Cuore Sportivo (Beneteau 25) |
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Cuore Sportivo wins 13-hour RMYC Triple-Handed Round-Gozo Night
Race
The 3rd Edition of the Triple Handed Round Gozo night race was
recently organised by the Royal Malta Yacht Club.
This long-distance night race started at 7.30pm with a moderate
northerly breeze with a fleet of fifteen boats making their
way up to the northern tip of Gozo. This was the first time
that we made use of the new light Pentax Main together with
our light No.1 Pentax Headsail. The advantage we had over the
rest of the fleet was evident as we headed towards the island
of Gozo. We were sailing as fast and higher than most of the
fleet. Cuore Sportivo was the smallest boat and we were keeping
up with other much larger boats, such as the J92s, the J105
and a OD Catalina 38.
Steady breezes accompanied the fleet all the way up the coast
of Malta and on towards Marsalforn, Gozo, were we were becalmed
for some time. The lucky ones made it around San Dimitri Point
were another fresh breeze was to be found. This was the time
for a short nap as we headed towards the South Comino Channel.
Another tricky part for some yachts was under Ta'Cenc where
quite a few boats were becalmed till the early hours of Saturday
morning. Certain boats also found an opposing current in the
South Comino Channel and spent four hours just of Circewwa in
search of a land breeze. On the other hand, we made it in less
than one hour. As we rounded the Northern tip of Malta and started
our journey back home, we saw Mt Etna in Catania, together with
all the car and streetlights of Porto Palo, a rare sight indeed,
especially from sea level.
The final leg home proved to be the turning point of the event.
Obelix, Cuore Sportivo, Elusive and Big-Foot all stood still
opposite Bahar Ic-Caghaq for nearly an hour with just a hundred
metres separating the top four yachts. However, it was Obelix
who threw the towel in first and gave up on this thirteen-hour
battle at 8am. The rest of the fleet resisted for a few more
minutes and as we were positioned close to land, we were first
to pick up that sea breeze. We finished first across the finish
line and on corrected time in just over thirteen and a half
hours, thus claiming corrected time victory and line honours
for the third consecutive time in this long night race. Big-foot,
with Simon Camilleri on board crossed the line just a few seconds
before Arthur Podesta on Elusive with the rest of the fleet
still becalmed in various parts of the Maltese and Gozitan coastline.
The Cuore Sportivo Crew was made up of myself, Ray Agius Condachi
and Gerome, the Spanish sailing coach, currently assisting the
Malta Sailing Federation.
Across the line results
1st: Cuore Sportivo, full Banks inventory, Beneteau 25
2nd: Big Foot, J015
3rd: Elusive, partial Banks inventory, Beneteau 45f5
Georges Bonello DuPuis, Cuore Sportivo.
Footnote: since the race, Big Foot has ordered a new Checkmate
Kevlar Sport Mainsail and No.1 from Banks Sails.
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