Photos: Pierre Orphanidis
Santa Margherita Ligure - Desafío, the Spanish GP42 team, was crowned winner of the Trofeo Pirelli, opening event of the Quebramar GP42 Cup 2008, after yet another excruciatingly light and testing day on the waters of Santa Margherita Ligure. Just three boats managed to finish the fourth and closing race of the event.
For the third consecutive day, Eolo, the Italian god of wind, was in a bad mood and put the 8 GP42 crews to test. Despite a breeze a barely 3 knots the race committee fired the starting gun just 15 minutes after the scheduled time. Seven of the eight yachts, as it has been the case throughout the event, rushed immediately to the right side of the course, as close as possible to the coast, in search of the slightest puff of wind.
Desafío, with Santiago López-Vazquez calling tactics, having come to a virtual stop at the starting line, opted for the left and got off almost 1:30 behind the leader. Nevertheless, the tactical decision paid handsomely for the Spanish who managed to work their way up to the top after watching their competitors struggle a few meters from Portofino’s rocks.
The green boat rounded the top mark ahead and despite the close attacks by Paolo Cian’s Roma GP 42.2, the held on to their lead, crossing the finish line with a comfortable advantage, ahead of Roma GP 42.2 and Near Miss, helmed by Bertrand Pacé.
In the meantime the breeze had completely died down and the remaining 5 boats were unable to finish on time. Read more
