Phil Robertson's (RNZYS) WAKA Racing team with their cup and other prizes from their victory in match racing in Rimini, Italy. Image courtesy WAKA Racing.
by Garth Ellingham
The start of the regatta was a tricky one for the boys, with our 4th member Sam Bell joining us for the first time we were starting on the back foot. We forced to default the first race and rigging the boat in the pre start of our second we won 1 of 4 races that day putting us in a must win position for the rest of the round robin. The team pulled through convincingly posting 3 from 3 on the second day. The race committee pushed on and started the semis and finals.
After a slight miscalculation by the race committee, thinking we had not qualified, we corrected them and secured the 4th and final spot for the semis. This would see us up against top ranked skipper, Italian Jacopo Pasini. After losing to him in the first round we managed to find some good form putting him away 2-0.
Race one we got a penalty on Pasini in the pre-start and lead the whole race. The second race was the same with us getting another penalty on him in the pre-start. This time despite his attempt to clear the penalty in the second beat he still had the lead and a penalty. He tried numerous times to slow down and trap us on the final run but we defended well and crossed the line with him attempting his turn.
Our Finals opponent was the other Italian Simone Ferrarese. Conditions were perfect. 8kts of breeze with a consistent direction. We won the desired leeward start in the first race and burned him off for pace around the track. 1-0 in a best of three final series.
The second race didn’t go so well. With a boat swap, we found a lot of water in the boat before the start and despite bailing it couldn’t find the pace we had in the 1st race and kept it close loosing by a boat length. Finding more water after the race we decided to protest and apply for another boat. We got a new boat and the start we were after. Pushing hard we let him make the mistake of being over and had a big lead off the line. We maintained this lead during the race and won the race and the regatta!!
A fantastic win as it qualifies use for the Grade 2 in the same location at the start of June. The team was happy with the win and learnt some valuable lessons throughout the competition. Now we are going to stick around here for a couple more days and then head off to Hungry for a training week against world number 12, and in-form, Ian Ainslie.
More images of the Rimini event will be posted on the WAKA Racing site soon.
WAKA Racing
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