Azzurra (photo Nico Martinez)

Azzurra (photo Nico Martinez)

Azzurra is in Puerto Portals for the Rolex TP52 Worlds

Sport

By Azzurra
25/08/2019 - 11:17

Puerto Portals, Mallorca, August 23, 2019

Based in Puerto Portals in the Bay of Palma de Mallorca, the event will see a fleet of eleven TP52s competing.  A press conference held in the marina at Puerto Portals kicked off the Rolex TP52 World Championship, which is also the fourth event in the 2019 52 Super Series 2019. The season will end with the fifth and final event that will be held in Porto Cervo from September 23th to 28th.  Journalists were all vying to get a word with Guillermo Parada, Azzurra’s skipper, because the boat owned by the Roemmers family is currently in the lead of the 52 Super Series provisional overall results, with 8 points on both Quantum Racing and Platoon.
 
Azzurra won the TP52 World Championship here in 2015, the year that the boat flying the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s burgee also dominated the entire 52 Super Series season. But now, with so many teams sailing at top level, the field has evened out and it’s very hard for one team to come out as a clear dominator. Parada stressed that his team’s priority for 2019 is to win the 52 Super Series overall, not just the single events. In fact, the 52 Super Series regulations say that the season’s winner is that team that has the best score from the sum all of the season’s races- which can be up to 50- with no discards.
 

Azzurra has ended two of this season’s events, the ones held in Cadiz and in Cascais, at just one point from the leader, but the sum of her points overall currently sees her in the lead of the season. “We’re ready and determined to win here in Puerto Portals,” said Parada. “But we consider winning the regatta a bonus. Personally I think it’s better to stay ahead in the season overall. I’d rather be like us with no event wins but in the lead overall than to win an event but be behind another team overall.” 
 
In the previous event in Cascais, Portugal, Azzurra again showed that she is strong in heavier air both thanks to her skilful team and because her hull lines are slightly more powerful than those of other competitors.  But teams that fair better in light air might have an advantage in the conditions usually found here in the Bay of Palma. Azzurra’s team has worked hard on the shape of their sails and on many other seemingly minute details to optimize the boat for the conditions usually found in Palma. As Guillermo Parada recalled: “The first three events in the season came down to a handful of points but nevertheless after Cascais we were eleven points ahead of the third placed team because we sail better in stronger breeze. Lighter air is risky for us. Our goal is to get good results here in Portals so that we arrive in Porto Cervo with the largest margin possible overall.”  
 
Riccardo Bonadeo, Commodore of the YCCS had these words: “Fair winds! I hope that the World Championship bodes well for our team. Azzurra is starting this event in the lead overall and this shows that she’s getting good and consistent results but let’s keep our fingers crossed.  As always, I want to thank our club members and Azzurra’s owners, the Roemmers family, who are here in Puerto Portals. I look forward to welcoming everyone soon in Porto Cervo for the final event in the 52 Super Series.” 

The entry list sees 11 teams participating because teams like Gladiator, Phoenix 11 and Team Vision Future are participating World Championship even though they are not racing in the 52 Super Series. 
 
Racing begins on Sunday August 25th with the first Warning Signal scheduled for 1:00 PM CEST. Racing will conclude on Friday the 29th and will be streamed from start to finish on the 52 Super Series website and on www.azzurra.it. Live updates straight from the course will be posted on Azzurra’s Facebook page, while a selection of the best images will be on https://www.instagram.com/azzurrasailing/

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

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All the eleven teams competing in the Rolex TP52 World Championship
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Consistency will be key at the Rolex TP52 Worlds on the Bay of Palma