Adecco Maxi OD - Grand Prix of Estoril Day 2

TWO WINS FOR SWITZERLAND PUTS ALINGHIMAX IN LEAD

CASCAIS, PORTUGAL-Two victories out of three races puts Ernesto Bertarelli and the crew of Alinghimax in the overall lead of the Cepsa Estoril Grand Prix. They were clear-cut wins over short courses and both were set up by excellent starts. The third race victory went to the Portuguese big boat team led by Afonso Domingos.

The competitors were denied an early start to racing, as they had requested, as the breeze had not spread far enough to the east along the coast. Eventually the Race Committee moved to meet the wind and started the first race in a brisk north-westerly breeze of 22-24 knots. It was ideal for the 80 footers and they provided the spectators out on the water with some excellent close racing.

Alinghimax and Ludde Ingvall's Skandia (EUR) were best away from the start at the favoured pin end of the line; the other five boats were all at the committee boat end, with Pierre Fehlmann (FRA) in Team Henri-Lloyd shut out and having to tack and gybe to start correctly. The others at that end tacked very shortly after starting and both Alinghimax and Skandia tacked to cover the fleet.

At the windward mark, Alinghimax and Skandia were absolutely level with the Swiss boat on the inside. As Alinghimax bore away to start the run, her mainsheet was run off quickly and the boat came bolt upright. The top of her mainsail hit the tip of Skandia's mast and the European boat had to perform a 360 degree penalty turn to absolve the infringement.

Doing this dropped Skandia behind both Domingos' PGA Portugalia Airlines and Geoff Meek's Rainbow Magic from South Africa. But not for long. By the leeward mark, Skandia was back in second place, but the Swiss lead on the final two mile beat to windward was impregnable. Guido Maisto's Seac Banche took third place ahead of the Portuguese.

As the breeze had spread further east by the time of the next start, the race course had been moved there, but there was less wind - no more than 14 knots. The breeze was also fitful and at the start it backed and allowed Bertarelli to make a well judged port tack to clear the fleet and shoot into what proved to be an unassailable lead.

Skandia again led the chase, but a fast finish by Domingos almost took second place for PGA Portugalia Airlines. Just one second separated the two, but the Race Committee saw that Skandia's bow was just in front.

There was no doubt in the third and final race of the day, another over three two mile legs. Domingos had the best start at the pin end of the line when the Swiss boat was too soon and had to re-round and start correctly. Once clear away, there was to be no catching the young Portuguese skipper who has an Olympic campaign in the 49ers to return to after this regatta.

PGA Portugalia Airlines had built a lead of almost a minute over Seac Banche at the first mark and sailed cleverly downwind to maintain that lead to start the third leg. Maisto took the leeward mark rounding badly and left a gap big enough for Ingvall to put Skandia. Maisto is protesting the move and his protest will be heard later this evening. Skandia went on to finish second ahead of Seac Banche with the Swiss in fourth place.

Results:

Race two:
1. SUI  Alinghimax  Ernesto Bertarelli
2. EUR  Skandia  Ludde Ingvall
3. ITA  Seac Banche  Guido Maisto
4. POR  PGA Portugalia Airlines  Afonso Domingos
5. RSA  Rainbow Magic  Geoff Meek
6. FRA  Team Henri-Lloyd  Pierre Fehlmann
RTD  BEL  Synphony  Hans Bouscholte

Race three:
1. SUI
2. EUR
3. POR
4. ITA
5. FRA
DNS  BEL & RSA

Race four:
1. POR
2. EUR
3. ITA
4. SUI
5. FRA
DNS  BEL & RSA

Overall points after four races with one discard
1. SUI  26.5
2. EUR 26
3. POR 21.5
4. ITA  18
5. FRA 13
6. RSA  12
7. BEL  4.5