Team Ceeref confirm lead at RC 44 Austria Cup
'RC 44 Austria Cup - Photo Martina Wohlesser'
RC44.com
The Slovenian Team Ceeref with Igor Lah at the helm and James Spithill calling the shots, had another excellent series on day one of the fleet race event of the RC 44 Austria Cup, taking the lead ahead of Team Aqua and Team Banco Espirito Santo.
The specific conditions on Lake Traunsee definitely have an impact on the RC 44 Championship Tour. Some love it, others don't. But at the end of the day, two teams clearly lead the way: Igor Lah' Team Ceeref and Chris Bake's Team Aqua, respectively winner and second of the match race event yesterday and clear leaders of the fleet race event after three races.
The fleet regatta started in the early afternoon, with a light thermal breeze (8 - 10 knots). Team Aqua took an excellent start and led the entire fleet throughout the race. At the other end of the ranking, BMW Oracle Racing - with John Kostecki calling the shots for Larry Ellison, managed to fight its way back from last to second during the first downwind leg, benefiting from on a stronger pressure on the right of the course.
During the last downwind leg, Ceeref made a fake jibe, sending BMW Oracle Racing to the less favoured right side of the course and grabbing the second spot with style.
The second race was entirely dominated by Ceeref, who increased its lead leg after leg. On great form, Markus Wieser's Team Sea Dubai managed to grab the second spot, just ahead of Team Aqua.
Four teams got penalised at the first windward mark - Team Organika, BMW Oracle Racing, Cro-Aut-Sail and Team Hiroshi - for establishing their bowsprits before reaching the windward gate. The strong action by the Jury reshuffled the cards and spread a certain amount of discontent within the fleet.
The last race of the day saw once again Team Aqua take a great start and lead the fleet. As for Ceeref, it started last and managed to fight its way back, shift after shift and puff after puff, overtaking Aqua in the last downwind leg to win the race; an impressive display of smart boat handling and strategic clairvoyance.
The event carries on until Sunday. Tomorrow Saturday, the RC 44s will compete in the long distance DHL Trophy, which is part of the fleet race ranking.
Fleet-race, provisional results after three races (no discard):
1) Team Ceeref, Igor Lah, 2, 1, 1 - 4 points
2) Team Aqua, Chris Bake,1, 3, 2 - 6 points
3) Team Banco Espirito Santo, Patrick de Barros, 4, 4, 4 - 12 points
4) BMW Oracle Racing, Larry Ellison, 3, 9, 3 - 15 points
5) Team Beecom, Isao Mita 7, 5, 5 - 17 points
6) Sea Dubai, Markus Wieser 6, 2, DSQ - 18 points
7) Team Hiroshi - Citt? di Milano, Armando Giulietti, 5, 7, 6 - 18 points
8) Cro-Aut-Sail, Rene Mangold, 9, 6, 8 - 23 points
9) Team Organika, Maciej Navrocki, 8, 8, 7 - 23 points
by Event media 
Port Macquarie, NSW
