Doug DeVos’ Quantum Racing team moved two more points ahead of Rán Racing at the top of the standings for the 52 SUPER SERIES regatta at the 32nd Copa del Rey Mapfre, their reward for winning a surprisingly challenging but nevertheless interesting 29 miles coastal race out of Palma.
In stiflingly Majorcan hot sunshine the Quantum Racing team remained cool and focused throughout, not least when the fleet compressed during a light airs zone by one of the leeward turns at Illetas. For their hard work and diligence they cashed in a bonus on the long downwind leg from Soll de Mallorca to the finish line off the entrance to the Palma harbour when the breeze moved nicely left for them and they were able to reach directly for the finish line, even popping the long awaited A3 reaching gennaker, to finish well clear of second placed Azzurra.
The American team skippered by Ed Baird, with Terry Hutchinson as tactician, has retained a score line all in the top three and now lead Rán Racing by three points.
Quantum Racing were able to build progressively from a good, solid start moving to the right early to challenge Austin and Gwen Fragomen’s Interlodge which rounded the first mark – at the top of a conventional opening 2.5 miles windward leeward – in a close second.
A subsequent bigger windward leeward circuit saw the 9-12kts sea breeze holding well, but it was as the leaders erred towards the shore off the fleshpots of Palma Nova and Magalluf that the breeze lifted to allow noticeable gains and losses. And early gains were eroded when the wind eased right down at the downwind turning mark at Illetas.
Azzurra, working more offshore, lost out on the first of the longer beats, along with Rán Racing dropping into the lower half of the fleet. But both stuck to their task and took the shifts and pressure changes well to finish second and third. Interlodge, second around the first circuit, finished fourth with Provezza’s fifth keeping them in close contention for fourth overall, three points behind Rio.
Had the sea breeze remained settled throughout perhaps the race might have proven the soldier’s course, a concern which Azzurra trimmer Simon Fry admit worried him early in the piece.
“ It was shifty with the pressure up and down and having two or three more boats makes it more interesting.” Recalled Fry, “It was funny because after about 25 minutes I was worried this would be a soldier’s course with not many chances to pass, but it was a great course.”
The underlying westerly gradient, unusual at this time of year is proving stimulating, according to local ace Jordi Calafat, gold medal winning tactician on Quantum Racing:
“All three days of the King’s Cup so far have seen a different wind pattern to what we have seen for I don’t know how long, with this westerly gradient breeze. Even today there was only ever a very, very slight chance that the breeze would go left at the end of the day and it happened. It was a really difficult day.” Calafat, who won the 31st Copa del Rey last year as tactician with Jochen Schuemann’s team, concluded.
Results: 52 Super Series at the 32nd Copa del Rey MAPFRE
1 Quantum Racing, USA, (Doug DeVos) (3,2,2,1,1) 9pts
2 Rán Racing, SWE, (Niklas Zennström) (1,1,1,6,3) 12pts
3 Azzurra, ITA, (Alberto Roemmers) (2,4,3,7,2) 18pts
4 Rio, USA, (Manouch Moshayedi) (6,3,5,3,6) 23pts
5 Provezza, TUR, (Ergin Imre) (4,7.5,4,4,5) 24.5pts
6 Interlodge, USA, (Austin Fraogmen) (5,7.5,6.5,5,4) 28pts
7 Gladiator, GBR, (Tony Langley) (7,5,8,2,9) 31pts
8 Paprec, FRA, (Jean Luc Petithugenin) (9,6,6.5,8,8) 37.5pts
9 Aquila, AUT, (Aquila Sailing Team) (8,9,9,9,7) 42pts
32nd Copa del Rey MAPFRE – Gaastra IRC 52 Class
1 Quantum Racing (3,2,2,1,1) 9pts
2 Rán Racing, SWE (1,1,1,5.5,3) 11.5pts
3 Azzurra, ITA (2,4,3,7,2) 18pts
4 Rio, USA (6,3,5,3,7) 24pts
5 Provezza, TUR (5,9,4.4,5) 27pts
6 Interlodge, USA (4,8,6.5,5.5,4) 28pts
7 Gladiator, GBR (8,5,8,2,9) 32pts
8 Aquila, AUT (7,7,9,8,6) 37pts
9 Paprec, FRA (9,6,6.5,9,8) 38.5pts
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