Divided the third line

July 21, 20193min read

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Divided the third line
The third stage of the 52 Super Series in Cascais (Portugal) ended with the first victory of the veterans of the class – Quantum Racing this season. The St. Petersburg Yacht Club team Bronenosec Sailing Team adequately held competitions and shared the third line of the final table with the German Platoon.

The Germans won the medal only because of the victory in the final race. The confrontation with Platoon continues for the team "Battleship" the second stage. A month ago, on the island of Menorca, the Russian team was able to get ahead of the vice-champions of the 2018 season and finish with a bronze medal. At the third stage, the teams again met at a distance, pursuing each other, but this time the Germans were luckier.

In fact, everything was decided by the photo finish of the last race, where Azzurra and Platoon approached the line at the same time on different tacks. The Italians had gold at stake, and the Germans had bronze. That is, the fate of the entire pedestal in Cascais was decided on the last lee of the ninth race.

Even on the tracker it was difficult to determine who crossed the finish line first. According to the judging committee, the Germans won the race. Azzurra was one-third of the hull behind and finished with silver, losing just one point to American Quantum Racing, which, after an unsuccessful second stage, was unstoppable in the fresh winds of the Atlantic.

Before the start of the ninth race, the Battleship was third with a three-point advantage to the Germans. To this result, the team has overcome a difficult path. On the courage after the medal of the second stage, the “Battleship” began racing in Cascais in the top three, then moved to the fourth line and returned to the top three again on July 18. Then came the change of wind, when in the only race on July 19, Vladimir Lyubomirov’s crew finished seventh. Again, fourth place with equal points with Platoon.

By the start of the decisive day, the crew of the Battleship managed to concentrate – and won the first race on July 20. But Platoon was there, finishing fourth. The start and the first tacking of the final race was not very successful: the “Battleship” is the fourth on the sign, Platoon is ahead. Then things went even worse: in the full course "The Battleship" goes for broke and concedes a few more positions. The incredible “comeback” due to the fast turnaround after the third rounding allowed the “Battleship” to finish fourth. But this was not enough.

“It is for this that we love sailing, this incredible tension and struggle of equal and strongest crews in the distance, and even in the fresh wind,” says Vladimir Lyubomirov. – We really had a great stage, the team performed excellently, and here only Fortune could decide how the race will develop. There are still two stages of the season ahead, and we will fight for the medals! ”

Competitions 52 Super Series will continue in Mallorca in late August, where the world championship class TP52. 11 teams from eight countries are expected to attend. The season results will be announced at the end of September in Porto Cervo.

Alexey Zhirov
PR-director of the Yacht Club of St. Petersburg

The results of the third stage –