RC44: practice race with Vincenzo Onorato at the helm

RC44: practice race with Vincenzo Onorato at the helm
30 07 2010

Today in Valencia, third day of the RC44 Valencia Cup, the practice fleet race took place. Unlike the first two days of the event, it took some additional time for the breeze to kick in and the start of the practice race was delayed by more than an hour.

The format of the RC44 class regattas provides that after the match race portion, where the world’s best match racers take the helm, a series of fleet races take place with the obligation of having the owner driving the yacht.

So today it was the turn of Vincenzo Onorato, owner Mascalzone Latino, to steer the boat, with the race already in progress.

The first beat and run had already been sailed and as a result, Onorato was able to sail just one lap of the race.

After the conclusion of the practice fleet race, the team remained on the water for another hour, further practicing on maneuver drills as well as testing a new trimming setup.

For the fleet races, the first of which is scheduled to start at 1pm tomorrow, Mascalzone Latino’s crew will consist of Vincenzo Onorato at the helm, tactician Tommaso Chieffi, mainsail trimmer Paul “Flipper” Westlake, trimmers Andrea Ballico and Matteo Savelli, pitman Davide Scarpa, grinder Danilo Arvigo, bowman Daniele Fiaschi, while Benedetta Danti will have her usual place in the afterguard.