On the second day of the 52 Super Series racing, the Audi Azzurra Sailing Team finishes second and third and shares the overall leadership with sailing yacht Ran.

52 Super Series racing - the Audi Azzurra Sailing Team - Photo Jesus Renedo / Azzurra

The 39th Trofeo Conde de Godó, first event of the newly- formed 52 Super Series, wasable to take advantage of good conditions in the second day, with a southwesterly breeze between 17 and 20 knots and slightly choppy seas. The day began with a minute of silence in memory of John Cook, owner of Cristabella and former president of the TP52 class, recently passed away. In memory of his contribution to the development of the class, the TP52 fleet will  carry the namesof Cook and Cristabella on the quarters of the boats until the Copa del Rey in Palma.

The day’s two races were spectacular and close: Sailing yacht Azzurra always staged a tough fight with Quantum at the start, but the Americans were never successful in their efforts to shut the door on the yacht flying the YCCS burgee.  The American team had the upper hand in the first race, taking the victory while Azzurra finished second after a nail-biting final run that saw the entire fleet storming at the finish line and crossing within seconds of each other.

The second race of the day was much tougher and yacht Ran prevailed over Quantum and Azzurra thanks to a perfect race. The Swedes are now tied on points with Azzurra but their victory in the last race puts them at the top of the leaderboard. Azzurra’s skipper Guillermo Parada said: “The final result will be known on Sunday, we are all very close together in terms of performance and results, so just a minor hiccup can prevent you from being at the top.”

This is Vasco Vascotto’s, strategist onboard sailing yacht Azzurra, take on the day: “Compared to yesterday we had a slightly more complicated day, with a a few errors equally spread on all areas. It seems evident that the key to this season will be the tight coverage by Quantum, but then it can happen that Ran, always on top form, manages, deservedly, to take advantage of that  situation”.

52 Super Series Trofeo de Vela Conde de Godo’ after 5 Races:

1 Audi Azzurra Sailing Team (ITA)  9pts

2 Rán (SWE) 9pts,

3 Quantum Racing (USA)  12pts

4 Gladiator (GBR)  12pts

5 Audi Sailing Team by ALL4ONE 18pts

52 SUPER SERIES 2012

Barcelona, Trofeo Conde de Godò                         May 23rd – 27th

Porto Cervo, Audi Sardinia Cup                             June 11th – 17th

Palma de Majorca, Royal Cup                               July 11th – 14th

Palma de Majorca, Copa del Rey                          July 16th – 21st (IRC scoring, not part of the Series)

Valencia Cup                                                              September 18th – 22nd

AUDI AZZURRA SAILING TEAM

Guillermo Parada – Skipper and Helmsman

Vasco Vascotto – Strategist

Francesco Bruni – Tactician

Bruno Zirilli – Navigator

Paul Westlake – Mainsail

Mariano Caputo – Bowman

Juan Pablo Marcos –  Midbow

David Vera – Pitman

Maciel Cichetti – Trimmer

Mariano Parada – Trimmer

Simon Fry – Trimmer

Gabriel Marino – Grinder

Alejandro Colla – Grinder

Boat Captain: Pedro Rossi

Owner: Alberto Roemmers