RC44 fleet races, day 1: Mascalzone Latino Audi Team in intermitent phases

Four races were held today, first day of the fleet portion of the RC44 Valencia Cup, under a southeasterly breeze between 8 and knots.

Overall, Mascalzone Latino had a performance that came and went in alternating phases in a day when its president Vincenzo Onorato was at the helm and Tommaso Chieffi was calling tactics.

The day’s overall score was heavily influenced by the first race whose start was far from brilliant. The deficit with the rest of the fleet was too big to bridge and the winner was 17, with the winning helmsman of the 33rd America’s Cup, James Spithill, calling tactics.

In the second race Mascalzone Latino shows considerably better form and proves what the team can achieve by taking a good fifth place.  Katusha, with Paul Cayard calling tactics, was first to cross the finish line.

The third race was brilliantly carried out by 17, from the start to the finish line. The team led by Vincenzo Onorato once again fought hard to obtain a result in the upper spots of the fleet and managed to finish a honorable sixth.

The fourth and last match of the day proved again to be very tough for the Latin Rascals, Being early over the line, they had to turn and recross, slipping to the back of the fleet. Despite the tremendous efforts by the crew, it was impossible to recover and the Italian yacht finished in last.

17 is leading the overall leaderboard of the RC44 Valencia Cup with 8 points, followed by Aqua, winner of the two-day match racing event, with 14 points and Artemis with 20 points.

Four more races are scheduled for tomorrow and the first starting signal will be, as always, at 1pm.