Azzura vs. Synergy. Image copyright Stefano Gattini/Azzurra.
by Jill Campbell
The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s team Azzurra had mixed fortunes in day eight of the Louis Vuitton Trophy in La Maddalena which sees ten of the world’s top match racing teams competing in the crystalline waters of Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda. In their close-fought first race of the day the Azzurra crew, skippered by Francesco Bruni, took victory over Synergy Russian Sailing Team, skippered by Karol Jablonski. The Italian team suffered defeat in the following match against Artemis, skippered by Paul Cayard. With seven matches raced out of nine scheduled for this initial round robin phase of the event, Azzurra now sits on 3 points.
Once again the start of racing was delayed until after midday as the Race committee waited for the wind to fill in. The first warning signal for the match between Azzurra and Synergy was sounded at 2.20 p.m. and a hard-fought pre-start resulted in Synergy taking the right in approximately 7-10 knots of breeze. Azzurra immediately gained an advantage of approximately 30 metres but it was a port cross towards the end of the first windward leg that decided the rest of the match. Jablonski stayed close throughout but was unable to regain ground and Azzurra led by 15 seconds around the first windward mark, 20 seconds at the downwind gate, 9 seconds at the second windward mark and 15 seconds at the finish.
Fifteen seconds also separated Azzurra from Artemis at the end the second match but this time it was the Italian boat that trailed. Following a penalty awarded against Azzurra for coming too close during a manoeuvre in the pre-start, Bruni and company battled against the Swedish team for the duration of the match which featured several lead changes, protests, whistles and green flags from the umpires. Cayard’s crew led around the first windward mark by 7 seconds but text book sailing left the Italian team leading at the downwind gate by 9 seconds. By the finish line Artemis had regained the lead and defended their position to the finish.
Azzura vs. Synergy. Image copyright Stefano Gattini/Azzurra.
Francesco Bruni commented on the day’s results: “We are happy to have gotten in two races today and to have won an important point. They were both extremely close matches. In the first our tactics were spot on but we committed a few small errors during manoeuvres, in the second we sailed really well but had a few moments of indecision, the crew did a fantastic job. On the whole a positive day, the point gained with Synergy was an important one for the quarter finals. Today’s two races were also extremely close as regards the rules, there were a lot of flags raised and on the whole I agreed with the umpires’ decisions. This evening I’ll have to have do some self-criticism, especially for the second race: in two or three situations I was a bit slow and I’m sure I can do better.”
Tomorrow Azzurra will meet Britain’s Team Origin in the fourth match of day. The forecast predicts 25 knots of westerly wind while Monday could see the arrival of the feared Mistral blowing at 20 to 30 knots.
This evening members of the YCCS will welcome team Azzurra with a barbeque organized on the panoramic terrace of the YCCS.
Azzurra
Louis Vuitton Trophy
