The 2010 edition of the TP52 World Championship will be held off Valencia from Tuesday October 5 to Saturday October 9. This was confirmed today by World Sailing Management, organizer of the event along with the City of Valencia, Consorcio Valencia 2007 and the Real Club Náutico de Valencia, with the support of the TP52 Class, the Spanish Sailing Federation (RFEV) and the Valencian Sailing Federation (FVV).
The base for the 2010 TP52 Worlds will be the Marina Real Juan Carlos I at the heart of the port of Valencia, and the competing TP52 fleet will be docked in front of the iconic Veles e Vents building.
The competition program will consist of a maximum of ten races, including up to nine windward/leewards and one Coastal Race of between 20 and 30 miles scheduled for Thursday, October 7. The Coastal Race will have a coefficient of 1.25.
A maximum of three races are scheduled for each windward-leeward day and the Championship becomes valid after minimum of three races have been sailed. The programme starts on the Sunday 3rd and Monday 4th of October for measurement, inspection and registration.
The social programme of the 2010 TP52 World Championship will include a welcome cocktail on Tuesday 5th October, a team dinner on October the 7th, the TP52 Class annual meeting on Friday 8th October and the final prizegiving at 1800h on Saturday October 9th.
The 2009 TP52 World Championship was held in Palma de Mallorca in October last year, involving 10 teams from nine countries and the winner was Alberto Roemmers’ Matador (ARG).
Quotes:
Nacho Postigo, Technical Director of World Sailing Management:
"Even after two previous editions in Spanish waters, the TP52 Class wanted to organize the 2010 Worlds outside of Spain, but the desires of the city of Valencia to hold the event was too strong an appeal. The sailors who compete in the TP52 Class are among the best in the world, and many have lived in Valencia at least two years of their lives during the 32nd America's Cup, so for the final decision was carried by both the great sailing conditions of Valencia and the desire of the sailors for a ‘homecoming to Valencia."
Jorge Gisbert, General Director Consorcio Valencia 2007:
“We want to promote the destination of Valencia for top-level international events through the Consorcio 2007. We are therefore very pleased to be hosting the TP52 World Championship, one of the most prestigious classes in the world of high-level competitive sailing. We have already proven our organisational capacity in Valencia over the past two editions of the America's Cup and we would like that the good profile the city has projected continue to remain a focus for the aficionados and professionals the world over. The Consorcio Valencia 2007 thank the Ayuntamiento de Valencia (town hall), the Real Club Náutico de Valencia and the Spanish and Valencian sailing federations for their support in this project and would like to thank World Sailing Management and the TP52 Class for choosing Valencia as host city for the 2010 TP52 World Championship.”
Manuel Pons, president of the Real Club Náutico de Valencia:
"We are delighted be able to contirbute to holding the championship of one of the most outstanding professional world sailing classes here in Valencia Without any doubt, this event will have very positive effects for both the development of high-level water sports in the Marina Real Juan Carlos I and the city of Valencia in general. At the Real Club Náutico de Valencia, we feel honoured and proud to serve the city, the City Hall and other institutions to ensure that Valencia will become home for the sailing competitions of the highest level. "
It could not have been much closer when the Argentine crew on Matador lifted the TP52 World Championship on the waters they call home in Europe, the Bay of Palma, this afternoon.
They lift the title on countback ahead of the 2008 world champions Quantum Racing (USA) who also finished on 23 points after seven races.
Matador won the final race to match Quantum Racing’s pair of race victories this week, but their three third places trump the American crew's final hand which included two thirds and a fifth.
The Roemmers’ team maintain their perfect record in major regattas on these waters. Their triumph at Palma Vela in April with their new boat was the springboard for their season. With owner Alberto Roemmers Jr steering – as he did this week – they won the TP52 class at Copa del Rey in August, as the perfect build up to clinching the class world title today.
The Matador crew had to dig deep into their gaucho spirit and sustain a fight back from a protest from a windward mark incident on the first round of Race 2 which saw them disqualified. But on Saturday they were re-instated and today they let their sailing speak for itself as they posted a third and a first to win overall.
“We are happy.” Skipper Guillermo Parada (ARG) confirmed, “ It is a good lesson learned, not in sailing but in life. No matter what happens you need to keep pushing as hard as you can, right to the very last time. That is what we have done with the protest, pushing. The team have stuck together, and we have the reward.”
“At the very beginning we were sure we should not have been disqualified and that at the time we had no options.”
“We have tried to push as hard as we can on the land. And we have had to push hard on the water, which is not easy to do.”
Quantum Racing (USA) may rue missed opportunities, and in effect the 2008 title holders came within a few metres of defending. In Race 5 it was down to just one second on the finish line, when the eye-blink judgement for third went in favour of Matador, and in today’s final race the blackand green hulled 2008 Audi MedCup champions were just 12 seconds shy of passing Valars 3 as they ran out of runway at the line with extra pace.
But, as Quantum Racing’s skipper Terry Hutchinson (USA) noted
"That is sailboat racing. 'A day late and a dollar short.’ In the end we were a length and a half from winning the regatta.
"This one is disappointing because we let it get away from us.”
If the Quantum Racing crew leave Palma with some regrets, it was a tough final day for the local favourites on Bribón (ESP). Jose Cusi’s crew started the day with a four points lead on their home waters, but they started modestly twice – both times in the shadow of other boats.
In the second race the Spanish crew were forced on to the wrong side of the first beat and made ninth, while their anguish was heightened after racing when they were subsequently disqualified on a protest from today’s first race after gybing too close to Artemis (SWE) on the finish line.
Artemis, Torbjorn Tornqvist’s crew with Paul Cayard (USA) calling tactics finished third overall after a pair of fourth places today, ending up on equal points with the Russian crew on Synergy who take fourth.
The next event for the TP52 fleet will be the first Audi MedCup 2010 regatta on the 10th of May. For more information, visit www.medcup.org
TP52 World Championship 2009
Palma de Mallorca
Final
1. Matador (ARG, Alberto Roemmers), 3 4 8 1 3 3 1= 23 points
2. Quantum Racing (USA, Terry Hutchinson), 5 1 3 6 4 1 3= 23 points
3. Artemis (SWE, Torbjorn Tornqvist), 8 3 1 2 8 4 4 = 30 points
4. Synergy (RUS, Sergey Pichugin), 2 5 7 7 2 2 5= 30 points
5. Bribón (ESP, Gonzalo Araujo), 7 2 2 3 1 11(DSQ) 9= 35 points
Guillermo Parada (ARG), skipper Matador (ARG):
“Palma is a special place for us. Our style of sailing and the strength of our team matches with Palma. This has been a long season with many ups and downs. Unfortunately we did not finish the Audi MedCup season as we wanted to, but we took the opportunity to take the Worlds as a chance to finish on a high note and start building for there for next
season.”
Terry Hutchinson (USA), skipper-helm (USA):
“ We are all feeling a little bit disappointed. That is our fault for leaving it in the Jury’s hands, but if you let things out of your control then you pay the price for it. And we did.
I am incredibly proud of the effort that the team put forward today. The team went out sailed strong in the first race. Bribón presented an opportunity to force them into trouble and we took it and won the race, and so the set up was perfect.”
“ The second race was a little tricky and we were not 100% sure. You could see the funnel clouds and the stuff that was going on over there. But it was risk/reward, we did not want to go hard right off the start line. The breeze went hard right, but then on the run we got a right shift and came back but we did not quite get there. That’s sailboat racing
‘A day late and a dollar short.’ In the end we were a length and a half from winning the regatta “
“This one is disappointing because we let it get away from us.”
Paul Cayard (USA), skipper Artemis (SWE):
“ It's a little bit unfortunate so much happened in the jury room, I'm sure nobody likes that, but that's part of our game too, it happens. But I have to say Bribón was very...Ross Macdonald (tactician Bribón), represented Bribón in the room, we are both long time friends, both Star world champions, as bad as it was it was a good protest, because there was no disputing the facts, everybody agreed on the facts and the jury decided and it was not an ugly situation. I have always respected Ross and I probably I have even more now because of the way he handled this. So I told it to the whole crew because I think it's a good lesson in life, your reputation as a person is very valuable. It was a difficult week in Palma, tricky for everybody, jury, competitors...but in the end the TP52 is one of the most enjoyable classes, so we enjoyed it”
Alberto Roemmers (ARG), boat owner Matador (ARG):
“It's been quite a stressful week on the one hand, but the key was not to give up. After today's first race things didn't look that good, but we managed to make a good start and we won by a very small advantage.”
“We are very happy. The strategy was just not giving up. They've taught me how to sail, and I'm proud and very thankful for that. And I think the town hall should sponsor us, we've won the Palma Vela, Copa del Rey, and now the worlds, all in Palma!”
]]>The planned early start looks to be in vain as the morning has the complexion of a sea-breeze day rather than what some were predicting last night, a north easterly gradient wind.
And so, meantime, that means the teams for the TP52 World Championship are held ashore at the Real Club Nautico de Palma.
As time goes on then perhaps that four points lead which Bribón (ESP) have becomes a little more significant, but, as the team’s navigator, Marcel Van Triest (NED), explains:
“You get what you get. It only needs a little bit of breeze to get one race in, four points in one race is just nothing, and so there is a false sense of safety if anything. There is a long way to go.”
And, explaining the weather situation, the island based Marcel adds:
“ There is a Mistral breeze out to the east, which is only just slightly touching the edge of the island, that is producing a northerly flow.”
“ It is nice and sunny which is good for sea breeze conditions and the mistral is going right through the day, so I think that is three breezes, and there will be fighting between these three different breezes and which one will win out…that is the question.”
]]>A frustrating attempt at a coastal race in very unsettled wind conditions was abandoned after seven miles and one hour and ten minutes of often heart-stopping racing to leave Bribón’s four points lead at the top of the ten boat TP52 World Championship fleet going into the final day of racing.
While Bribón’s leading margin remains unchanged after today’s ‘non-race’, the day’s big move is that Matador (ARG) are now in second place overall after their fourth place from Race 2 was re-instated today by the International Jury. The protest which concerned the first windward mark of Race 2 of the series, has now been dismissed.
This puts the Copa del Rey champions, Matador, on equal on points with Quantum Racing (USA) who dropped to third only on tie break.
For the record it was Quantum Racing, the current world champions, who stayed just one step ahead of both the small changes and the very big wind shifts to earn a lead of more than one minute during today’s abandoned effort.
The 10 knots NE’ly breeze which the fleet started in was summarily replaced half way down the first run by a breeze from the exact opposite direction. By the time Quantum Racing reached a windward mark off Enterrocat, on the east side of Palma Bay, the race committee decided that the race needed to be abandoned because the breeze on the next leg had dropped to 2-3 knots.
A new schedule has been drawn for the final day, bringing forward the scheduled start of the first race to 1100hrs (local), to try and maximise the number of races completed before the 1530hrs time limit after which no sequence can start.
Now, the local favourites Bribón have two contenders, Matador and Quantum Racing chasing them just four points behind, and Artemis (SWE) – the 2007 world title winners only seven points, and Synergy (RUS) only eight points behind going into a finale which could see three races.
And while the Bribón team, which is the championship’s only one sailing under Spanish colours, have been within their three year old boat’s preferred sub 10 knots conditions and flat water thus far, more breeze, from the northerly quadrant – blowing offshore – is predicted.
So, as Bribón’s trimmer Ignasi Triay (ESP) noted, sagely, after racing today: “Let’s face it, anything could happen.”
Triay continues:
“The offshore breeze is unstable and shifty.”
“Everything is open. The difference between the boats is nothing. So we will just try to carry on doing what we have been, and sail properly, don’t do anything silly and make silly mistakes and keep it constant. That is all we can try to do.”
“In fact with two boats behind us now on the same points in one way it makes it more difficult, but maybe too they will mess each other up, but as I say, anything can happen.”
“What I keep getting back to as an example here is Artemis, a very good boat. Sixth after the first day, then leading after the first day, then third, and now fourth."
“You can’t take anything for granted and it can be all up and down.”
TP52 World Championship 2009
Palma de Mallorca (Spain)
Overall standings after Day 4
1. Bribón (ESP, Gonzalo Araujo), 7 2 2 3 1= 15 points
2. Matador (ARG, Alberto Roemmers), 3 4 8 1 3= 19 points
3. Quantum Racing (USA, Terry Hutchinson), 5 1 3 6 4= 19 points
4. Artemis (SWE, Torbjorn Tornqvist), 8 3 1 2 8 = 22 points
5. Synergy (RUS, Sergey Pichugin), 2 4 7 7 2= 22 points
Manuel dos Santos Silva (POR) Chairman of the International Jury:
“Since the first decision which we made at the moment, on everything that we found out, we were not very comfortable with the decision. And as we were not very happy with the decision we still maintained a discussion about it and the Jury in this discussions came to a point that we had made a mistake on the conclusion, on the decision.”
“ We are allowed under Rule 66 to, without changing the facts, to change to decision.
“ We used the rules but at the same time we had the feeling that something was not right. And with the discussion of the situation with other boats, looking at the rules and other cases, we did not change the fact, it was on the rules and on the interpretation of the rules that we found that our decision was not correct.”
“ We are going to put at least one or two Q & A’s to ISAF because we found that the Rule (Rule 20) is not very clear, and so we want to clarify that with ISAF.”
Alberto Roemmers (ARG), owner-helm Matador (ARG):
“I've just been told that we've won the protest and I really thank the jury for their disposition. This was a very difficult case, where each one interpreted the rule and thought they had done the right thing, and nobody understood, in case they had to be penalized, why. The jury wasn't even able to tell us which rule we had infringed. We are really happy since this is a very important championship. This puts us in the second place with possibilities, and on the water we'll keep on fighting. I think, after what happened, they will have to change the rules.”
Maria Torrijo (ESP), race officer:
“We've abandoned the race because the wind dropped. Eveen if the boats still had 5 to 6 knots where they were, ahead of them there were just 2 or 3. So we've decided to abandon because we believed the race would not be fair. The boats would stop at some point...Besides there weren't many hours of daylight left, because we've started late cause there was no wind, and it hasn't settled. Tomorrow's forecast is pretty good, we've decided to start at 11, and will try to hold three legs”
Gonzalo Araujo (ESP) helmsman Bribón (ESP):
“ During this whole week we've sailed five races and tomorrow they want to do three, so that the championship is not decided yet. Besides, there are four boats within eight points of us, so tomorrow everything can change. Our goal, as always, is trying to do things well, because nothing is decided yet."
A short, triangle course of only about 20 miles seems the most likely option for today’s planned coastal race. Given the forecast, which seems to offer no more than a small window of five or six knots, then the possibilities do seem quite limited.
With the points multiplier at 1.5 points, the race organisers will take great care not to compromise the outcome of the event and wait for suitable conditions
“There is a northerly component early on but very light, just four to five knots. And then there will be rain come in on top of that which will likely kill it all, so we really are not very hopeful at all.” suggests the Race Committee’s spokeswoman Ariane Mainmare.
Meantime around the TP52 World Championships dock at the RCNP it is very quiet and still, high humidity. The fleet is held ashore.
]]>As 2007 champions Artemis (SWE) made a lacklustre start and could only salvage an eighth in the light, sticky conditions today Bribón moved four points at the top, clear of the current champions Quantum Racing (USA) who scored a useful fourth.
After making a strong start double Olympic Star class medallist, tactician Ross MacDonald along with navigator Marcel van Triest (NED) read the shifting breeze at the top end of the first beat precisely, calling a good layline which allowed them to ease away around the windward mark ahead of Matador (ARG) which over-stood slightly.
In 6-7 knots of breeze Bribón were able to extend on the downwind leg to build themselves a comfortable margin, winning by 1 minute and 24 seconds, well clear of a dramatic finish behind them as Synergy (RUS) gained more than half a minute on the last run. Their hitch out to the left brought them extra wind pressure which allowed them to steal across the bows of Quantum Racing and Matador to wrest second palce.
Second at the final windward mark, the Argentinian boat just made third, getting the better of Quantum in a heart-stopping finish.
Only one second was judged to be the difference between the two.
Highlighting once again how tight this TP52 fleet is, and how much one error can cost, the overnight leaders Artemis (SWE) were forced right early after a modest start and could do no better than eighth around the course to the finish, dropping to third overall.
On their home waters, with possibly the best known race boat to fly the Real Club Náutico de Palma colours, there is no doubt that the crew of Bribón have redoubled their efforts since the end of the Audi MedCup season to ensure they give their best here.
They have kept several key sails fresh for these world championships and recruited Gonzalo Araujo (ESP), who has just raced round the world on Spanish entry Telefonica Black, and was previously skipper-helm of Balearia on the MedCup Circuit before, to take the steering wheels here. Seeking to streamline their languages and communications, there is also a downside in that Araujo had only sailed a couple of days on the boat prior to Tuesday’s start of the regatta.
Talk of a home waters advantage is cheap and easy. The reality is that the breezes have been very different to the ‘usual’ Bay of Palma fayre.
“ Some of the guys have specific knowledge here, but we really are not putting too much into that, it just becomes a little too risky doing that.” Cautions MacDonald,
“Being in the best pressure was the most important thing today. Under 10 knots of breeze the pressure makes such a big difference in these boats, especially in the tacking angles.”
“ We never had high expectations here, we just wanted to operate at a better level here than we have this season and that has been our main goal.
“ Before we were maybe speaking four or five different languages on the boat, now its down to two or three….and I’m the outsider, for sure!” grins the Canadian.
Bribón’s project manager and trimmer Ignasi Triaiy (ESP) adds:
“Like I have been saying all season, these are the conditions for this boat, flat water, light winds, and finally I think we are sailing it much closer to 100% than we have been than before.
“This proves to us that we are sailing the boat well, to have a three years old boat and be where we are, but to be at the top is difficult. I am happy but we are not reading too much into it, there are two days to go.”
Tomorrow’s re-scheduled coastal race carries a 1.5 points multiplier.
TP52 World Championship 2009
Palma de Mallorca (Spain)
Overall Standings after Day 3, 5 races.
1. Bribón (ESP, Gonzalo Araujo), 7 2 2 3 1= 15 points
2. Quantum Racing (USA, Terry Hutchinson), 5 1 3 6 4= 19 points
3. Artemis (SWE, Torbjorn Tornqvist), 8 3 1 2 8 = 22 points
4. Synergy (RUS, Sergey Pichugin), 2 4 7 7 2= 22 points
5. Audi TP52 Powered by Q8 (ITA, Riccardo Simoneschi), 4 6 5 4 5= 24 points
Cameron Dunn (NZL), tactician Synergy (RUS):
" It was a surprisingly steady wind race for these conditions. We were almost expecting no race today. The first beat was important. We didn't get in close contact with any boat so we could just sail free and fast and could manage fourth at the first mark.
We stayed close with the boats in front of us and had a nice gap behind us that made it easy, and in the last downwind just got a little more pressure than Matador and Quantum, and we had a few nice gybes at the bottom. The guys did really some nice crew work and we managed to sneak across and get them by a two boats length or something, so it was a very nice day specially after yesterday. We have not had a good coastal races this season so we hope we can turn that around".
Alberto Roemmers (ARG), owner-helm Matador (ARG):
"We made a mistake that cost us a lot. We went to the right, there was little wind there, and we wanted to go straight to the mark and the tactician has asked for a boat length to the layline but we got seven boat lengths away. So we were coming back and we caught Bribón, and they tacked two and a half boat lengths behind us and we were sailing along Quantum, otherwise we could have been first. Tomorrow we have the coastal race, we did a good one in Copa del Rey, and we hope we can do it again tomorrow".
It’s all even at the top of the leaderboard but the winner today may be the weather. The situation is still quite complex and the prospects for the weekend are not looking a lot better. Hence the reason for delaying the coastal race to try and get more windward-leeward races, making the best of what wind there is.
“Yesterday was quite tricky not just because of the wind but because of the cloud cover which made it really difficult to see the breeze.” Comments Francesco Mongelli (ITA) the Synergy (RUS) navigator,
“It is really hard to see what will happen today. The sea breeze is likely to be even less strong than normal and it’s usually light at this time of year anyway. And there is a lot of mess around. Most likely it will be late this afternoon, probably with less than eight knots of breeze, maybe enough for one race.”
The race committee have examined three or four different forecasts in search of a common theme:
“We have seen three or four different forecasts and they are all different. It should start with a south wind and then it will keep going right for the whole day. There is rain in the north of the island. We should not see that, but at the moment we can’t really see what is going to happen.” Says Arianne Mainemare, PRO.
A first and a second from two difficult races today on the Bay of Palma sees the 2007 world champions Artemis (SWE) emerge with only the slimmest possible lead after four races have now been sailed at the 2009 TP52 World Championship.
The Swedish flagged team are tied on points with local favourites Bribón (ESP). José Cusí’s crew from the host club, with round the world racer Gonzalo Araujo (ESP) on the helm, also erred on the conservative, safe side where possible and posted a second and a third..
In the flat water, short beats and modest wind-speeds it was day for clear thinking and concise decision making, especially at the busy, often frenetic first windward mark roundings.
When they made strong start off the pin end of the line in Race 4, overnight leaders Quantum Racing (USA) looked to be well set to at least consolidate on the two points lead that they held.
But at the first windward mark approach, while Artemis squeezed only away a few metres ahead, they were suddenly trapped on their port tack approach, as the starboard tack line up lifted and they had to bail out to the back of the queue. .
Choosing prudence and dipping hard, Quantum Racing the current champions managed to come back from tenth round that first buoy to rescue a sixth place finish, but they slid to third overall, still only two points off the leading pair’s aggregate.
“It was all created by a bit of miscommunication about what we were going to do, but that was set up from four minutes out. We made the wrong decision. But instead of sticking it in there and fouling everybody we made the proper decision, and we got on with it and got back into the race.” Grimaced Quantum Racing’s skipper-helm Terry Hutchinson, “But the fact that we did not take ourselves completely out of it today is good.”
While the champions snared themselves only once, Artemis’ ability to sail clean and fast was outstanding among their virtues today, while Bribón – sailing on their home patch – are clearly quick enough in these 10 knots average breezes and flat water
With Paul Cayard (USA) calling tactics for Torbjorn Tornqvist (SWE), backed up by Hamish Pepper (NZL) and Chris Nicholson (AUS), Artemis sailed smart in the difficult, unsettled breezes. With small changes in wind pressure and direction through both races - the SSW’ly breeze at between 9 and 12 knots - there were ample opportunities to make gains, and losses
“It was a matter of metres if you could cross people or not, because they were short beats and very smooth water. And so I guess we just got clean, we were able to cross most of the people and approach the mark from the starboard side, which is great because you avoid all the ducking, yelling and screaming behind you. So we kind of played it to the conservative side.” Noted Artemis’ tactician Cayard.
Matador, who were disqualified from Race 2 after a protest, to some extent bounced back today. Though they lead at the windward mark in the first race they could only make an eighth but then went on to win the second race today. They are seeking to have the protest re-opened.
The regatta schedule has been altered to allow more windward-leeward racing Friday with the 1.5 points coastal race scheduled for Saturday.
TP52 World Championship 2009
Palma de Mallorca (Spain)
Overall Standings after Day 2
1. Artemis (SWE, Torbjorn Tornqvist), 8 3 1 2 = 14 points
2. Bribón (ESP, Gonzalo Araujo), 7 2 2 3= 14 points
3. Quantum Racing (USA, Terry Hutchinson), 5 1 3 6= 15 points
4. Audi TP52 Powered by Q8 (ITA, Riccardo Simoneschi), 4 6 5 4= 19 points
5. Cristabella (GBR, John Cook), 1 8 6 5= 20 points
Quotes:
Paul Cayard (USA), tactician Artemis (SWE):
“I think in the first race we got a little lucky really. We gybe set and Valars looked like they were quite a bit ahead of us, but the wind was all on the shore side and we went right around them. Generally the breeze was right at the top, and left at the bottom. It was not quite as simple as that…because there were oscillations and so you really had to pick and choose your moments. I think what was most important was to have a clear start at full speed and then just get in a lane, any lane where you could sail your boat at full speed, then near the top of the beat, maybe try a couple of shifts depending where you were. Early in the beat it was just about sailing at full speed.”
Ross McDonald (Can), tactician Bribón (ESP)
“ We had a really good day,alltough there aren't many oportunities. This is the first time Gonzalo races with us, we've only sailed with him on Saturday and the day before the event. It's good for us to have him. But also we’ve worked hard all season on learning what makes the boat go well, so it makes it easy for him too. We've saved the new sails for this event. We've tried not to use them before because this is Bribon's home. We want to do it as well as we can. Gonzalo has just raced around the world so he knows how to keep the boat going fast.”
Johan Barne (SWE), navigator Matador (ARG):
" We were leading at the top mark in both races but it was very tricky in the downwind in the first race with big wind holes, We didn't play it out so well in the end of the downwind and there we came round in the middle of the fleet.”
The top of the TP52 World Championships leaderboard has been compressed since the early hours of this morning following the disqualification of the Argentinian boat Matador. With their fourth place from Race 2 scrubbed to an 11th the current Copa del Rey class champions drop from third overall to eighth.
Matador has been DSQ’d for a Rule 13 infringement which was signalled by the Jury during a series of incidents at the busy first windward mark rounding in the second race. It is alleged that Matador did not keep clear of Valars while tacking. The protest went on until late into the night and according to members of the Matador team, they are still hoping that they can still overturn the decision.
Bribón and Artemis were approaching the mark on starboard as Audi Q8 and Matador arrived on port. Audi Q8 tacked first and took up the position as inside boat on the mark but had slowed. Matador then had to ask Valars for room to tack but the decision of the jury suggests that they asked too late.
The net outcome meantime is that Synergy (RUS) are elevated to six points, equal witth regatta leaders Quantum Racing (USA) while Cristabella (GBR) now move up to third overall.
Looking to today and the weather prospects look quite complex,
Nat Ives, Cristabella’s navigator explains:
“I don’t think much will happen until one o’clock when the land heats up a little bit. We might get a brief period with a small sea breeze from 170-190 degrees, just a small pump, but I don’t think we will race in that, then it will come in from the SW, because we have a low pressure system in the Bay of Biscay. That is our big influence today. There is a cold front approaching, but I don’t think that will get here until later on tonight but that is causing quite a lot of mid level cloud. So, once the breeze comes in from three to five o’clock we will get maybe 10-12 knots from the SW. If we are out there late we might see 250 to 270 degrees, but dropping to eight knots. There is a small possibility we might see as much as 14 knots.”
TP52 World Championship 2009
Palma de Mallorca (Spain)
Results Day 1
1. Quantum Racing (USA, Terry Hutchinson), 5 1= 6 points
2. Synergy (RUS, Sergey Pichugin), 2 4= 6 points
3. Cristabella (GBR, John Cook), 1 8= 9 points
4. Bribón (ESP, Gonzalo Araujo), 7 2= 9 points
5. Audi TP52 powered by Q8 (ITA, Riccardo Simoneschi), 4 6 = 10 points
...
]]>
The autumn evening sun was already dipping low in the sky as Quantum Racing (USA) took the winning gun for the second of two races today at the TP52 World Championships off Palma, Mallorca. Their win, paired with a fifth from the first heat ensures the current world champions lead overall by a single point.
Even if the sea breeze took its time to build and only peaked with short spells offering 11 knots and mostly averaged around 6-8 knots, it proved a tricky afternoon over which the usual Palma tactical conventions did not always hold true, and consistency in the ten boat fleet across these first two windward-leeward races proved elusive.
After two races Quantum Racing (USA) lead the Russian team on Synergy who took a second and fifth and are matched on the same seven points tally by Alberto Roemmers’ current Copa del Rey champions on Matador (ARG) who took a third and a fourth.
Real Club Nautico de Palma member John Cook on the helm of Cristabella - which last year won the Copa del Rey as Iberdrola with Terry Hutchinson as tactician - triumphed in the first race. The British crew, with Manchester export John Cutler (NZL) as tactician, recognised the additional wind pressure and small shift to the right of the course on the first beat, and after a modest start, were able to cross the fleet two thirds of the way up the leg.
They lead at the windward turn by a clear 40 metres from Synergy and went on to win by 22 seconds with Matador third.
It proved a morale boosting opening for the British owner Cook who is current chairman of the TP52 fleet and has been a member of the host club for more than 15 years, where he has based six different Cristabella yachts, three TP52’s since 2005.
Previous to this the Cristabella crew’s most memorable victory was in 2006 when the they won one of the most exciting coastal races ever of the MedCup Circuit, racing around Formentera in 2006. And it is Cristabella’s best World Championships race yet, after a second placing in 2007 in Porto Cervo.
It was after 1800hrs in the early evening when Quantum Racing’s afterguard of Morgan Larson (USA) and Mark Mendelblatt (USA) conspired to read the opening beat of the second race to best effect, calling the favourable left shift on the left of the track ahead of the slight extra pressure on the right. The current champions were ahead at the windward mark to lead local favourites Bribón across the finish.
With Gonzalo Araujo steering, the Spanish boat was well placed off the pin end of the start line and also profited to the left on the first beat, able to hold off the 2007 champions Artemis who took third.
TP52 World Championship 2009
Palma de Mallorca (Spain)
Overall standings after Day 1
1. Quantum Racing (USA, Terry Hutchinson), 5 1= 6 points
2. Synergy (RUS, Sergey Pichuguin), 2 5= 7 points
3. Matador (ARG, Alberto Roemmers), 3 4= 7 points
4. Bribón (ESP, Gonzalo Araujo), 7 2= 9 points
5. Cristabella (GBR, John Cook), 1 9=10 points
Morgan Larson, tactician, Quantum Racing (USA).
“ It proved to be every bit as challenging today as Palma can be. Sometimes it is like that where the right looks windier but everyone knows about that geographical left shift. I think the race committee did a nice job of making the right hand a little favoured so it was enticing and so Cristabella got it right. We thought it would be about one in ten times when the right paid out big and it happened, they did a nice job.”
“ Second race was great for us. It was still a challenge because we knew the fleet was thinking right and the pressure looked to be on the right, but we were happy to go for the left shift. That made it easy to take the pin and it paid out.”
“ The MedCup you are building points throughout and so you are trying to podium each event and you are always thinking about the overall, this is the world championships and so no one is sailing conservative, everyone is going all out to win.”
“ And it has a nice atmosphere, it is nice to be finally at a yacht club and Palma is always a nice City to come to, and it is also really nice to see a couple of new boats to the fleet, some new faces out there.”
“ We don’t really think of it as being here to defend our title, it’s a world championship. If you can win a world championship you’d be happy, and this was a good way to begin. I am sure there will be some tricky days ahead.”
The following FTP site offers daily highlight footage of the TP52 World Championship:
Server: ftp://86.109.96.188
User: tp52tv09
Password : 1233tp5209
The footage will be uploaded daily from 20:00
Racing for the world title begins today, even if the refrain around the Real Club Nautico de Palma this morning is ‘it will be the same as yesterday.’
Certainly that is the common consensus among the navigators and met specialists.
That means a late arriving, sailable sea breeze which may build to 11 knots.
None of the 10 navigators are more at home on these waters than Bribón’s Marcel van Trieste (NED).
“A late fill to produce a sailable sea breeze of 7 to 11 knots which will hold until six or seven in the evening. I think if they want to do three races that should be possible, but it depends if they want to and the practice race started quite late.”
“It is always nice to do a regatta at home to sleep in your own bed at night. The only advantage I get really is that I live in the middle of the island then I get real time observations and don’t have to go on the internet to look. Apart from that, most of the guys sail here as often as I do.”
Arianne Mainemare (ESP) is presently deputising as Principal Race Officer this week and confirms:
“We are expecting more or less the same as yesterday. The wind will come in late, maybe two or two-thirty, and the forecast is the same as yesterday with 170-180 degrees. The plan is three races but with the breeze coming in late, we will see.”
]]>Patience on the Bay of Palma was rewarded with pleasant 7-10 knots light wind conditions as Quantum Racing (USA), the defending world champions laid down a marker when they won today’s practice race for the TP52 World Championships.
The delay while the sea-breeze built to allow a start just after 1520hrs afforded the ten TP52 crews the chance to make final preparations and to ease gently into the championships enjoying the unique ambience of the Real Club Nautical de Palma.
The wait was well worth it, yielding sea breeze conditions typical of Palma with the top three boats proving to be those which started best.
The champions started slickly off the pin end of the start line, while Matador (ARG), with owner Alberto Roemmers Jr (ARG) steering, launched off the right hand end with excellent speed. Quantum were able to gain the early advantage to the favoured left side of the first upwind leg and by the windward mark were 45 metres ahead of Matador, with Russia’s Synergy in touch in third place. That was the order to the finish.
Artemis (SWE), the 2007 world champions, had to tack to clear their wind shortly after the start gun and were left to scrap over fifth place with José Cusi’s Bribón (ESP). Bribón took the advantage on the first run, passing ahead of Artemis, but the Swedish flagged team were able to come back on the second round to take fifth. With Valars (RUS) fourth the Russians again underlined their improvements this season as they took two of the top four places.
With the wind building to ten knots for the second round of the preliminary windward-leeward, contest conditions could not have offered a better introduction to the TP52 Class in the Mediterranean for Anthony Longley (GBR) and his crew on the British boat Henri Lloyd Weapon of Choice and the French team on Jean-Luc Petitghuguenin’s Paprec Recyclage. The newcomers had a good tussle, in touch early in the race, along with Cristabella (GBR) which has had to fit their older, two spreader rig as a replacement for the mast which they broke the tip off in Cartagena last month.
TP52 World Championship
Palma de Mallorca
Practice Race
1 Quantum Racing (T Hutchinson, USA)
2 Matador (A Roemmers, ARG), 0:21
3 Synergy (S Pichugin, RUS), 0:32
4 Valars III (S Chevstov, RUS), 1:33
5 Artemis (T Tornqvist, SWE), 1:53
Tom Burnham (USA) pit Quantum Racing (USA):
“We are just looking forward to a really good week of sailing here. There are a lot of good boats in this fleet and so I think it will be a tough week for everybody. We’d hope that today is advance warning of how it will be this week, but for sure there are ten boats and the forecast is very strange this week. It could be very light, so it could be a little bit of everything."
Guillermo Parada (ARG) skipper Matador (ARG):
"It was good for us we had a clean start on the right of the fleet and we were able to extend all the way to the left lay line where everybody wanted to go. Only Quantum who started on the pin were able to cross by two lengths. They protected well on the run, we got a little bit of trouble holding Synergy on the first run. From there it was Quantum holding us and us holding Synergy.
"For us this is the perfect chance to finish the season on a high note. The last two regattas of the Audi MedCup were not good for us, so this is a pretty good opportunity to reverse that tendency, and finish on a good one."
"We have Alberto driving and he is doing a great job and enjoying the boat.”
Cameron Dunn, (NZL), tactician Synergy (RUS):
“ I think we are motivated as ever. This is a one of event and a great opportunity and so we are concentrating on making the best result we can here. We have now won races at almost every event, except one I think, so we know we can win races, the key for us is to become more consistent, which we are doing. We won the last race in Cartagena which is good for the confidence coming here. And we had a good race today in very typical Palma conditions, even if the wind came in later than you would expect here. When it did it was a very left sided track, and the three boats which got the best starts and got to the left side earliest were first second and third.”
Tony Longley (GBR) owner-helm of Henri Lloyd - Weapon of Choice (GBR):
“ Our first day was yesterday, but this is a new boat with a team put together from various different quarters, so they have not sailed together a lot. But we were in touch today. It is good. We don’t have any expectations or hopes here. We are just here to get to know the new boat and the best way for us to do that is in a competitive situation. So this is quite opportune for us. We just got the boat a few weeks ago.”
The press were addressed by Javier Sanz (ESP), the RCNP Vice President, by Nacho Postigo (ESP) of World Sailing Management, and by Rob Weiland (NED), the Class Manager for the TP52 Class.
Javier Sanz welcomed everyone: "It's a pleasure and a honour to have here the best TP52 teams and sailors of the world, a class that have been sailing in this waters from it's birth. This is a perfect end for an intense regatta season to have the final event here at the RCNP"
Rob Weiland highlighted: “ This is a club where the class really was founded in Europe and that is why I am really proud that the class is here for the World Championships. The class now has members from more than 10 countries even if the main part of our racing is in Spain, France, Italy and Portugal, but of course one of the reasons for that is, as you see, the sun always shines.”
“ We have ten boats here which is a good number, given that the class went from 20 boats to 10 due to the economics, but I think we are the bottom and if we stick together, doing what we do well, then the class is starting to go up again. The club has excellent facilities Nacho Postigo and World Sailing Management operating at a very high level of regatta management and the class supplying the wonderful boats and the owners who are keen to sail, I am sure that if we stick together I bet we will see 20 boats again in a couple of years.”
Nacho Postigo said: “ It is real pleasure to have the class world championship here. This is the club where the class was decided in Europe, to me it is a double privilege because I am a member of the club and am also very involved with the class which has been very good to me. And if I can just remark that the club does a fantastic job bringing big events to the City, but in some ways I would ask the politicians to make sure we keep bringing more and more and bigger events to the City because they have such a big effect on the economics for the city.”
Meanwhile, 2008 World Champions Quantum Racing’s navigator Ian Moore (IRL) summarises the weather situation, and warns that there is a choice of boats which can do well here:
“ Palma at this time of year does behave generally as it does for most of the rest of the year, but hopefully we will see a mix of different conditions, light sea breezes and then there is a small chance of getting a few windy days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
But the problem here is that when it is windy it is usually blowing off the shore and that makes it very shifty, and not that great to sail in.”
“ There is an ex tropical storm Grace which is tracking across the Atlantic and if that sets up, and gets tucked in behind the mountains and we get a Mistral and it wraps round and we get strong NE’ly winds. But, statistically, there is very strong chance at this time of year of getting strong breeze at some stage out of the NE.”
“ I love sailing in Palma, but everybody knows it well, all the teams. There are a lot of boats out there which are good in these conditions. Some of the older boats, like Bribón who know these waters very, very well and probably have more experience here than anyone else. The boat which was Tau Ceramica is now Paprec and remember they won the first two races in Alicante last year in light conditions, and the Poms on the Henri Lloyd boat have a boat which won the Copa del Rey before, so there are a bunch of boats out there which can do well.”
After the 2009 Audi MedCup season the slate is cleaned and the imminent 2009 TP52 World Championships, which start with tomorrow’s Practice Race, represent a whole new opportunity requiring a completely different strategy.
The absence in Palma of Emirates Team New Zealand, recently crowned Audi MedCup Champions, leaves the field open with any one of three or four boats having shown over this season that they have the boatspeed and the skills to win the title which will be settled over the next few days on the Bay of Palma.
For certain most of the teams are familiar with the host club, the Real Club Nautico de Palma and the venue, not least the three teams for whom the Bay of Palma represents their home waters, José Cusi’s iconic Bribón (ESP), Alberto Roemmers’ Matador (ARG) and John Cook’s Cristabella (GBR). Indeed, this year as well as in 2007 Matador has won the TP52 fleet at the prestigious Copa del Rey raced on these same waters.
But conditions are likely to be very different to summer, as the Russian team Synergy’s navigator Francesco Mongelli (ITA) explains:
“In October the sea is quite hot compared to the land and so, if anything, it is more often you get the breeze at night. And there is high pressure dominating just now as so I think we are looking at light winds, maybe one day of 10-12 knots.” Says Mongelli.
Without doubt two of the title favourites lining up in Palma are the current World Champions, Quantum Racing (USA) which won in 2008 in Puerto Calero, Lanzarote and the 2007 champions Artemis (SWE). While the Quantum Racing team is unchanged from that which clinched second place on the Audi MedCup Circuit last month in Portugal, Artemis, is returned to full strength with owner Torbjorn Tornqvist (SWE) back on the helm with tactician Paul Cayard (USA) supported by new dad and 2007 Star world champion Hamish Pepper (NZL) as strategist, aided by round the world racer, past skiff and 505 world champion Chris Nicholson (AUS). Palma is also a happy hunting ground for Cayard who won the Copa del Rey in 1987 with the Maxi Il Moro de Venezia, and was tactician when Siemens Matador won in 2007.
“This is the chance for revenge.” Confirms Matador’s Italian tactician Francesco Bruni, “It is the last race of the season and everyone is hungry for revenge. For sure. Everyone has been hit hard by Emirates Team New Zealand and so everyone wants to have a good chance here.”
“We have a good chance here, we are one of the top teams here and we have been using the practice days here as best we can to give our owner Alberto Roemmers, who will steer, as much of a warm up as possible. He does not steer every day, but he did a fantastic job at the Copa del Rey and we have the same team here so we are confident. We hope to do a good job here.”
After tomorrow’s Practice Race, racing begins Wednesday with up to 11 races to be completed by Sunday, including Friday’s scheduled coastal race.
Quotes
“I think the sea breeze will not be as good as in August, not as strong. Today and yesterday was quite light and unstable, but the left usually pays, but at this time of year it can be very different.” Francesco Bruni (ITA), tactician Matador (ARG).
“We are in good shape. The strategy with the worlds is a completely different event. It has been long season, but now the MedCup is over and done with this is one off event which we approach a little bit differently. We need to sail consistently and do a good job.” Chris Hosking (AUS) boat captain Artemis (SWE).
“We have had two days of light airs practice. I don’t think it adds to the pressure being champions, we are all pretty relaxed and we are sailing well, but there are a lot of good boats out there, so it would be nice to defend.” Mark Mendelblatt (USA) strategist Quantum Racing (USA), defending champions.
TP52 World Championship 2009 - Entry List
Bow, Boat Name, Sail Number, Country, Owner, Skipper
1, QUANTUM RACING, USA 52011, USA Doug Devos, Terry hutchinson
2, BRIBON, ESP 7552, ESP, José Cusí, Gonzalo Araujo
3, MATADOR, ESP-52, ARG, Alberto Roemmers, Alberto Roemmers
4, CRISTABELLA, GBR 5206L, GBR, John Cook, John Cook
5, ARTEMIS, SWE 11152, SWE, Torbjorn Tornqvist, Jared Henderson
6, AUDI TP52 POWERED BY Q8, ITA 4, ITA, Riccardo Simoneschi, Riccardo Simoneschi
7, VALARS III, RUS 7, RUS, Silver Wave LTD, Serguei Chevtsov
9, PAPREC RECYCLAGE, FRA 11152, FRA
Jean-Luc Petithuguenin / PH Finance, Hugues Destremau
10, HENRI LLOYD – WEAPON OF CHOICE, GBR 5252L, GBR, Antony Langley, Tom Wilson
13, SYNERGY, RUS-13, RUS, Scottsburg Manor LTD, Sergey Pichugin
With two days to go before the official practice race for the TP52 World Championships on the at the Real Club Nautica de Palma in Palma, Mallorca the ten boat TP52 fleet is already assembled and most have today been taking advantage of the very pleasant autumn sunshine and light winds.
The ten boats are at the Club’s dock this evening, with France’s Paprec Recyclage and Britain’s Henri Lloyd Weapon of Choice mooring during the early evening. Racing on the Bay of Palma starts with the practice race on Tuesday, leading in to a diet of up to 11 races which is scheduled to include a coastal race Friday which carries the customary 1.5 times points bounty. Boats for which this regatta is on ‘home’ waters include Bríbon (ESP), Cristabella (GBR) and Matador (ARG) although most of the crews know the waters of the Bay of Palma very well.
Racing for the world championship title in effect starts on Wednesday scheduled for just after 1300hrs local time.
2009 TP52 World Championship Provisional Entry List:
Team (Country), Owner, Helmsman
Quantum Racing (USA), Doug Devos/Fred Howe, Terry Hutchinson
Bribón (ESP), José Cusí, Gonzalo Araujo
Matador (ARG), Alberto Roemmers, Guillermo Parada
Cristabella (GBR), John Cook, John Cook
Artemis (SWE), Torbjorn Tornqvist, Torbjorn Tornqvist
Audi TP52 powered by Q8 (ITA), Riccardo Simoneschi, Riccardo Simoneschi
Valars III (RUS), Kirill Podolsky, Serguei Chevtsov
Paprec Recyclage (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin/PH Finance, Stephane Neve
Henri Lloyd-Weapon of Choice (GBR), Antony Langley, Antony Langley
Synergy (RUS), Gateway Overseas Limiteds
In some senses it will be business as usual aboard eight of the ten which are regulars on the Audi MedCup Circuit, but the Worlds fleet will be welcoming two crews new to TP52 class racing in the shape of France’s Paprec Recyclage (formerly the 2007 launch Judel/Vrolijk design Artemis and most recently Tau Ceramica Andalucia) and Great Britain’s Henri- Lloyd Weapon of Choice (formerly the 2007 launched Judel/Vrolijk Matador).
And while neither team will arrive in Palma with serious hopes of lifting the overall title, they are both very experienced crews equipped with excellent boats.
Jean-Luc Petithuguenin’s Paprec Recyclage Brittany based crew are mainly amateurs skippered by sailmaker Stephan Neve of Incidences Voiles. The owner is a very well known sailing enthusiast who is founder and chairman of Paprec who also support IMOCA Open 60 skipper Jean-Pierre Dick. Petithuguenin raced for the French team at the final Admiral’s Cup in 2003 and then was part of the winning Commodore’s Cup team in 2004 with Neve on the Sinergia 40 of the same name. Before buying the TP52 they successfully raced an A40RC under IRC.
“At the moment we are just hoping to race correctly and race well. Compared with all the other teams we will be at a different level I’m sure. All of the team are amateurs with jobs, we have physical education teacher, a doctor, a builder…we really are a group of friends who have been together for a long time.” Explains Neve, “But we really want to be there for the experience to learn from these other teams as much as we can.”
“ The crew will really only have sailed together for between 10 and 15 days before we start in Palma, and so we can’t expect too much. But we are coming to learn.”
Henri-Lloyd Weapon of Choice will be steered by owner Tony Longley, a successful English sailor who also currently has a Farr 45 which he and his crew still campaign on the England's Solent. Since taking on the former Matador in the middle of August the crew have not yet sailed in anger, and will only get together on the boat at the end of this weekend.
But they have a composed a talented line up of British sailors including Round the World Race, 18 foot skiff and International 14 winner Rob Greenhalgh, tactician, Jonathan Taylor in the pit has TP52 experience on Cristabella and Stay Calm, Freddy Shanks, bowman sailed on Patches, while North Sails Dave Lenz is mainsail trimmer and Graeme Sunderland is navigator and project manager.
“We are just hoping not to disgrace ourselves.” Laughs boat captain Tom Wilson (GBR), “ Seriously, though we have put together a good crew and we are all fairly realistic in what we expect. It is a great opportunity for us to race at this level because the boat is already in Spain, and the owner has always wanted to race in the fleet.”
Racing at the TP52 World Championships starts with the official practice race on Tuesday 6th October and finishes on Sunday 11th October. The regatta follows the same pattern as the typical Audi MedCup Circuit event with one coastal race set to run on the Friday.
2009 TP52 World Championship Provisional Entry List:
Team (Country), Owner, Helmsman
Quantum Racing (USA), Doug Devos/Fred Howe, Terry Hutchinson
Bribón (ESP), José Cusí, Gonzalo Araujo
Matador (ARG), Alberto Roemmers, Guillermo Parada
Cristabella (GBR), John Cook, John Cook
Artemis (SWE), Torbjorn Tornqvist, Torbjorn Tornqvist
Audi TP52 powered by Q8 (ITA), Riccardo Simoneschi, Riccardo Simoneschi
Valars III (RUS), Kirill Podolsky, Serguei Chevtsov
Paprec Recyclage (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin/PH Finance, Stephane Neve
Henri Lloyd-Weapon of Choice (GBR), Antony Langley, Antony Langley
Synergy (RUS), Gateway Overseas Limiteds
“ Ten entries really is excellent and matches my best hopes.” Explained TP52 Class Secretary, Rob Weiland this morning, confirming the entry for the 2009 TP52 World Championship, which takes place next October in Palma de Mallorca. The event is organised by World Sailing Management in conjunction with the Real Club Naútico de Palma (RCNP) and the TP52 Class.
The ten teams Weiland makes reference to, who have made their entry or have shown interest in participating the in the World Championship are: Valars (RUS), Synergy (RUS), Artemis (SWE), Matador (ARG), Bribón (ESP), Cristabella (GBR), Audi TP52 powered by Q8 (ITA), Henri Lloyd - Weapon of Choice (GBR), Paprec Recyclage (FRA) and Quantum Racing (USA), 2008 World Champions.
Eight of those teams are currently competing on the Caja Meditárraneo Region of Murcia Trophy, however two are not Audi MedCup Circuit particpants. “We will have the same organisation and some of the teams from the Circuit”, continues the Dutchman, “but so we are also talking about an event which is accessible and comfortable for new teams who want to measure up against the fleet racers from the Circuit”.
“The inclusiong of a French team is excellent news for the TP52 fleet” highlights Ignacio Postigo, Technical Director for the TP52 World Championship. The TP52 Class Secretary remembers the successful 2008 edition, which also took place in Spain, Lanzarote last October 2008. “The 2008 World Championship was a great event, and I think we can achieve something similar. There is always a great atmosphere at a World Championship; it is a competition that is loved by both owners and crews. The idea of being the World Champion of something is liked by all.”
“The fact that Spain will host the TP52 World Championship for the second time is no coincidence” explains Ignacio Postigo. The venue chosen to host the 2009 World’s is well known and loved by the fleet and crews and that is also a major asset in guaranteeing the success of the event: “Having a base at the Real Club Naútico de Palma guarantees a friendly club atmosphere and this Club in particular is excellent and experienced in organising high level events. Palma is well known and loved by the owners and sailors. It is accessible and the climate in October should be very pleasant.” Concludes Postigo.
According to Juan Antonio Samper, Chairman of World Sailing Management, “The TP52 World Championship consolidates the position of World Sailing Management in high level sailing regattas and shows the natural evolution as all round event managers for international yachting events."
The competition format should be identical to that adopted in the TP52 Series on the Audi MedCup Circuit involving an official training day (Tuesday 6th of October), a coastal race (Friday 9th of October) and a series of windward-leeward races for the remainder of the week to make up a total of ten scoring races without discards.”
2009 TP52 World Championship Provisional Entry List:
Team (Country), Owner, Helmsman
Quantum Racing (USA), Doug Devos/Fred Howe, Terry Hutchinson
Bribón (ESP), José Cusí, Thierry Peponnet
Matador (ARG), Alberto Roemmers, Guillermo Parada
Cristabella (GBR), John Cook, John Cook
Artemis (SWE), Torbjorn Tornqvist, Torbjorn Tornqvist
Audi TP52 powered by Q8 (ITA), Riccardo Simoneschi, Riccardo Simoneschi
Valars III (RUS), Kirill Podolsky, Serguei Chevtsov
Paprec Recyclage (FRA), Jean-Luc Petithuguenin/PH Finance, Stephane Neve
Henri Lloyd-Weapon of Choice (GBR), Antony Langley, Tom Wilson
Synergy (RUS), Gateway Overseas Limiteds
World Sailing Management is the co-owner together with Santa Monica Sports of the Audi MedCup. The organisers and the class manager expect an entry of 10 to 14 boats and see the stand alone World Championship as the perfect opportunity for potential TP52 owners or programmes to test their skills and to find out how it is to race a TP52 against many of the world’s best sailors. The class manager will help those interested to charter a TP52 for this event in finding a competitive boat.
The regatta format follows the schedule typical of an Audi MedCup event with a practise race on Tuesday, a coastal race on Friday and a diet of windward-leeward races Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday to a total target of ten races.
“Last October the TP52 Class Members decided that for the 2009 Worlds I should try to look for a cost efficient venue without compromising on the qualities that determine good yacht racing and a good social program”, explains Rob Weiland, the TP52 Class Manager. “So I searched for high quality partners to host the event in a location not too far away from the final MedCup event. You need good facilities ashore and on the water, a good yacht club and a town that offers easy access as well as more entertainment than just sailing. So a place you like to bring your family to as well. For me Palma was an obvious choice.”
Palma has long been a popular venue for the TP52 fleet. It offers potentially excellent and reliable wind conditions in October, but it also has a large protected bay which gives shelter and is still sailable in case of strong north westerly or north easterly winds.
“The TP52 Class has signed a two year agreement with WSM for the rights to the TP52 Worlds title for 2009 and 2010”, the class manager continues. “This way we got the Class a dedicated event organiser that we know very well from the MedCup and equally important we got some much appreciated income for the Class out of the deal.
“The TP52 Class and the MedCup are inter-connected with each other. Without the MedCup I think it's fair to say that TP52 Class would not exist anymore and also the MedCup would not have been where it is right now without the TP52 Class.”
“As long as charterers become members of the Class Association they can charter a boat for the TP52 Worlds and get a great insight into what the TP52 Class offers and already we have a couple of potential teams talking about coming on this basis.” Suggests Nacho Postigo (ESP) of World Sailing Management. “Palma is an excellent venue with a good atmosphere. Both a club based sailing regatta and a full world championship, this will also be big for Palma.”
For Javier Sanz, Vice President of the Real Club Náutico de Palma, this is also very good news: “It is a pleasure for the RCNP to have the chance to host the TP52 World Championships, and we are glad to offer the club's facilities for such an important event.”
“From the very beginning and through recent years, boats and boat owners have participated in the different regattas organized by the RCNP,” Sanz continues. “That's why it is a privilege for us to be able to collaborate in the organization of the championships of such an important and competitive class as the TP52.”
“With the organization of this event, the RCNP is the final highlight of a busy regatta season which started last April and will finish in December. The RCNP will put all its effort and determination to ensure this will be both a social and a sporting success.”