Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre Day 3 - Another step forward

8:03 PM Wed 3 Aug 2011 GMT

'Argo - Melges 32 - 30th Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre' Nico Martinez &copy Click Here to view large photo

The 30th Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre, organised by the Real Club N?utico of Palma, has now completed its third day of competition and with a good victory in today's 30 miles high scoring coastal race Jos? Cus?'s Brib?n took a big step towards victory in the IRC A division, as did Rats on Fire and Movistar in the RI 1 and 2 groups.

After a postponement ashore of approximately an hour due to the lack of wind, races today could finally start at 13:00hours as scheduled. Brib?n, Earlybird, Rats on Fire and Movistar consolidate their lead in IRC A, RC1 and 2 respectively, after their victories in today's high scoring coastal race, which carried a two point multiplier.

EarlyBird - IRC2 - 30th Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre - Nico Martinez &copy Click Here to view large photo

The wind for the start of the 30 miles long course, which was shortened down to 24 miles for the RI division, was 10 knots of southerly breeze, known as Embat in the local slang, but it soon lost intensity and dropped down to seven knots as it shifted to southwest. With six races to go, and a discard which is likely to be applied tomorrow after a minimum of eight races, the current leaders consolidate.

In IRC A Brib?n holds tothe lead after the TP52 steered by Galicia born skipper Gonzalo Ara?jo won today's coastal race. The RCN of Palma flagged white boat won the first scoring mark rounding after times were compensated, 14,3 miles from the star, and managed to cross the finish line 14 miles later only beaten by American Shockwave of George Sakellaris, which now moves up to third in the overall classification after five races.

Container could only be fifth and is now second, 11 points behind the leader Brib?n. Hispano steered by HRH Felipe de Borb?n drops to fifth after finishing today's coastal track in the same position after times were compensated. In IRC B, German flagged Earlybird holds to the lead in spite of her coastal third place, thus ending their winning streak of six bullets.

Container IRC1 - 30th Copa del Rey Audi Mapfre - Nico Martinez &copy Click Here to view large photo

While the Copa's largest vessels enjoyed the coastal track, the newcomer Melges 32 fleet run two windward leeward races which saw America's Cup skipper Cameron Appelton's Argo win again on the first one, dropping to fifth in the second, nevertheless extending her advantage upon second to seven points. Nicola Celon's 32 footer follows in the overall classification after second and fourth places, and the world champions B-Lin Sailing.com drops to third after a fourth and a seventh.

The scoreboard gets tighter in J-80 after world champion Nextel Engineering ofIgnacio Camino lost out to Jose Mar?a van der Ploeg's Factor Energ?a- Great Sailing Quum, which takes the lead after a second and a first.

In X-35 the Italian fleet conquers the podium after Hotel plan was first and second thus holding to the lead, Tixelio is second thanks to a win in today's second race, tied in points with Ave Mar?a of Marco Balbo.

Both RI fleets also had their coastal race today, but the committee decided to shorten it down to 24 miles after the wind started losing its strength. Rats on fire is leader after today's clear win, and Movistar leads in RI 2 after finishing first ahead of Power Plate.