CAGLIARI, SARDINIA INTERNATIONAL KEELBOAT TEAM RACING REGATTA DAY 3

Royal Thames Yacht Club victorious in 2-1 final against Yacht Club Costa Smeralda.

Day 3 and it is Navy Day in the port of Cagliari with aircraft carriers and various escorts moving in and out…but nothing was to get in the way of the final day of racing in this the most amazing of venues.

Despite another great night of entertainment, eating and dancing; racing got underway as planned and the teams, best friends ashore were if anything more aggressive and competitive than ever once afloat. Score lines of a win by any team rarely reflected the closeness of the race with places changing again and again as boats aproached the downwind finish.

After some 40 races the Royal Thames and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda emerged as clear leaders. Race 1 of the finals saw the Thames somehow lose the grip they had had over the whole event. Collecting penalties the race went easily to the Italians. Could the Thames get their act together for race 2 with the Italians looking totally dominant. They did and this time the Thames romped away to a virually unchallenged win. Race 3 and again the Thames look to be dominating when the traveller in their lead boat disintegrated and chaos ensued…or appeared to until Bethan Mathew on main took charge of the flogging sail, thrashing sheets and threatening chunks of metal. Then it was all teamwork to shepherd the broken boat to the finish line to victory and to wild applause.

So ended three days of amazing racing Will 2K return to Cagliari..without a doubt not just to sail and race but to enjoy the most amazing of cities.

Final Places

  1. Royal Thames Yacht Club (GBR)
  2. Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (ITA)
  3. Eastern Yacht Club (USA)
  4. Royal Yacht Squadon (GBR)
  5. Bayerischer Yacht Club (GER)
  6. Canottiere Ichnusa (ITA)