Azzurra. Image copyright Nico Martinez/Audi MedCup
by Guiliano Luzzatto
Audi Azzurra Sailing Team won the first race of the Marseille Trophy but failed to pull off a repeat performance in the second race of the day. The team moves up to second place, however, in the overall classification for the series.
A win in the first race, added to victory in the practice race yesterday, showed that the work carried out on Azzurra is yielding results, even in light air. Despite today's south south-westerly thermal breeze that never reached more than 8 knots, Azzurra led the fleet from the start and won with a clear margin of 44 seconds over second-placed Synergy. Bribon and Quantum Racing followed.
In the second race of the day, however, the boat suffered more than expected due to the falling wind and finished a disappointing seventh despite the crew battling unsuccessfully to move up the fleet for the duration. The team's sporting spirit and resolve, in the knowledge that tomorrow is a new day which will see Audi Azzurra Sailing Team more determined than ever, is to be applauded.
"We are still satisfied," declared skipper Guillermo Parada, "the second race went badly while the first went really well and now we are second in the provisional classification and we can concentrate on overtaking Quantum Racing."
Tactician Francesco Bruni gave his technical analysis of the day: "The start was crucial in both races. In the first Guillermo started brilliantly, we tacked first and from then we were always in control of the fleet. In the second though, the start cost us dearly, especially in terms of how we wanted to tackle the race. After that we didn't get a chance to recover, it's very difficult for a powerful hull like ours in such light air."
AUDI AZZURRA SAILING TEAM
Guillermo Parada - Skipper and Helmsman
Francesco Bruni - Tactician
Vasco Vascotto - Strategist
Bruno Zirilli - Navigator
Paul Westlake - Mainsail
Mariano Caputo - Bowman
Pedro Rossi - Mid Bow
Juan Pablo Cadario - Pitman
Maciel Cichetti - Trimmer
Mariano Parada - Trimmer
Simon Fry - Trimmer
Gabriel Marino - Grinder
Alejandro Colla - Grinder
Boat Captain: Pedro Rossi
Owner: Alberto Roemmers
Azzurra
Audi MedCup
