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0 Plattner’s Phoenix 11 Make Dream Home Waters Start in Cape Town

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(Monday 2nd March, Cape Town) – Racing on their own home waters, Hasso Plattner’s Phoenix 11 made a dream start to the Odzala Discovery Camps 52 SUPER SERIES V&A Waterfront – Cape Town regatta, the first event of six that comprise the 2020 52 SUPER SERIES.

 

Local knowledge and a protracted spell of training late last year and before this season’s curtain raiser played its part as Phoenix completed a textbook first race that they won comfortably. Then, after a less than perfect start to the second contest, Phoenix battled from the bottom third of the fleet to deliver a valuable third place finish. Plattner’s crew lead the regatta by two points from the 2019 champions Azzurra who returned a fourth and a second, a solid debut day for new tactician Michele Paoletti.

In the south westerly breeze, which picked up to 16kts for the second start and averaged 10-13 kts for the day, conditions were not easy to read – consistency proving particularly elusive. Phoenix 11, the newer of the two Plattner family TP52s, were undoubtedly the class act delivering for the home support.

Along with veteran Plattner on the tiller, the day’s leading crew has a potent mix of local South African sailors on board such as main trimmer Paul Willcox, navigator Shane Elliott and grinder Shaun Pammenter, working with America’s Cup winner Peter Holmberg, who joined the crew this season as tactician and the hugely experienced Andy Horton also adding to the afterguard strengths.

Phoenix 11 stuck to their pre race strategy, starting smartly off the pin end of the start line to establish an early lead that allowed them to own the left, inshore side of the first upwind.

Building their margin to over 90 metres, they could keep Bronenosec and Sled in check to the finish line. Bronenosec, with double Olympic medalist Jonathan McKee calling tactics for helm Morgan Larson, finished second with winners Sled in third. Sled have Murray Jones steering. World Champions and 2019 runners up for the season Platoon were over the start line and had to re-cross and finished ninth.

While Quantum Racing had the best start to the second race they had to take a penalty on the first beat and then, as others did today, had to slow to remove kelp from their foils, resulting in an eighth place.

Andy Soriano’s Alegre, which has Ado Stead and Nic Asher as afterguard, were able to capitalise from their own solid start to lead all the way round the second course, emulating the gun to gun win of Phoenix 11.

Race 2 – Alegre Take Early Season Bullet

Andy Soriano’s Alegre team take an early season bullet, Mr Soriano’s fifth consecutive event with a race win. More information will follow shortly.

For full results, visit: http://bit.ly/39dxQKs