The Canary Islands are renowned for their breezy northeasterly trade wind conditions and today Lanzarote fully delivered.
With 20-25 knot winds and occasional gusts of 30. In this wind, plus the lumpy sea state, playing it safe and carrying out well executed manoeuvres was order of the day for the nine teams.
Vladimir Prosikhin’s Team Nika, Tactician Nic Asher, finished the day top of the leaderboard with 6 pts after a 2-1-3 scoreline.
Winner of the first of three races was Nico Poons’ Charisma, Tactician Andy Horton, who led around the top mark and continue to score the first win of 2024 comfortably.
Conditions peaked in the second and third races with the wind blowing obliquely offshore from 020-030.
In the second John Bassadone’s Peninsula Racing had led Team Ceeref Vaider around the port leeward gate mark as Team Nika had split right. A shift had subsequently propelled Team Nika into the lead which they held to the finish.
Prosikhin commented: “It was fun – this is why we are sailing – days like this are very special. Our top speed was 24.7 knots – very close to the record. It was fun, very exciting and the crew worked well.”
Then in the third race Charisma looked set to take their second win, extending their lead down the first run until this was abruptly halted as they were laid flat in a massive gust.
“It was a big, big puff, while we were out in front on our own” explained Horton. “We were on the edge, trying to get down, but it was just a moment in time that wasn’t kind to us…”
Charisma’s loss in her broach was Team Aqua and Team Ceeref Vaider’s gain.
As Charisma floundered, Chris Bake’s team powered into the port leeward gate in first with Igor Lah’s Team Ceeref Vaider close astern.
Up the next beat Ceeref’s tactician Adrian Stead put in a small hitch to the right and with this side slightly favoured and coming in with rights, the Slovenia team finally got the upper hand over Team Aqua. Leading into the final top mark and on to the finish.
Team Ceeref Vaider’s 5-2-1 left them second overall with 8 pts, with third Peninsula Racing 3-3-8 on 14 pts.
44CUP Calero Marinas Regatta – Day 1 after 3 races
1. 🇲🇨 Team Nika – 2 1 3 – 6 pts
2. 🇸🇮 Team CEEREF Vaider – 5 2 1 – 8 pts
3. 🇬🇧 Peninsula Racing – 3 3 8 – 14 pts
4. 🇲🇨 Charisma – 1 5 9 – 15 pts
5. 🇬🇧 Team Aqua – 9 4 2 – 15 pts
6. 🇫🇷 Aleph Racing – 4 6 6 – 16 pts
7. 🇨🇭 Black Star Sailing Team – 6 9 4 – 19 pts
8. 🇪🇸 Calero Sailing Team – 8 7 5 – 20 pts
9. 🇸🇪 Artemis Racing – 7 8 7 – 22 pts
