingham, 5-1-5-1-1-1-2, 16 points

2. Give me five, Arya Yatchs Venezia, 2-2-1-5-2-4-6, 22 points

3. Itaca IX, Manuel Gallego, 3-6-3-2-6-2-3, 25 points

4. Sercotel Hotels, Román Turró, 4-3-4-4-3-10-1, 29 points

5. Item Power Sport, Sebastian López, 6-4-9-3-4-3-4, 33 points

ORC 570

1. Ícaro, Carles Rodríguez, 1-8-2-1-1-6-1, 20 points

2. Hempel-Power Plate, Gustavo Martínez Doreste, 2-6-3-3-5-3-5, 27 points

3. Pasión x Castellón, Ernesto Vera, 4-12-1-5-7-1-4, 34 points

4. Minnic, Eiken Albers, 15-2-10-2-2-2-2, 35 points

5. I. Nova, Giancarlo Simeoli, 8-7-4-4-4-5-6, 38 points

ORC 670

1. Navantia, Jesús Pintos, 2-2-1-7-2-1-1, 16 points

2. Vell Marí, Teo Matheu, 1-7-4-1-5-2-3, 23 points

3. Cometal-Ferrobeton, Daniele Augusti, 2-1-2-2-11-8-2, 32 points

4. Vindio, Alfonso Pascual, 3-4-5-8-3-5-7, 35 points

5. Aquasonic, Daniel Maestre, 4-8-8-3-12-5, 43 points

X-35 (1 discard)

1. Cool Runnings, Thorkild Juncker, 1-3-4-1-2-6-1-4-3, 19 points

2. Quantum Racing, Nic Bol, 2-2-19-5-5-7-2-2-1, 26 points

3. Tixelio, 11-7-26-8-3-2-5-1-5, 42 points

4. X-Trifix, Stefano Trifiro, 9-1-3-7-4-4-7-10-17, 45 points

5. Giochelotta,  Francesco Conte, 10-17-1-2-8-3-3-13-9, 49 points

SWAN 45 (1 discard)

1. No Limits-Bolidt, RW BOL, 9-6-4-2-2-2-2-3, 21 points

2. DSK-Comifin, Danilo Salsi, 2-5-5-5-5-1-11-1, 24 points

3. Jeroboam Ca'Nova, Codecasa / Battistella, 5-2-3-4-4-12-4-8, 30 points

4. Blue Nights, Tea Ekengren-Sauren, 1-4-6-17-3-5-5-7, 31 points

5. Fever, Diederichs / Gordon, 4-14-2-1-10-4-7-4, 32 points