Spain’s SailTeam BCN stole the headlines with a win in the Opening Day of Group B fleet racing in the UniCredit Youth America’s Cup only race.
As we have come to expect, Mother Nature ultimately dictate the schedule, and racing took place in marginal easterly ‘Llevant’ conditions on a day of heavy cloud cover and rainstorms.
From the start it was all about who could stay on the foils the longest and execute tricky manoeuvres on the 0.5 metre swell.
After some small delays for the weather to settle, the fleet of six AC40’s got away with Andoo Team Australia, led by Cole Tapper, making an excellent start at the port end of the line.
Concord Pacific Racing from Canada, with Andrew Wood steering, joined the Australians on the initial drag race to the left boundary.
However, this was a race where the tough survived and for those teams that could keep their patience, rewards lay ahead.
The Swedish Challenge were the first to capitalise on errors elsewhere, and whilst many fell into displacement mode, Oscar Engström’s team stole into what looked like an unassailable lead . . . rounding the top gate almost 400 metres ahead of the chasing SailTeam BCN.
It was all about to change though, as Canada, Australia and Germany picked up some new breeze at the top of the course and came charging back into contention.
For the Swedish and Spanish, who were almost half way up the final leg to the finish, they could only watch as slowly the back-markers ate up the gap.
The Spanish kept cool, making it through a final foiling tack that brought them on the same line as the Swedish.
Crossing the finish line at around 20 knots, SailTeam BCN secured a brilliant win and 10 points to top the table.
For Sweden, it was heartbreak as what looked like a certain second place was snatched away when a foiling Concord Pacific Racing flew by right on the finish line, relegating the Swedes to third.
An announcement after racing from the Race Committee confirmed that the Group B Invited Teams will continue their series Saturday, starting at just after 13:00 hrs UK (14:00 CET).
Just one race Friday but for the local supporters, SailTeam BCN are the toast of Barcelona tonight
