Cream rising at Copa del Rey

Palma de Mallorca, Spain (August 7, 2014) – After finishing the fourth racing day, the rankings begin to give clues about the candidates to win the title of the 33rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE.

Today’s menu consisted of two windward / leeward races for all classes except for Gaastra IRC 1, BMW ORC 1 and BMW ORC 2, which sailed a 20.93 nautical miles coastal race around the bay of Palma. The one-design classes Nespresso X-35 and Herbalife J80 have reached eight races sailed, so all the teams can discard their worst result of the week.

At the top of the provisional overall there are Americans “Shockwave” (Gaastra IRC 0) and “Quantum Racing” (Barclays 52 Super Series), Italians “Hurakan” (Gaastra IRC 1) and “Lelagain” (Nespresso X-35), Russian “Bronenosec” (Gazprom Swan 60) and Spanish “Rats on Fire” (BMW ORC 1), “Movistar” (BMW ORC 2) and “Noticia” (Herbalife J80). With just two days for the end, the candidates to the title begin to stand out at the top of the rankings, but nothing is decided yet.

The thermal wind was on time again to its appointment with the fleet, with intensities between nine and 12 knots all day long, always from the south-southwest. A similar scenario is expected for the rest of the week.

Gaastra IRC 0
American “Bella Mente” and Italian “Robertissima III” took today’s victories in the class Gaastra IRC 0, but neither Hap Fauth nor Roberto Tomasini managed to get improve “Shockwave’s” week. George Sakellaris’ team ends the fourth day of competition two points ahead of his nearest rival after seven races. The victory is still open.

Gaastra IRC 1
The coastal race didn’t help either “Hurakan’s” nine rivals to neutralize the extraordinary performance of Giuseppe Parodi’s TP52. The Italian boat won again, both in real and on compensated time, finishing the coastal race ahead of Austrian “Aquila” and French “Team Vision Future”. The undisputed leader in the class Gaastra IRC 1 has scored a third as their worst result of the week. A material breakage onboard “Aifos” prevented the Spanish Army’s boat to complete the race.

Gazprom Swan 60
Vladimir Liubomirov’s “Bronenosec” moved today two steps forward towards Gazprom Swan 60 title. The Russian boat won the first race of the day and was second in the next one. He is first overall with 13 points. His direct threat, “Petite Flamme”, (5-3 today) has 25 points, and “Spirit of Europe” closes the provisional podium after an irregular day (6-1).

Barclays 52 Super Series
American “Quantum Racing” has once again become the best of the day in the class Barclays 52 Super Series, with a first and a second place. The defending champions, skippered by Ed Baird, gets back on track after their sixth place in the coastal race yesterday, and is leading its class after seven races sailed, six points ahead of Swedish “Rán” (3-1) and nine ahead of Italian “Azzurra” (2-5).

BMW ORC 1
German “Earlybird” managed to score their first victory of the week after winning today’s coastal race in the class BMW ORC 1. Hendrik Brandis Swan 45 completed the race in just over three hours, beating “Elena Nova” by 22 seconds and “Rats on Fire” by 25. After seven races, “Rats on Fire”, skippered by Manuel Doreste, is still leading 12 points ahead of his nearest rival.

BMW ORC 2
Enrique Terol’s “Movistar” was also good on the coastal race. The Synergy 40 skippered by Pedro Campos was the only boat out of the BMW ORC 2 fleet which completed today’s course in less than four hours. Second in the finish line was “Varador 2000” and third “Airlan Aermec”, which occupy the provisional podium overall the same order. “Movistar” has won six out of seven possible victories.

Nespresso X-35
The Nespresso X-35 class has already sailed eight races, so the 12 teams in the class discarded their worst result of the week. Italian Alessandro Solerio’s “Lelagain” discarded his seventh place from the second day and takes advantage of today’s good results (1-2) to stretch his lead in the overall. He is now leading six points ahead of “Puerto Deportivo Benalmádena” (6-1 today). Third is Finnish “Audi e-tron” (2-4 today).

Herbalife J80
“Noticia” skippered by Jose Maria Torcida is keeping up the pace, and has his second perfect day in a row: two wins today, two yesterday. After applying the discard, “Noticia” discards a fifth, finishing today as solid leader ten points ahead of Carlos Martinez’s “Movistar” (3-2 today). Third is Javier Padrón’s “Herbalife”, who didn’t have his best day today (6-6).

The competition will continue tomorrow with two windward / leeward races scheduled for all classes. The first start of the day will be at 13h00.

The 33rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE is organized by the Real Club Náutico de Palma and will take place from August 2nd to the 9th, 2014.

Event website – Results