ORC World Championship, start today: all the Italians at the start

Today the ORC World Championship begins in Barcelona and Italy has two titles to defend (that of Giuseppe Giuffré in Class C and Alberto Rossi in Class A). It is definitely important the tricolor representation at the 2015 ORC World Championship that will start on June 27 (first race on the 29th after the practice race). Organized by the Real Club Nautico de Barcelona, in collaboration with Offshore Racing Congress, the World Championship is the highlight of the international offshore sailing season and for many editions has recorded well over a hundred contenders for the rainbow titles that are awarded in the three Classes A, B and C, as well as the Corinthians. The World Cup has been speaking Italian for several years, and in this 2015 there are 20 teams that have reached Barcelona to cross sails with their opponents. Here are the first impressions gathered. (photo credit – Max Ranchi)

A CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE PLAYED TO THE END
“We participated in the Conde De Godò Trophy to sample the fleet and test the race course,” says Cesare Bressan, skipper of the TP52 Airis. “It was a poker game with a large and combative fleet, and now let’s see what happens at the World Cup. We hardly used the boat, which is chartered, and although we experienced similar feelings with the GP42, we had to prepare ourselves to race this boat. Roberto Monti, who has gained all the necessary experience, will be at the helm, assisted by Cristian Griggio, Gaetano Figlia di Granara, and Matteo Auguadro, while I will be at the stern making sure the whole machine is working. It will be a championship to be played to the end, there are at least 10 very strong competitors.”

THE TEST BENCH WITH THE NEW BOAT
For Duccio Colombi, skipper of the new Italia 9.98 Low Noise 2, “the world championship will be our real test with the new boat. We’ve only had opportunities to deal with Scugnizza in a couple of races, and we don’t have a real pulse on all the other opponents. We prepared by working with a very Anglo-Saxon method, not only based on training but also on data. The result is comforting, the numbers say that the changes on the new boat are also positive, but the real test will be this world championship where the number of opponents in Group C is high and with very competitive boats.”

DE BLASIO SEEKS “HAT TRICK”
Same impression for Enzo De Blasio, who returns to the World Championship race course with the NM 38 Scugnizza, after a year’s absence and two rainbow titles in his pocket (2012 and 2013). “The opponents are very, very fierce. We have modified the appendages and are coming to the race course in Barcelona with new sails, but we fear many opponents, primarily Low Noise 2, which we have already met in this 2015. We stopped for a year, in 2014 we got a nice second place in the Italian Championship and did not take part in any other important regattas, now we are presenting ourselves more fierce than ever, with a great desire for redemption.”

2014 WORLD CHAMPION CREW RECONFIRMED
“There is that healthy competitive tension that anticipates every major sporting event, as I am sure this World Cup will be,” says Alberto Rossi, who will be in Barcelona with his Enfant Terrible. “The entry list leaves no doubt about the level of a fleet that TP52s are joined by other interesting hulls. We prepared as best we could, working long on boat numbers and maneuvers. In this regard, I am happy to be able to count on almost the entire Kiel crew: a group of athletes who, each in their own role, represent the excellence of Italian sailing.”. To follow all the Italians at the World Cup.

ITALIAN BOATS AT THE START
Group A: Cesare Bressan, Airis, TP52; Alberto Rossi, Enfant Terrible, TP52; Andrea Pietrolucci, Milù, Milius 1455; Stefano Fava-Beppe Cavalieri, Stella Parmigiano Reggiano, Sydney 46; Luca Locatelli, Thetis, Swan 45; Andrea Masi, Ulika Random Research, Swan 45.

Group B: Alberto Franchi, Farr Marmo, Farr 40; Flavio Enrico Trusendi, Giumat+2, X-45; Fabio Santoro, Ottovolante, Grand Soleil 40; Gianclaudio Bassetti, WB5, X-41; Reve de Vie, Ermanno Galeati, GS 43 Race; Pier Vector Grimani, Sideracordis, X-41.

Group C: Domenico Cicala, Angry Red, T34; Salvatore Umberto Brucato, Jules et Jim, Bénéteau 34.7; Giuseppe Giuffrè, Low Noise 2, Italia Yacht 9.98; Fabio Bignolini, Northern Light by Samer Shipping, Dufour 34M; Peppe Fornich, Sagola Biotrading, GS 37; Enzo De Blasio, Scugnizza, NM38s; Alessandro Consiglio, South Kensinghton, First 35; Squalo Bianco, Concetto Costa, First 35; Francesco Bruna, Valhalla, GS 37.

The Championship, organized by Club Nautico de Barcelona in collaboration with the Offshore Racing Congress, the Spanish Sailing Federation and the Catalan Sailing Federation, will begin on Monday, June 29, and end on July 4. Nine races are scheduled, seven on the buoys and one offshore race (valid for awarding two scores: one from the start to the control point, about halfway through the race, the other from the start to the finish line).