Kiwi reprise in Murcia

The Kiwis seemed to have sailed an almost blemish free regatta, consistent across the broad wind range through the event, emerging triumphant at the dockside with a comfortable cushion on second placed Matador, but the jury subsequently disqualified them from the second race of the day for infringing Quantum Racing at the first windward mark.

The protest outcome cut the Kiwi winning margin to 10 points over Matador (ARG) but the reigning Audi MedCup title holders head to next month’s season’s finale in Sardinia with a lead of 46.5 points, just ahead of the target that the Dean Barker skippered crew had considered their realistic target.

After winning in Cascais, Portugal in May this is the New Zealanders second regatta triumph of the season with skipper Dean Barker – who skippered Bribon to win in 2008 – unbeaten in the class at this venue.

The protest decision may have smudged their copybook but on the water the Kiwis maintained their regular scores through the regatta. TeamOrigin (GBR) seemed to have the measure of them at times in the light to moderate wind conditions and flat water, but the British crew were recalled for starting too early in the final race of the day, finishing ninth.

Added to their 11th in Saturday’s coastal race that left TeamOrigin, who lead early in the event, third overall.

Ben Ainslie and team will take some satisfaction not only from their first podium finish of the season and also the positive progress they are making on the season’s leaderboard, but they may look back and wonder else - other than those two ’ majors’ what they could have done to make good the tantalising 1.5 points deficit they fell short of second placed Matador.

On the overall standings Quantum Racing (USA) lie second on 179.5pts, but third placed Matador and TeamOrigin are separated by just one point, on 199pts and 200pts.

Racing in 9-13 knots of easterly breeze and blissful Mediterranean sunshine Alberto Roemmers’ world champions Matador won the first race of the day when Vasco Vascotto (ITA) and Francesco Bruni (ITA) combined to read the first run well, gaining five places on the downwind to take the race win ahead of Emirates Team New Zealand who had lead at the WW1 mark.

TeamOrigin were in contention at the first windward mark but slid to 11th on the first run, recovering to seventh.

In the second race TeamOrigin started sharply to win the preferred left side of the first upwind leg, rounding the windward mark first and going on to their third winning gun of the regatta.

Emirates Team New Zealand finished with a flourish winning the final race with Matador back in seventh, TeamOrigin in ninth and the Franco-German team on Audi A1 powered by TeamAll4ONE leaving Murcia with a measure of renewed confidence from their second place.

Despite the obvious increase in the overall standard at the top of the TP52 Series, the defending title holders will travel to Cagliari for September’s Region of Sardinia Trophy with a margin only 5.5 points less than they did at the same point in 2009.

Two in a row for Madrid - Caser Seguros

The racing in the GP42’s was never closer, with everyone taking turns leading and following in each of today’s three races.

And even though they won only one race in nine sailed, it was the consistency of Madrid-Caser Seguros (ESP) led by skipper Jose Maria van der Ploeg (ESP) and helmsman Paolo Cian (ITA) which was key to their second regatta win in a row. Their triumph here follows up on victory in Barcelona in July and sees them take an eight points overall lead on the Audi MedCup Circuit.

But the remaining places in this class were decided only on tie-breaks. The fight for second was especially vigorous, decided by only a metre at the finish of the last race. In a dramatic reversal of their first two day’s mediocre results that put them solidly in last place going into today, Iberdrola (ESP) led by Laureano Wizner (ESP) came back to win the day on scores of 1-1-2, and vaulted up into the runner-up spot on the podium.

Sliding back one place from this morning’s standings, third-placed John Bassadone (GBR) and his Peninsula Petroleum (GBR) team was still very pleased with their podium finish, their first-ever in the 2010 Audi MedCup.

 Info presse www.medcup.org