Azzurra wins the second race at the Puerto Sherry 52 Super Series

With first and fifth places finishes today, the team flying the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s burgee is off to a good start at the Puerto Sherry 52 Super Series, the second event in the most competitive monohull circuit in professional sailing.  

Azzurra is off to a good start in second place behind Provezza after the first day of racing in the Atlantic waters off Cadiz along Spain’s southern coast. The Race Committee had to postpone the start until 3 PM in light and shifty winds from the southwest that, from 7/8 knots early on, gradually built to 11 knots towards the end of the second race.  

Azzurra got a bullet in the second race where she dominated right from the start after going for and getting the pin, by far the better side of the course and lengthening her lead over her closest rivals, Sled and Bronenosec. She ended the day’s first race in fifth place, but the only team that sailed better than she did was Provezza, who placed first and fourth today. 

 The first race was hard fought with several changes in position due to shifty and unstable breeze that was very hard to read. Azzurra got a good start at the centre of the line and, showing just how hard it was to chose the best tack in today’s conditions, the fleet split right after the start: four teams including Azzurra continued straight and four tacked to port. Third for most of the first beat, Azzurra was passed by Alegre approaching the mark. Over the run Azzurra gained ground, rounding the gate side by side with Alegre but on opposite tacks. Along the following beat Azzurra tried to recover positions by sailing to the right of the course and at first it looked good. Unfortunately approaching the mark Platoon, sailing on the left, managed to edge in and Azzurra couldn’t do a thing about it as her skipper, Guillermo Parada explains: “I think it’s an OK beginning for us. The first race we got the start we wanted and we had the chance to be third at the top mark, but Alegre got a better lane and passed us which was a shame because that changed our race. Then in the beat we were in control of fourth position, but Provezza overstood the lay line by four or five lengths and that let Platoon pass us. It was a bit of a shame, but we didn’t make any mistakes and finished fifth."

"In the second race we wanted to start on the pin and we got it and the left was the better side. We were in command, but on a day like today even if you had a decent lead things were tight and changing quickly so you couldn’t relax for a minute. We stayed calm and we kept pushing all the way to the end so we had a good day. We’re second overall, one point behind the leader Provezza so it’s a good beginning and hopefully we can keep improving. In unstable conditions like today’s the race course is full of opportunities and tomorrow should be similar so we have to keep pushing all the time.”

Tomorrow, June 19th, the first warning Signal has been postponed until 2PM CEST because the forecast calls for conditions similar to today’s. Updates live from the course will be posted on Azzurra’s Facebook page and the best shots will be on www.instagram.com/azzurrasailing. Fans can also follow the action virtually with commentary in English on the websites www.azzurra.it and www.52superseries.com. Starting Thursday there will also be live streaming.

Puerto Sherry 52 SUPER SERIES Royal Cup after 2 races
1. Provezza (TUR) (Ergin Imre) (1,4) 5 p.
2. Azzurra (ARG/ITA) (Alberto Roemmers) (5,1) 6 p.
3. Bronenosec (RUS) (Vladimir Liubomirov) (4,3) 7 p.
4. Platoon (GER) (Harm Müller-Spreer) (3,6) 9 p.
5. Sled (USA) (Takashi Okura) (8,2) 10 p.
6. Alegre (USA/GBR) (Andrés Soriano) (2,8) 10 p.
7. Phoenix 11 (RSA) (Tina Plattner) (6,5) 11 p.
8. Quantum Racing (USA) (Doug DeVos) (7,7) 14 p.