Azzurra is best at start of 52 Super Series

Menorca, Spain (May 21, 2019) – The Italian-Argentine Azzurra team made a very strong start to the 2019 52 SUPER SERIES with a second and first from the first two races to jump out to a clear early lead at the Menorca 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week.

In light winds, just six to 11 knots of patchy breezes, it was the brand-new, straight-from-the-wrapper Bronenosec that took first blood in Race 1, Day 1 of 2019, to give Russian owner Vladimir Liubomirov the best welcome back to the world’s leading grand prix mononhull circuit after a year out.

With Croatian sailing hero Sime Fantela, the 470 Rio gold medal winner, promoted to the helm on what was his first ever 52 SUPER SERIES race, Bronenosec led all the way round the course to take the first winning gun of a highly anticipated season.

Azzurra started best in the second contest, nailing the pin end of the line to be sure that they – like Bronenosec in the first heat – could not be challenged at all after the windward mark.

“We are happy with the start to the season but there is a certain relief after all the winter jobs, the testing and training that we have done to confirm that the boat is going well,” noted Azzurra helm Guillermo Parada. “Light conditions were not our strength and so we have focused our efforts in particular on this. So more than the results today, which after all is just one day in what we hope will be 25 days of racing, we feel that the boat is going well.”

While the three-time circuit champions Azzurra had a standout day, the 2018 champions Quantum Racing made a modest start to their title defense with an eighth in the 11-boat fleet in the day’s first race followed by a fifth to lie seventh overall.

The champions have five key crew changes to their title winning line up and, although Quantum Racing won the PalmaVela warm up regatta a week ago, today they twice came off second best as they sought key positions on the start line at both starts.

During the second contest their return from the lower reaches of the fleet to earn fifth was more like the usual Quantum Racing, an improvement on Race 1. Quantum held an early second place at the first windward mark but dropped to finish eighth. They were forced to the unfavoured right of the second upwind and suffered badly.

The new French team on the circuit, Team Vision Future who sail the 2015 former Sled, showed well in the second race only just losing their fifth to Quantum Racing on the finish line.

The obvious tension and excitement of the first day of a highly anticipated season has dissipated and it is down to business on what promises to be a long and challenging season.

Day One Results (2 races)
1. Azzurra (ARG/ITA) (Alberto / Pablo Roemmers) (2,1) 3 p.
2. Platoon (GER) (Harm Müller-Spreer) (5,2) 7 p.
3. Bronenosec (RUS) (Vladimir Liubomirov) (1,7) 8 p.
4. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) (6,3) 9 p
5. Phoenix 12 (RSA) (Tina Plattner) (7,4) 11 p.
6. Phoenix 11 (RSA) (Hasso Plattner) (3,10) 13 p.
7. Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) (8,5) 13 p.
8. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) (4,11) 15 p.
9. Team Vision Future (FRA) (Jean Jacques Chaubbard) (10,6) 16 p.
10. Sled (USA) (Takashi Okura) (9,8) 17 p.
11. Gladiator (GBR) (Tony Langley) (11,9) 20 p.

52 SUPER SERIES – Menorca details – Facebook

The 52 SUPER SERIES is established as the world’s leading grand prix monohull yacht racing circuit. The 2019 season will mark the eighth season of the 52 SUPER SERIES which grew from the ashes of the TP52 MedCup which finished in 2011 when the principal sponsor withdrew.

52 SUPER SERIES 2019
May 21-25 – Menorca 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week – Menorca, Spain
June 18-22 – Puerto Sherry 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup – Cadiz, Spain
July 16-20 – Cascais 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week – Cascais, Portugal
Aug 25-29 – Rolex TP52 World Championship Puerto Portals – Mallorca, Spain
Sept 24-28 – Porto Cervo 52 SUPER SERIES Sailing Week – Sardinia, Italy

Source: 52 SUPER SERIES