The five leg windward-leeward contest was peppered with big shifts in the wind
direction which skewed the course at times to render it more of a drag race.
But while it may in the end have required little in the way of tactical
thinking, success came for those who kept their heads, made fewest mistakes –
or at lease dealt with them best – during a dramatic and exciting sprint.
Quantum Racing extended their lead overall regatta lead ahead of Rán Racing
which finished third in this one and only race of the day, whilst the 2013
regatta winners Azzurra had a much better race, finishing second.
The race leaders, with owner-driver Doug DeVos steering, put their unblemished
record in jeopardy when they were forced into taking the less favoured gate
mark at the final turn due to a problem with their gennaker halyard which
required them to cut it. Tactician Terry Hutchinson admitted later that he
thought this had cost them not one but two places, but the breeze came back for
them and they managed to narrowly hold off Azzurra over the finish line.
The sudden changes in conditions and poor visibility brought many problems for
the six TP52s. On the first run Rán Racing lost control momentarily when a gust
hit, reducing their chances of challenging Azzurra for second. Hooligan's
dramatic slowdown on the first downwind leg was having run into a lobster pot,
which mid-bow crew Westy Barlow bravely jumped off the stern and managed to get
free from the boat. But the team which is new to the circuit put in a solid
performance to finish fourth.
The course area is in a sort of minefield of obstructions like this: a similar
incident happened last year here in Key West when Azzurra had to slow to a stop
and back down to finally free their obstruction.
And there were costly problems for the Interlodge crew who dropped their kite
into the water at the leeward gate which rendered them sixth in the race, also
requiring them to cut their halyard.
Francesco Bruni, Azzurra’s strategist confirmed their crew was more satisfied
with their second, even if they were slightly unlucky not to win:
“ One side was always a lot
longer than the other, downwind was usually a one way track but with a lot of
differences in intensity for the whole crew. We are pretty happy, it was better
than yesterday and in the end we were quite close to Quantum Racing. For
sure it looked like Quantum Racing went to the wrong gate last time down and we
gained a lot then and in fact we were a tiny bit ahead but then just before the
layline there was a big right hand shift came for them and they were OK but in
fact all credit to Quantum Racing they did a good race and are sailing very,
very well.”
Standings US 52 SUPER SERIES at Quantum Key West
Standings after three races:
1 Quantum Racing (USA)m Doug DeVos (USA) 1,1,1 3pts
2 Rán Racing (SWE), Niklas Zennström (SWE) 2,2,3 7pts
3 Azzurra (ITA), Guillermo Parada (ARG) 3,3,2 8pts
4 Sled (USA), Takashi Okura (USA) 5,4,5 14pts
5 Interlodge (USA), Austin Fragomen (USA) 4,5,6 15pts
6 Hooligan (USA), Gunther Buerman (USA) 6,6,4 16pt
52 SUPER SERIES 2014 Event Calendar:
- Quantum Key West Race Week, Key West, Florida, January 20
- 24
- 52 US Championship, Miami, Florida, March 5 - 9
- Rolex Capri Sailing Week, Capri, Italy, May 20 -
24
- TP 52 World Championship, Porto Cervo, Italy,
June 10 - 14
- Copa del Rey, Palma, Spain, August 4 - 9
- Royal Cup Marina Ibiza, Ibiza, Spain, September 17 - 21
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