Copa
del Rey Agua Brava
CAIXA GALICIA IN IMS 500 AND ITALTEL IN IMS 600,
EARLY LEADERS, WHILE WIND CONDITIONS MARKED THE
RACES
[ 7-28-2003 / 18:55 ]
77
boats filled with colour an excellent day of races
for the beginning of this leading international
regatta. This year participants and organization
are facing an even stronger challenge, considering
the America’s Cup bid that Palma is willing
to achieve in fiery competence. Top sailors and
teams compete within the charming waters of the
Palma de Mallorca bay, fighting for the yearly
most acknowledge sailing trophy, the Copa del
Rey Agua Brava.
In
the IMS 500 Group, Caixa Galicia confirms its
favourite role
As expected, the northeast wind that blew in the
first hours of the morning, did not resist the
south wind shove, having the start postponed by
30 minutes, from 14,30 to 15.00 hours in the 500
Group.
In the this Group, the race started with the Tau-UBS
starting strongly, by leeward of the fleet, while
through middle of the line, Caixa Galicia, Bribón,
Subaru X-Sport and CAM took advantage of a small
wind shift to lay down the guideline in the first
third of the hauled.
Caixa
Galicia’s, went on at the top of the fleet
in the passing of the first buoy, followed by
Subaru X-Sport, Tau_UBS, and Bribón and
Banco Espirito Santo slightly more distanced.
However, the committee gave a change of the course
when the fleet arrived at the stern. This conditions
helped the Caixa Galicia to mark their rivals,
getting at the end a small margin of 37 seconds
before Banco Spirito Santo which was about to
surprise the favourite in this spectacular regatta.
Subaru X-Sport, in the third place, made a good
race, bearing in mind that this crew had not sailed
among the Spanish fleet until this moment.
Italian
teams capture the start of the 600 group
After
a “general call” in the first start,
the second was successful and only Fermax and
Near Miss have done “out of line”,
having to re-start the race all over.
At the top of the fleet the fight was Italian,
with the Wind leading, followed by Italtel. The
Forum Filatélico standed the raise of the
new Gran Soleil boats, while fourth was Jazztell,
another Grand Soleil 42, closely followed by Zurich
and Andalucía Sólo Hay Una.
The
marking was extremely close among boats of similar
lengths, facilitating the Italtel tactic in the
rest of the course so to win in their particular
race against the Wind for a mere 16 seconds. The
third place is finally for the Zurich which, in
a good second part of the course, passed Forum
Filatélico in balanced time. The next classifications
are for a trio of Rodman 42: fifth the World Cargo,
Husa Hoteles sixth, and Telefónica Movistar
the seventh.
Official
Site - Copa
del Rey Agua Brava
