Thursday, October 16, 2008

QUEBRAMAR GP42 Cup in Puerto Calero:




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Roma GP42.2 leads Trofeo Cesar Manrique in first tricky day, Desafio keeps the leadership in the circuit.

The Italian GP42 yacht helmed by Italian match-race star Paolo Cian showed the greatest consistency in a day marked by huge wind shifts. AIRIS consolidated its second place and shrank Desafío’s overall championship point-advantage to 14. With 6 races left in Puerto Calero, the QUEBRAMAR GP42 CUP is still open.

Lanzarote – Canary Islands, 16th October 2008. The opening day of the 7th Trofeo Cesar Manrique was clearly a tough test for tactician, forcing them to show their best skills in wind spotting. Although wind speed varied from 10 to 15 knots the wide shifts resulted in unpredictably upsets, especially in the last race. In the first race, it appeared it was Hamish Pepper, the famous kiwi sailor freshly embarked on Near Miss, to be able to read to perfection the wind patterns of Puerto Calero. The opening race of the 7th Trofeo Puerto Calero started right on time, with a nice but shifty breeze of 12 to 13 knots. Roma GP42.2 and Near Miss were both over the line early and had to recross. Nevertheless, this was not enough to stop the Swiss. Reading correctly the left shift that was about to come, Near Miss together with Bodegas Luis Alegre, opted for the left side of the course, a choice that obviously paid handsomely.

Photos and videos at http://www.gp42.net/