2026 44Cup Puntaldia - Day 2
by 44Cup 24 Apr 20:42 BST
22-26 April 2026
Following yesterday's brisk, lumpy conditions off the Sardinian coast, for day two of the 44Cup Puntaldia the northerly had moderated to 8-12 knots and the sea flattened.
Yesterday's giant shifts and 'wind bombs' - the result of the wind blowing over the mountainous island of Tavolara - were gone, leaving teams with the challenge of making the best of the lighter, but still shifting, breeze.
Following a disappointing opening day when they were forced to miss two races due to a broken mast track, Christian Zuerrer's Black Star Sailing Team returned to the race track fully back on form. While John Bassadone's Peninsula Racing and Torbjörn Törnqvist's Artemis Racing were called OCS and had to restart, Black Star won the pin and, last to tack in from the far left ended up pulling ahead to get the inside berth on Charisma at the first top mark rounding. She extended going left again up the second beat eventually securing her first bullet.
"We got a really nice start - one of our best so far, with a nice launch," commented tactician Cameron Dunn. "It was 'max righty' and we just had good speed. Then once we could tack, we were pretty much at lay line and could cross everybody."
Zuerrer was delighted: "We had a couple of training days in similar conditions. We are happy to have this first bullet as a new team. We're looking forward to the following days." Her new crew line-up includes Danish 44Cup veteran Christian Kamp and Luke Molley trimming main and headsail respectively and Randall Jackson on bow.
The left was also strong in today's second race, with many short tacking up the mid-left. This left Nico Poons' Team Charisma, the Pietro Loro Piana-steered Aleph Racing and the Turkish Wow! Sailing Team three abreast coming into the top mark. Charisma just nosed in front of Wow! going onto the run, but by the gate Aleph Racing had pulled up to second. On the second beat Charisma extended up the left and went on to become a fifth team to win in as many races.
"We got spat out after the start," commented Charisma tactician Andy Horton... "and just kind of zigged when they zagged. We were not early but then the whole pack came out of the left and we ended up crossing behind them and then getting up to the left of them and winning the beat. So that was good." However Horton was more pleased with today's first race when they finished second: "That was probably the best race we've sailed in about a year. Today was beautiful; champagne sailing; perfect weather. No water on the deck and enough wind for these boats to power up well."
While the sun and cloud-less blue sky remained for the final race, the northerly was dropping and clocking east. In this the sides of the course evened up and it was only a lift at the end of the first beat that handed the port tackers the lead going into the top mark: GeMera Sailing Team ahead of Vladimir Prosikhin's Team Nika and Black Star.
Gybing early on the first run, Team Nika edged into the lead, but on the next beat GeMera found a clear lane to recover the lead and take the bullet.
"The wind was a lot more stable today," commented GeMera Sailing Team tactician Francesco Bruni, bemoaning their costly OCS in race two when they finished last. "The left side was paying a lot, but we only realised before the last race. Luckily in that we had a good start and the possibility to go left. We had a problem when we hoisted the kite - the retrieval line got stuck, but we sorted it out. As a team we did well keeping focussed and kept pushing the boat. We had our opportunity because the other two boats made a little mistake. I was super happy with that one."
Winner of the day was Charisma on nine points, but demonstrating the closeness of the competition Team Nika, Black Star Sailing Team and Aleph Racing were right behind, all scoring 10 today. Aleph managed exclusively podium finishes until today's final race in which they were fifth. However the French team still leads at the 44Cup Puntaldia's half way stage: four and six points respectively ahead of Teams Nika and Charisma. "We had a bad start," explained tactician Michele Ivaldi of today's final race. "We fought for the pin but our timing was no good and we had to bail out quite early. It was good to be fifth at the top mark. Otherwise it was another great day."
Of worthy mention today was Wow! Sailing Team. The Turkish team is still the greenest on the 44 Cup but today scored a third and fourth in the final two races. "After the first race when we were ninth, it was like, 'oh my God, this is going nowhere'," admitted Mehmet Taki who drove today. "But then we got a third and fourth. So it is a very positive, good feeling. Basically, little mistakes cost a lot in this class. So you have to try to do everything perfectly."
Taki shares the driving with his nephew Murat Edin but with no clear process for deciding who is on: "You have to watch for the smoke! If it is white smoke it is me, grey smoke is Murat!" Mehmet is perhaps the light wind specialist but maintains he is in fact the rain specialist: "Whenever it rains I am board, not Murat. Luckily today we had none..."
Tomorrow racing is again due to commence with a first warning signal at 1200 with the forecast for 10-12 knots, but from a more southerly direction.
Results after Day 2:
| Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | PP | Pts |
|---|
| Aleph Racing (17) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | | 16 |
| Team Nika (10) | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | | 20 |
| Team Charisma (15) | 2 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | | 22 |
| GeMera Racing (30) | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 1 | | 24 |
| Black Star (27) | 4 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 3 | | 34 |
| Team Aqua (28) | 6 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | | 37 |
| Peninsula Racing (31) | 8 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 9 | | 40 |
| Artemis Racing (26) | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | | 40 |
| Wow! Sailing Team (25) | 9 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 41 |
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