Please select your home edition
Edition
Maritimo 2023 M600 LEADERBOARD

44Cup Marstrand at Marstrands Segelsällskap - Day 3

by 44Cup 1 Jul 2023 20:05 UTC 29 June - 2 July 2023

They are the reigning 44Cup champions, defending champions here in Marstrand - today Nico Poons, Kiwi tactician Hamish Pepper and the rest of his red-hatted crew on Charisma showed again why they are the current supreme leaders in the high performance owner-driver one design class.

Hosted by the Marstrands Segelsällskap and supported by Artemis Technologies, racing at the 44Cup Marstrand was blown-off yesterday due to near gale force wind and waves. Today conditions had dropped to around 10 knots with a slight left-over chop and PRO Maria Torrijo succeeded in making up most of the schedule by holding four races as the wind continually backed from the south to southeast. In this Charisma won the first and third races and with two fourths made her not only the day's top scoring boat but also leader of the 44Cup Marstrand with a significant 10 point lead going into tomorrow's final day. Marstrand, the paradise island off west Sweden, took on a more wintry feel as a front arrived bringing rain half way through today's proceedings.

"We are pleased," commented Charisma's tactician, Hamish Pepper. "It was fantastic for the team. The guys are sailing the boat well and Nico is steering it well. When we are behind we manage to claw our way back and pick up one or two places. When we were ahead we could extend a few times."

Today the race track was slightly one way with most teams heading left into the shore in search of tidal relief and a favourable left shift. "It was not a 'must go' left, you had to play the shifts and we had a few opportunities to play the shifts well and we got a few bullets," continued Pepper.

Most impressively the team seemed not to miss a beat when they had an unfortunate port-starboard collision with Team Aqua prior to the start of the third race that left Charisma (who was in the right, on starboard) with her sacrificial bow knocked off and Team Aqua with damage to her port topsides. "Luckily no one was hurt. Their boom came close to our guys and our rigging," said Pepper. "It was just bad luck for them timing-wise. The good thing about the RC44 is that it has a fake bow, so if you do have a collision the bow is designed to come off and soften the blow. We had a spare bow out there, and it took about 15 minutes for our boat builder to strap it on."

John Bassadone's Peninsula Racing picked up her second bullet of the event in today's second race. Then in the fourth and final race, 44Cup Marstrand event host Torbjörn Törnqvist's Artemis Racing tacked at just the right moment on the first upwind to edge into the lead.

"We have been trying hard and finally it came our way, so it was nice," observed Törnqvist. "We got to the left, which is where we wanted to be, because we were down at the pin where it was a bit crowded. Then we managed to get the lead and hold on to it. But it was very close at the end."

On the final moments of the last run came a strong challenge to them from Hugues Lepic's Aleph Racing, but Artemis Racing managed to keep its nose in front to take its first bullet of the event. "It is close racing as always. It was nice to finally to have a little bit of success after some not so good races," admitted Törnqvist. Of the event generally he added: "It is good - we didn't sail yesterday but we have had eight races so far and we are going to try and get some more in tomorrow."

Team Nika had a mixed day coming home second in today's first race but trailed the fleet home in the second when she suffered damage to her headsail.

Very much on the ascent today was Christian Zuerrer's Black Star Sailing Team which was third in the last two races. "I think it was the best day we have ever had in the RC44," said a beaming, if soaking wet, Zuerrer once ashore in the 44Cup's dockside hospitality suite. "It feels great that we are now able to stay up with all the other guys, even though it is still hard when it is so close at the top, and then staying there all the way to the finish line."

Tomorrow further strong winds are forecast. To stand the greatest chance of being able to get racing in the first warning signal has been brought forward to 0930.

Follow the live coverage at www.44Cup.org

44Cup Marstrand Results after Day 3:

1. Charisma - 5 1 3 2 1 4 1 4 - 21pts
2. Peninsula Racing - 3 5 1 6 5 1 4 6 - 31pts
3. Aleph Racing - 1 4 4 3 6 6 6 2 - 32pts
4. Team Nika - 2 6 5 4 2 8 5 5 - 37pts
5. Team Ceeref powered by Hrastnik 1860 - 4 8 6 5 3 3 2 7 - 38pts
6. Black Star Sailing Team - 7 3 7 7 8 5 3 3 - 43pts
7. Team Aqua - 6 7 2 1 7 2 9DNS 9DNS - 45pts
8. Artemis Racing - 8 2 8 8 4 7 7 1 - 45pts

Related Articles

2024 44Cup Nanny Cay Day 2
Nika recovers her mojo as Artemis Racing edges into the lead in the BVI Conditions on the British Virgin Islands' St Francis Drake Channel further improved today; still shifty, thanks to the islands to weather and the tropical clouds overhead, but with more wind - ranging from 9-13 knots. Posted today at 12:08 am
2024 44Cup Nanny Cay Day 1
Team Nika on the ropes as Charisma excels Despite an unpromising forecast, Tortola came good for the opening day of the 44Cup Nanny Cay with PRO Maria Torrijo and the race team from the Royal BVI Yacht Club laying on three races, held in 6-14 knots from the east to southeast. Posted on 22 Nov
Eight teams jockey for 2024 44Cup podium in BVI
Racing sets sail Thursday out of Nanny Cay, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands Racing sets sail Thursday out of Nanny Cay, Tortola in the British Virgin Islands for the concluding event of the 2024 44Cup. Posted on 21 Nov
2024 44Cup to be decided in British Virgin Islands
Returning to the Caribbean after a nine year absence After a nine year absence from the Caribbean, the RC44 fleet will return next week for the 44Cup Nanny Cay, taking place over 20-24 November. Posted on 15 Nov
Calero Sailing Team concludes 44Cup Worlds
The final day of the 44Cup World Championship Brunnen After days of sun and solid wind, rain descended over Lake Lucerne on Saturday night and continued into mid-morning on Sunday, the final day of the 44Cup World Championship Brunnen. Posted on 26 Aug
44Cup Worlds in Brunnen, Switzerland overall
Team Nika crowned World Champions by a point The 44Cup World Championship Brunnen concluded today on Switzerland's Lake Lucerne with the most intense tussle for the lead between Vladimir Prosikhin's Team Nika and Igor Lah's Team Ceeref Vaider. Posted on 25 Aug
Challenging conditions for Calero Sailing Team
Three races in difficult conditions on the penultimate day of the 44Cup World Championship Three races were held at the 44Cup World Championship Brunnen, but in difficult conditions on the penultimate day of the competition on Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland. Posted on 24 Aug
44Cup Worlds in Brunnen, Switzerland Day 3
Lake Uri laid on different conditions for the penultimate day Lake Uri (Lucerne) laid on different conditions for the penultimate day of the 44Cup World Championship out of Brunnen, Switzerland. Posted on 24 Aug
44Cup Worlds in Brunnen, Switzerland Day 2
Team Nika ahead at the halfway stage For day two of the 44Cup World Championship the nine RC44 teams ventured out from the host village of Brunnen on to the Urnersee section of Lake Uri [Lucerne] to a full windless, glass-out. Posted on 23 Aug
Calero Sailing Team: Best day yet on 44Cup circuit
On day two of the 44Cup World Championship in Brunnen, Switzerland Under normal circumstances, the team with the 44Cup's 'black boat' is supposed to reside at the bottom of the leaderboard for the high performance Russell Coutts-conceived owner-driver RC44 one designs. Posted on 23 Aug
Maritimo 2023 S-Series FOOTERSavvy Navvy 2024