Update
point the project would end, but I did not think it would be in a year like this. I wish the end had been in a better way. Any team must one day say goodbye to racing and we do so as the last winners of the TP52 fleet, both of the 2019 Super Series and of the only regatta held this 2020 in Cape Town. ‘My first relationship was with Alberto Jr. We both sailed in the
local regattas in Buenos Aires in J/24s, but we were rivals. Then they invited me to sail with the Maximizer in the Caribbean, I started as a crew member and then they gave me the responsibility as a tactician. The planets aligned correctly and we had a good cham- pionship – that regatta was the beginning of a great relationship. ‘Later we campaigned a new Maxi, Alexia, but soon Alberto
Roemmers Sr decided to reconfigure the boat to make it more com- petitive! I was involved in the refit and since then as manager I have been closely linked to all the family’s projects. In 2007 the first TP52 was launched with the sponsorship of Siemens and since then we have not missed a single edition of the circuit.’ Parada has particularly fond memories of the patriarch of the
saga, Alberto Roemmers Sr. ‘Don Alberto competed to win, his message clear. He demanded results but tried to give us the tools to achieve them so did not like to hear excuses if we didn’t win!’ Perhaps their special relationship was passed down to the other
team members over the years, as Parada explains. ‘The work envi- ronment is great. Over the many years there have been changes in the team, but the friendship remains. This has been one of our strengths. It made us stronger as a team, especially in the inevitable difficult moments when things don’t go well.’ Of course we have to talk about the future, and now Parada
sounds serious: ‘We are 100% dedicated to keeping the project going. I am looking into possibilities. I think for a boat owner we are the best option, since our package of boat and team is the best, and a new owner would save years of learning to achieve a level like ours. Personally, if the entire project cannot continue I will look for a place in another TP52 or in boats of other categories.’ Since 2012 the two teams of Azzurra and Quantum Racing have
dominated the TP52 Super Series, although curiously Azzurra only lifted the Rolex World Championship trophy in 2015. Both teams, recently joined by the German Platoon, have enjoyed some intense duels that were raising the temperature of a sporting rivalry that was always chivalrous and very beneficial to the show. Terry Hutchinson, leader of Quantum Racing during all this time,
except for 2019 when he was involved full time in American Magic, is sad to see the departure of his former big rival: ‘Azzurra has been an incredible programme for the better part of a decade. It always represented high performance, clever ideas and a toughcompetitor. ‘Within our development inside Quantum Racing we always had
to find ways to be stronger than Azzurra. That was no easy task and the level Azzurra brought to the racecourse was second to none. I thank Azzurra for making us all better on the water.’
q SNAPSHOTS Brought to you in association with
For anyone who doubts how hard Gitana Team are pushing for performance for their forthcoming Jules Verne attempt this is how they are addressing the energy-sapping loss of pressure under the boom when you have a large coachroof and a 100ft raceboat. The coachroof has similarly been extended aft with a long lightweight canopy to improve the airflow exiting the boat
18 SEAHORSE
l Bitch fight…Challengers vs Defender, as the Arbitration Panel rules that spectator-friendly inshore courses cannot be used for the Cup Match since they are not available for the Prada Cup l Doubling down…Challenger of Record Prada has hired Brad Butterworth to help run the Challenger Series and the Match l Butterworth…and Dalts do not always see eye to eye l As in…NOT l Remember too…Butterworth and Coutts led the great Team New Zealand walkout of 2000 l Crikey…while we strongly support an Olympic offshore discipline l Even…we’re alarmed at the budgets already being thrown about l (Well) upwards of…US$500,000 including coach, sails and operating costs over 2-3 years l On the other hand…we know of some Olympic small boat programmes that spent much more than that... l Without…a decent if well-used 30-footer to flog off at the end l Fancy paying…a premium of 10-12 per cent of boat value to insure your zillion euro Imoca for the Vendée? l With a minimum…excess of €500,000? l No surprise…that at the top (corporates often self-insure as the norm) and bottom (aged yacht value less than the excess!) of the Vendée fleet for many entries ‘computer said NO!’ l The late… Jim Young may have installed the first known canting keel on Fiery Cross in 1959 but the first patent was filed in 1900 l Since you (always) ask…by Douglas Beardy l From whom…we have already requested an article l Bean bags…futons, ottomans, mattresses, air beds... l All…have been tried by the Imoca foiler skippers l Accepting…that most of the next 65-75 days will be spent lying on the cabin floor head-forward hoping not to crash into anything l (Multihull sailors…always sleep feet-forward) l Taking over…the world l One star at a time… l Sportif… one-design champion Skip Dieball is the latest ‘marquee’ addition to Doyle Sails’ relentlessly expanding roster of the finest world-class sailing talent l Confession time…Charlie Enright’s 11th Hour Ocean Race team have conceded that, yes, they’ve entered and are building a boat l Unlike…the Stars & Stripes Cup challenge… l Who…for those who still listen to PR (sorry, we don’t) will not be racing AC36 (as in, no, not ever, nada, nyet) l How…boring was that story? l No honour…among thieves… l The best critique…we heard of World Sailing’s nefarious dramas l Why does…any sport federation need to appoint a top-five auditor to monitor its internal voting? l Maybe because…around 10 per cent of MNAs were already suspended so unable to vote at all l We sh*t…you not l Also… did US Sailing really just vote for a World Sailing president who is not allowed into the USA? l Remind us… where will the Los Angeles Olympics be held? l SailGP update…‘a cleaner and more inclusive future’ l Well…pump some of Larry’s zillions into electric RIBs and we will take you much more seriously l Gone girl… Ellen MacArthur is no longer the youngest person to sail alone around Britain l The honour…falling to 15-year-old Tim Long l Plucky…lad l They partied… like 1969... l Bravo to…the organisers of the 2020 Fiji Regatta Week l But they…never asked us... l Memories… of an elephant, us l Take note…organisers of Key West Race Week 2021 l No…that’s not a typo! l Big vacuum…tough weeks with the loss of just-a-bloody-good- bloke Geoff Ewenson, Laser guru Dick Tillman and former Star Class president Dierk Thomsen l Seems… some brokers really are running out of boats to sell… l He/she immediately turns to…
RaceboatsOnly.com followed by
EurosailNews.com
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