J Class yachts at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Sardinia

J Class yachts at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Sardinia - Day 2

by J Class Association 2 Sep 2014 21:17 BST 1-6 September 2014

Rainbow on day 2 of the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup © Carlo Borlenghi / Rolex

Racing for the J Class at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup off Porto Cervo, Sardinia remains extremely close. After three races – one 33 miles coastal and two windward-leewards – a different crew has won each contest and only one point separates the top three boats on the regatta standings.

Yesterday Rainbow were denied what would have been their first race win since they scored two wins here last year, by a mere five seconds on corrected time, but this afternoon in a modest, shifting NW-ly breeze there was no mistaking the decisive Race 3 victory for the red shirted team on Rainbow. Finishing more than two minutes ahead of second placed Lionheart, Rainbow earn the overall lead thanks to a 2,3,1 scoreline which puts them one point ahead of Lionheart and Ranger.

"For the hours that we get to actually sail together we are delighted. Finally we have a win this season. Our Italian team on tactics and navigation make a little bit of a difference here, especially when we are sailing on the coastal races. But winning this afternoon was about speed in the conditions and that made the difference for us." explained Mark Neeleman, the Dutch five times Olympian who steers Rainbow, crediting the skills of the class's only all-Italian afterguard here, tactician Francesco de Angelis and navigator Michele Ivaldi.

Although Ranger, winners of yesterday's coastal race, lead early in the first race of the day it was Lionheart which used the breeze slightly better on the first downwind to close right up to the leaders by the leeward gate. When they went right up the second beat they were able to just cross Ranger on the approach to the windward mark. In the shifting breeze both leaders had to tack twice on the final approach and that allowed Lionheart a margin which they were able to increase significantly down the run to the finish, winning by more than two minutes. Ranger took second, Rainbow third and Velsheda fourth.

The second race was contested in a slightly lighter breeze. Velsheda nailed the pin end of the start line to perfection and chose a big left, Lionheart and Ranger right, but the best wind pressure was up the middle of the course really, and that was the winning factor recognised by De Angelis and Ivaldi.  Rainbow were already over 100 metres down the first run when the second and third boats were just approaching the windward mark. And even when their light kite exploded and they had to sail bare headed for a short time their margin was only eroded slightly.

Rainbow's third and first for the day give them the regatta lead for the first time this season, but the omnipresent Lionheart – winners in Menorca and Palma – are obviously on the prowl returning a first and second today.

Neelemann concluded: "We had to improve our starts. The first race start was really terrible and so that helped us win for sure, we had lot of speed and clear air off the line. After that we could cover the two other Js and we just really had good speed. At the end of the first beat we were well ahead. It was just down to speed. If you lose speed in these conditions it is really hard to get it back. That was the thing. I saw Lionheart pinching high a lot in these conditions."

"When we hoisted the kite there was knot in the middle. We thought OK we would be fine until the gybe and would switch it. But just before we went to gybe it broke and that was that."

"So finally we have a win. We have a good team and they deserve it today. Our Italian afterguard I think are making a difference, especially on the coastal races, I think we were sailing close to the rocks yesterday."

"It is nice to have a lead in the regatta but there is a long way to go of course. I think actually we don't get to sail enough hours together and so for the hours we do sail together we are hanging in there well enough and that says a lot. It makes it nice for the owner and sweeter for us."

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