Congratulations Quantum!

Nail biting finish in last race of the day and of the Cagliari event. Mean Machine close to  the overall victory half way through the race. But Terry Hutchinson and co fought back to secure a 2 point margin and a first win for the Quantum sails. Peter de Ridder and his team will have a good feeling too, a super come-back of what the can be seen as the Marseille disaster. Mutua, second in the final race really showing improved teamwork and good speed.  All of them behind Artemis with a near perfect performance in the final day of the event (1,3,1).

Cagliari Event:

1) Quantum          37 points
2) MeanMachine 39 points
3) Artemis             45 points
4) Mutau                49 points
5) Bribon               55 points

Audi MedCup Overall:

1) Quantum           129 points
2) Bribon                135.2 points
3) Artemis              137 points
4) Mean Machine 158 points
5) Platoon              190 points

Full results on www.medcup.org

08:47:11     
Welcome to the final day of the Audi Region of Sardinia Trophy off Cagliari. Racing will start early this morning, planning to take advantage of the Mistral while it continues. There is some debate over how long that is going to be. Tomasso Chieffi (ITA) and Ian Moore (GBR) have both indicated they feel confident the Mistral will diminish under the influence of the conflicting sea breeze. The consensus this may be after one race, while Francesco Mongelli (ITA) navigator of Rusal Synergy says he is quite confident the Mistral will continue and offer three races. ‘The acceleration in the Sardinia Channel is key’ he says. On the overall regatta standings Quantum Racing lead by four points from Mean Machine. Between third placed Mutua Madrilena and Artemis there are only three points, and at the top of Audi MedCup standings Quantum lead by 1.2 points.

Race 8:

10:47:18     
At the first leeward mark it was still Quantum but not by very much at all. They were a little slow and downwind on their approach to the left mark while Desafio arrived at the right with more speed. They were abourt 12 secs apart, third round was Artemis on the left mark, fourth Mutua Madrilena on the right, fifth Mean Machine on the left, swixth Bribon, seventh CXG, 8th Audi Q8, but owning the left side is the decider on these beats, so will be fascinating to see Quantum v Desafio, and Artemis are a threat as they proved on yesterday’s second beat. Quantum is trying to control Mean Machine but that is leaving the door open for Artemis. Quantum’s aim is to keep their nearest leadership threat, Mean Machine, behind.

11:16:03     
A good win for Quantum then, responding well under pressure, Mutua Madrilena stole second with that big left side call on the last run, Artemis we think just got third from Mean Machine on the line, fifth was Desafio, disappointing again after being so good early on, Bribon in sixth, Cristabella seventh after a bad start, eighth is respactable for Rusal Synergy. That moves Quantum to a seven points lead over their main regatta rival Mean Machine, while second for Mutua Madrilena gives their third a little more insulation from Bribon. Interesting because in the end it was not all about the one side, but there are clearly some shifts at the top of the bay, and gains to be had as the breeze works off the left side downwind, off the City of Cagliari shore. The breeze is down a bit since the start of Race 8, now 12-13 knots, but ample to get Race 9 away, the first time we have had nine races this season.

Race 9:

12:36:06     
At second spreader mark where they hoist kites for the last time this race, it’s Mean Machine 20 secs up on Artemis, CXG in third +50 secs, fourth is Bribon just getting through Quantum at the windward mark, Quantum round fifth +1.13 behind Mean Machine, 6th is Matador, 7th Platoon and 8th Mutua Madrilena. If they finish like this the gap between Mean Machine and Quantum will be back to three points and Artemis will take over third spot.     

12:39:59     
This is actually proving a great day’s sport. It is shifty and puffy, with gusts to use and with an average windspeed of about 13-15 knots it is quick and exciting enough. I am pretty sure we have never managed three races on the final day before.     

12:46:41    
Artemis steal it on the last run, beating Mean Machine to the line by three seconds, Bribon get third at +18secs, Matador fourth, CXG fifth, Quantum sixth, Platoon seventh, these are unofficial placings…that leaves Quantum on 33pts, second is Mean Machine on 36pts, third is now Artemis on 44pts, by our very provisional amateur hour arithemetic….costly error at the start for Mutua Madrilena and Artemis neatly consistent, there are few better than John Kostecki when it is shifty. They got a little further left than Mean Machine on the run, closer to where the puffs were spreading down from, Mean Machine gybed a fraction too late and too quickly to get back to Artemis on the final third of the run.       

Race 10:

14:00:44     
At the spreader mark we have 1 Artemis, 2 Mutua Madrilena 3 Mean Machine, 4 Matador, 5 Desafio, 6 Quantum so they gain that place and are equal on points with Mean Machine, 7 Bribon, 8 Caixa Galicia, 9 Platoon, 10 Audi Q8.     

14:04:16     
Last run of the Audi Region of Sardinia Trophy and there is everything to play for, Mean Machine now need to get through Mutua Madrilena to win the regatta, which seems a tough task as they are 150m in front with six minutes to sail. On tie break it would be Quantum if both end up on the same points. Phew!     

14:12:49     
Not far to go now it is Artemis first, Mutua Madrilena second at 19 sec, third is Mean Machine who were just five seconds behind them, then Quantum get fourth, Matador fifth, Bribon sixth, Caixa seventh, Platoon eighth, Cristabella ninth, Rusal, so Quantum win their first 2008 Audi MedCup regatta by two points ahead of Mean Machine who were so close till the end.            

Torbjorn Tornqvist , Terry Hutchinson, Peter De Ridder, the numbers 3, 1 and 2 of the Cagliari MedCup Event.
© Ian Roman/AUDI MEDCUP. Italy, Sardinia, Cagliari. 5/7/08.