Tough, this Transat CIC (ex Ostar) is very tough, which is proving to be a complicated regatta as expected due to the weather conditions encountered and the stress these impose on skippers and boats. We are now at the third or fourth depression in a row, almost without interruption, which the Imoca 60 and Class 40 fleet are facing on the route from Lorient in New Yorkbut the news today for Italian sailing is the return to the top of Ambrogio Beccaria on Allagrande Pirelli in the 40′.
Transat CIC – How the Italians are doing
Ambrogio Beccaria is on the attack, after having had to repair a bulkhead that threatened to delaminate, and having lost the Code Zero from the masthead in a manoeuvre, the Milanese turned his regatta around in the last 24 hours and first closed the gap he had on Ian Lipinski, and then go and overcome it. Now Allagrande Pirelli has a small lead to defend, less than 10 miles, but it has practically made up almost 30 in the last 24 hours.
On the mains with strong winds the Italian boat is demonstrating all its value, and now Beccaria is going to jibe closer to the center of the depression, also taking a strategic risk because as it approaches the center of the depression the wind decreases, but in an attempt to gain more ground towards the west and accumulate a few more miles in the waltz of jibes he will have with Ian Lipinski and the other skippers of the leading group. Alberto Bona on IBSA they are in fifth position, but the Turin skipper has accumulated a delay of a hundred miles, while still confirming himself in the top part of the rankings of this very tough Transat CIC.
It’s not the dream regatta for Giancarlo Pedote and Prysmian among the Imoca 60: When battling close to the top 10, the boat’s electronic systems suffered a blackout, leaving Pedote without navigation and wind data, and without the main autopilot, for several hours. Pedote had to take just as many to solve the problem, and the slowdown cost him many positions in the standings and a 400 mile delay from the leader, who is currently Yoann Richomme.
Mauro Giuffrè
