Cuore Sportivo (Beneteau 25) |
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Audi A4 Gozo Weekend Regatta
To coincide with the launch of the new Audi A4 in Malta, the
Royal Malta Yacht Club, in collaboration with Continental Cars,
organised the Audi A4 Gozo Weekend Regatta.
Racing started opposite the waters of the Royal Malta Yacht
Club with a long-distance race towards Mgarr Harbour in Gozo
(approx. 20 miles). The northerly Force 4 winds blowing over
Malta and Gozo that Friday morning was quite challenging for
Cuore Sportivo as we were very much under-crewed with just three
people onboard.
This left us with no option but to use our three-year-old Mylar
Banks main sail with our new heavy pentax headsail. In these
conditions, we usually take a reef on the main (and usually
dump it when under-crewed) and use a full No.1 headsail, but
I opted to use the smaller headsail on this long beat to the
island of Gozo.
The first few miles were very encouraging as we were ahead of
the much larger and faster J92s. However, the more we got in
exposed waters, the harder the work. We suffered all the way
to the finish line to cross it in our worst results since setting
up Cuore Sportivo. Sixth on corrected time.
Saturday morning, again under-crewed but with lighter airs and
a massive Mediterranean swell. The Race Committee organised
a Round Gozo Race. Again we used our Mylar Mainsail, but now
we opted for our new No.1 Light Pentax. This gave us the result
we expected. 1st on corrected time and third over the line,
being beaten only by an IMX 38 and a Beneteau 47.7, and only
by 1 minute or so. The race lasted for 5 hours.
The final day of the Audi A4 Regatta was to determine the winners
in Class 1. The Principal Race Officer, Mr. Anton Valentino,
started the final race back to Malta with a spectacular spinnaker
start just off Mgarr Harbour. The different and vibrant colours
dashed down with North Comino Channel in different directions,
with skippers taking different tacks hoping to find a fresher
breeze that his counterparts. Moondance and Obelix were leading
the fleet up to Mellieha, when the wind dropped and were forced
to retire. This left Cuore Sportivo, J-Lance, Revenge and Big-Foot
(all J-boats) all fighting for the lead.
At St. Paul's Island, Sam Pantaleresco onboard J-Lance had the
upper hand on all the rest of the fleet. However, the wind calmed
died down on both J-Lance and Revenge, and Cuore Sportivo snuck
up underneath both of them to take line honours and also win
the race on corrected time. Simon Camilleri on board Big-Foot
followed Georges Bonello DuPuis just one minute later, followed
by J-Lance and Revenge. Again another 5 hour race.....
Class 1 Results
1st: Cuore Sportivo, full Banks Sails inventory, Beneteau 25
2nd: J-Lance, partial Banks Sails inventory, J-92
3rd: Revenge, full Banks Sails inventory, J-92
Georges Bonello DuPuis, Cuore Sportivo.
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