Starting Friday’s one final race of the series the 2013 season champions needed only a solid top four finish to win overall.
A steady third behind Azzurra and Rán Racing in the muscular 19-24kts NE’ly
breeze and bouncy, short seas, ensured DeVos’ crew lift the Key West title by
three points ahead of Niklas Zennström’s Rán Racing team.
In the strongest breezes of the five day event, the task for Quantum Racing was
made easier from the outset when both Sled and Hooligan were called over the
start line early. DeVos crew elevated themselves to their strongest possible
position as they lead around the top mark and down a fast, exciting downwind
but Rán Racing came through at the leeward gate rounding, and were at the front
on the second of three beats.
Sailing markedly better in the strong breezes in which they have historically
always been at their best, Azzurra sustained their challenge down the second
run. Sailing at least as fast and sometimes faster than Rán and Quantum that
was a great platform from which to attack Rán Racing.
Working the right early they scored a better shift which saw them go bow to bow
with the leaders for a matter of minutes upwind. The power of the right
prevailed and by the finish line they had eased ahead to give the Italian
flagged team – winners of the final regatta of 2013 - a confidence boost at the
end of an event which has been too irregular for them. Strategist Francesco
Bruni considers they were slowed badly in the first legs of the race, perhaps
with a plastic bag or weed but when they hit their straps they were as fast as
any 52 on the water:
“ We made some good calls
tactically it was a really nice race to win. We got back to Rán Racing metre by
metre, to pass Quantum Racing was good and then the last upwind against Rán
Racing the boat was going very well. We managed to keep the right and then just
before the last lay line we had a piece of them, using starboard advantage to
win the race.”
Tactician on the winning Quantum Racing Terry Hutchinson praised the whole team
effort, dedicating their win to the fantastic support of their owner-driver
DeVos, a key driving force for the 52 SUPER SERIES. Having come close last year
when they lead into the final day only to suffer a costly jib breakdown winning
this team doubtless feels sweeter. But Hutchinson pointed out that converting a
fourth to a first in the first light winds race of the regatta was as valuable
a contribution to their win there as any of the races:
“Early on in the piece we
jagged a few.” Hutchinson smiled, “If you say where was the regatta won it was probably won
on the first race where we went from fourth to first up the second beat of the
race. And today was a different day. Our plan was to stay close to Rán Racing
and not give them any opportunities.”
Quantum Racing won the regatta by three points ahead of Rán Racing who in turn
were three points up on Azzurra after the ten races.
Of the six boats racing, half the fleet won individual races. The two new teams
to the 52 SUPER SERIES, Sled and Hooligan, had their moments of greatness and
their really challenging times. But both teams finished with a better handle on
their weaknesses and looking forward to the second regatta, in Miami in early
March. In this fleet in the strong winds today any small error was heavily
punished:
Hooligan’s Tony Rey, tactician and project manager summed up their enthusiasm:
“The results are not what we
wanted, but I have just told the guys I have never felt so good about a team
and yet finished so poorly. We made the most of the tools we had in the tool
box. We managed to hit six crab pots, two in one race. We had a few kite
shrimps at the leeward mark. We had a few tough moments but generally we
improved enormously over the week. But the key thing is the owner is thrilled
and can’t wait to get to Miami to improve the tools in the toolbox and we just
can’t wait to get started against the best guys in the world.”
US 52 SUPER SERIES at
Quantum Key West
Standings after ten of ten scheduled races:
1. Quantum Racing (USA) Doug DeVos (USA)1,1,1,6,3,4,1,2,1,3 Total 23pts
2. Rán Racing (SWE), Niklas Zennström (SWE) 2,2,3,4,1,2,4,1,5,2 Total 26
3. Azzurra (ITA), Guillermo Parada (ARG) 3,3,2,2,4,1,3,6,4,1 Total 29
4. Interlodge (USA), Austin Fragomen (USA) 4,5,6,1,2,3,2,3,3,4 Total 33
5. Sled (USA), Takashi Okura (USA 5,4,5,5,6,5,6,4,2,5 Total 46
6. Hooligan (USA), Gunther Buerman (USA) 6,6,4,3,5,6,5,5,6,6 Total 53
Terry Hutchinson, USA,
tactician Quantum Racing, USA, “Conditions were outstanding and the racing was great,
everyone is so competitive and I think we won three of the days, Interlodge won
a day and Azzurra won a day. It seemed a lot harder than the scoreline
shows. The lobster pot incident really set us back, but beyond that we sailed
well and hats off to everyone for the effort they have put in. Today we had
some late calls and some really well executed boat handling in the middle and
front of the boat, it was a real team effort. We sailed in these respective
roles in 2011 and won here. Doug is a competitive guy, he is athletic and he
pushes me, he absolutely expects a level as I do too and he knows there no
harder critic on me than me, and that keeps everyone working hard on the boat.
We keep moving forwards.
Azzurra always go well. And
early on in the piece we jagged a few. If you say where was the regatta won it
was probably won on the first race where we went from fourth to first up the
second beat of the race. Today was a different day. Our plan was to stay close
to Rán Racing and not give them any opportunities. We found ourselves in the
lead at the top. At the leeward gate we just did not lay into the left hand
gate, that is just the way things worked. Azzurra were always right there, it
is a very good team and they have been doing this a very long time. They have
been doing this for as long as we have and so it is a pretty polished group. I
think their week was uncharacteristic for them.”
Doug DeVos, USA,
owner-driver Quantum Racing, USA: “We have been sailing here for so many years and a lot of
times we have not even been close to the leaderboard, we love the event, we
love the location and we love the sailing, and so it feels great to come back
here and be able to sail with everyone and to do well. And here of course we
are not just racing for the regatta but for the 52 SUPER SERIES and so of
course every race matters. It feels good to win because it is about the team
coming together, all the team put in so much, it is nice to be able to celebrate,
but like in life never for too long because the next regatta is just around the
corner.”
Niklas Zennstrom
owner-driver Rán Racing: “To
finish in these conditions when the boats are just flying downwind is just
fantastic sailing. We had a great day but Azzurra were just ahead on the finish
line, but we went out today just wanting to make sure we sailed the best we
could and make sure we had a good result, so to finish with a second is
good. The differences are so small. For us when we look and debrief this
regatta it will be the lows which are holding us back. Being OCS, over the
start line yesterday and having to go back cost us, and we had another start
which was not so good, you need to avoid those lows. We know we can win races,
we know we can get the good results, but we need to avoid the lows.
Francesco Bruni, ITA,
tactician Azzurra ITA: “The
boat was going very well in the second part of the race but we were really
struggling in the first upwind, we still don’t know what was happening then, we
think we had something around the keel, 10 per cent under performance, very
slow. From the first downwind onwards the boat was going very well. We made
some good calls tactically it was a really nice race to win. We got back to Rán
Racing metre by metre, to pass Quantum Racing was good and then the last upwind
against Rán Racing the boat was going very well. We managed to keep the right
and then just before the last lay line we had a piece of them, using starboard
advantage to win the race. We like the strong breeze and the breeze increased
during the race, going from 20kts to 22kts and at times stronger. The windier
it is the better this boat goes. Definitely Rán Racing made some changes to the
boat. Last year they were super fast downwind and a little bit slower upwind,
but this year they have stepped up upwind and downwind are not unbeatable
downwind. Today was so much windier, we were on the number four jib and usually
downwind Rán Racing were unbeatable in this downwind.
Ross MacDonald, CAN,
tactician Sled USA: “We
learned a lot and improved every day which may not show on the results board
but we feel we are getting more and more competitive as a team and working
well. There are a whole bunch of small things to improve, to refine. There is
nothing major, a few systems. We will have a few days practice before Miami and
we will work on things then.
Tony Rey USA tactician
Hooligan USA: “The
results are not what we wanted, but I have just told the guys I have never felt
so good about a team and yet finished so poorly. We made the most of the tools
we had in the tool box. We managed to hit six crab pots, two in one race. We
had a few kite shrimps at the leeward mark. We had a few tough moments but
generally we improved enormously over the week. But the key thing is the owner
is thrilled and cant wait to get to Miami to improve the tools in the toolbox
and we just cant wait to get started against the best guys in the world.
We were over the line early,
then recovered, but were slow up the beat with a bag or some weed, but then had
a great run and passed Sled on the run. At the leeward mark the kite came most
of the way down and in other boats most of the way down would have been fine,
but not in a TP52 when you are surfing at fifteen knots. A bit of the kite went
in the water, under the boat and we had to send a guy in. That made a bit of a
mess, we will rebuild our spinnaker and our egos and move on to Miami.”
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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