TP52 Aniene Triggers Debate At 2013 ORC Europeans.

ANIENE CROWNED NEW ORC EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
 
Aniene dominated so completely that the final day's fight was for the remaining podium positions in Class A.
 
Punta Ala, Italy - Today's final race on the final day at the ORCi European Championship Prysmian Celadrin Trophy was held in the same light-to-moderate, flat-water conditions that characterized the entire week here in Punta Ala. This set the stage for an intense fight for the remaining podium positions in Class A and Class B since the winners were already determined yesterday: Aniene in Class A.

Sure enough, the push for the line at the start of Class A yielded individual recalls, and except for Guido Paolo Gamucci's Cookson 50 Cippa Lippa 8 and Armin Schmid's new Farr 400 Sonnenkonig who got away clean and fast, the fight started early in the pack for clear lanes.

Caught up in that fight was Battista Valerio's GS 42RM Cronos 2, helmed by Enrico Zennaro, who in fact had enough points to be assured of the silver medal overall barring a complete disaster, and still managed to climb out of that pack to a safe 5th place today.

And having one of their best races of the week allowed Giovanni Sylos Labini's Grand Soleil 46B Exprivia Luduan Reloaded to capture the bronze medal by only 1.75 points, just edging out today's race winner Cippa Lippa. Labini also won the Owner-Driver Award for Class A, and the Corinthian Trophy for the top all-amateur team in Class A went to the 7th-placed Greek team on Nikolaos Sinouris's GS42R Booker.

Except for the fastest two boats in Class A, the corrected time results in the event were mostly very close, with results determined by mere seconds rather than minutes in corrected time. Nonetheless, ORC Chairman Bruno Finzi stated at the prize giving the ORC is still looking for ways to improve the rating system, and the International Technical Committee chairman Alessandro Nazareth was on hand yesterday to review results for later analysis to improve the ORC VPP.

"There has been a lot of speculation about the large margins of corrected time that Aniene won her races all week," said Finzi, "so the owners have graciously made the boat available to ORC to do measurement checks. For a large fast boat to win by these margins this week can in part be explained by their sailing clear of any traffic, with a well-prepared team, and maybe some wind shear and other factors, but we will have the ITC analyze this to make sure and to take the steps necessary to improve the rule."

"Regardless, this has been a successful championship sailed in good conditions, I thank the YC Punta Ala organization, the sponsors, and all the teams for coming to compete, and congratulate all our winners. We wish to invite everyone to come this time next year to the ORC World Championship in Ancona."