Perfect conditions for final day
The last day of the 43rd Trofeo S.A.R. Princesa Sofia MAPFRE, third event in the ISAF Sailing World Cup circuit, saw some excellent racing in the Women Match racing and the Medal races. The Bay of Palma presented a perfect day with sun, wind and waves.
In the Women Match racing Finals, Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) took an early 2 – 0 lead over Claire Leroy (FRA). In the third flight, Leroy won the start and lead all of the way around the course to stay alive and force another match. In the fourth flight, the match was very close until the leeward mark where Leroy had a messy spinnaker drop and never recovered. Tunnicliffe sailed to victory and a 3 -1 score to win the Gold medal.
“We are very happy with our performance. We are training hard for our trials and this is a good test to see where we are at and to see what areas we need to keep improving. The girls (Molly and Debbie) did a great job all week long in the tricky conditions, finding the wind and keeping the boat going fast.” explains Anna Tunnicliffe.
The first win in the Petit-Finals went to Olivia Price (AUS) as she lead all the way around the course. The second flight saw a penalty to Tamara Echegoyen (ESP) but she was able to clear it and still stay ahead to even the score 1 – 1. Price (AUS) lead around the course in the third flight to take the Bronze medal.
Meanwhile, the Medal races were contested bringing excitement and action along the Playa de Palma.
With a fourth place in the Laser Radial Medal race, Alicia Cebrian (ESP) takes her first title ever in a Sailing World Cup event.
Evi van Acker (BEL) conserves the Silver after winning the Medal. Behind the World #1 is current World Champion Marit Bouwmeester (NED).
In the 49er, Jonas Warrer and Soren Hansen (DEN) had enough lead before the Medal race to win with a 7th. The Beijing Olympic champion and new crew are gaining some valuable points to lead by one point the Danish 49er selection which will end at he Semaine Olympique Française in Hyères.
They are leading the ISAF Sailing World Cup standings.
The french team Manu Dyen and Stéphane Christidis, came close to win a consecutive third title in Palma but are still satisfied with their second position. “Considering our racing this week, we are happy to finish second. The light conditions we had for most of the week was a good way for us to test our form in the light wind, after our winter training.”
Tobias Schadewaldt and Hannes Baumann (GER) claim Bronze.
Simon Grotelueschen (GER) has won today his second Sailing world Cup title in the Laser after sailing to victory in Kiel last year. However, the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mapfre is the first Sailing World Cup event this year for the young German.
Olympic Champion Paul Goodison (GBR) conserves the second place overall to take Silver and the lead in the SWC standings while young Australian Tom Burton won the Medal race and the Bronze.
470 Japanese team of Ai Kondo and Wakako Tabata have narrowly missed out on Gold after placing second to the Italian team of Giulia Conti and Giovanna Micol in the Medal race. The Japanese are now leading the SWC standings ahead of the Australians Elise Rechichi and Belinda Stowell.
The Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mapfre is the the first Sailing World Cup event for the Italian pair who start the year with a victory taken on the last day. “This is a good way to start the year. We are comfortable in all conditions so the light winds of the first days or the breeze in the last days of the week were ok for us. After this event we are going to Hyères and then will do more preparation for the Olympic Games.” says Conti.
Bronze goes to Kathrin Kadelbach and Friederike Belcher from Germany.
Olympic medallists will complete the podium in the Star class. World champions Robert Scheidt and Bruno Prada (BRA) are adding a second Sailing World Cup victory after winning the Rolex Miami OCR earlier this year. Beijing Olympic champions Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson are taking Silver in front of the French pair of Rohart/Ponsot, winner of the Bacardi Cup.
“We were really surprised to win, as we thought the British were ahead of us. We are using a new boat this week so our objective was to test it. This is why we had a slow start in the regatta, but in the end got more used to it. Of course we are very happy to have win the event in Palma.”explained the Brazilians.
With the Finn title already won by Ben Ainslie (GBR) on the penultimate day of the regatta, the fight on the water was for Silver and Bronze. After a start that disqualified half of the fleet, the Medal race was won by Andrew Mills (GBR) who just misses out a place on the podium by one point. Zach Railey (USA) conserves his second position. After winning the Rolex Miami OCR, the American is leading the ISAF Sailing World Cup Standings.
Chris Cook (CAN) takes the Bronze.
If there was yet one title that the talented Australian pair of Belcher and Page (AUS) had not won together, then it was the Trofeo Princesa Sofia…until today! The World leaders have excelled during the week’s mixed conditions to continue on their top form. Israeli Gideon Kliger and Eran Sela (ISR) are taking Silver with last year’s Silver medallist, the french team of Pierre Leboucher and Vincent Garos in third.
The Australian are leading the SWC classification after a second place in Sail Melbourne and a victory in the Rolex Miami OCR.
The Trofeo “Absolute” winner goes this year to 2.4m sailor Thierry Schmitter (NED). The Dutch have accomplished to win the regatta with the least points in his overall score. With seven races won over the event’s ten races, Schmitter truly deserves the Trophy won last year by Ben Ainslie.
Tonight, under the Gothic cathedral of Palma, the winners will be honoured and a great edition of the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mapfre will come to an end!
