S.R.: Day1: Bollettino Turbolento; -> Day 2: Tempesta in arrivo; -> Day3: Il Professore è salito in Cattedra, di Nuovo; -> Day 4: Vista Alternativa

First time published:2020Sept24

 

Main Galleries Folder: http://bit.ly/2swmNYv 

Main Galleries Folder 2020: https://bit.ly/2EEGlUa

Stage 1: https://bit.ly/3hwYRfP

Stage 2: https://bit.ly/32V01gh

Stage 3: https://bit.ly/3coBkvQ

Stage 4: https://bit.ly/3csdPlG

 

Day 1 - Bollettino Turbolento

We should speak of the races, but the most relevant thing now are the effects of COVID-19 (yesterday 5300 cases) has on the event: nearly of the totality of Star Class is not here (only 7 on the water), the Dragon Class too (has the double on water). It’s really pity for both, yes it’s understandable, but for the star the retirement of Silver Star from the competition had been the K.O. for the organization.

The star has used the classical field, the easterly one, while Dragons were in for to the beaches.

Weather were sunny but big storms were all round the hills and mountain, giving to us some spectacular background (I missed also the Star departure with a lighting strike in the frame) the wind was light but sailable.

Knowing well the Star class, it’s a family business between the French Champion team and local (Jean-gabriel Charton + Jean Francois Puissegur) and the childhood Puissegur’s son friend (Matteo Chaboud + Eddy Ruprt, also the Matteo’s father is on the water to fight).

 

 

Even with a long distance split the fight was tight, and the first race has finished thanks to a strategic decision of the champion to pass from the inside sandwich in the last leg via a upwind cross and outside track, giving some shear to the younger and moving to the St. Magarit island and crossing the line with around 10-20 sec, the 2nd, 3rd 4th arrived in a train.

 

 

We have left the star to join the end of the first race of the Dragon. To start the second race it has needed quite a lot (no AP flag up) but when it was good, on the first downwind leg, some crew has to remove the spi, to hoist the jib, second half after the mark has already hoisted the spi again and gaining a lot of speed making the group compact with the first still on jib but with no momentum, at that point the R.C. has decided to delete the race (why??? a reduction not??? Class rules???) and move all the fleet to the Star field on the other side of the bay. Time to arrive there a light 10 drops shower arrived, and the wind disappear totally with no chances, at 14:00UTC to send all at home.

 

On the classic world some big name were already there in the morning, like the team of P.Bertelli’s SCUD with Torben Grael (the team is from Vanessa), Elena of London, Viola, all 3 P-Class, many of them has spent the day to practise around the bay for the debutto.

 

Results tables: https://bit.ly/2FXNakF 

General Stage 1: 2 races

Dragon Class

1. SUI-313 FREE Dirk Oldenburg(1=1)
2. TUR-1212 PROVEZZA DRAGON Andy Beadsworth (2=2)
3. GBR 408 JOANNA Dimitry Bondarenko (3=3)

Star Class

1. FRA 8328 AfterMath Matteo Chaboud + Eddy Ruprt (3=2,1)
2. FRA 8266 Asteria 6 Jean-gabriel Charton + Jean Francois Puissegur (3=1,2)
3. FRA 8196 Raoul Dabry + Tristan Cotte (7=3,4)

Day 2 - Tempesta in arrivo

 

Not so much to say except that we were happy to be at ground a big storm with heavy rain has hit the bay till mid afternoon, when the races were cancelled at 12:00UTC

I’m really thankful to the ladies of the Poliform by BKa shop in Cannes, they welcomed me and warmed me with a huge cup of tea after the I’ve been surprised by the heavy shower on the way-back to the yacht club (if I had the jacket or I hadn’t brought with me the cameras I could did not stop).

Considering the situation and days running away I can just see stormy for the organization (now Italy has imposed restrictions to come back home, and very narrow protocol for ST has been placed).

Hoping to shoot from the R.I.B. Today that’s all folks

 

 

Day 3 - Il Professore è salito in Cattedra, di Nuovo

 

After the problematic weather of the first 2 days, today we already knew that it would be a great day, the nearly perfect weather to shoot: sunny, not too much wind, nearly no big waves. The most classic condition for Cannes, light wind to start and “corposo” (n.d.t.: full-bodied) for the noon/second part of the race.

 

The course chosen was B3, so a big triangle from the port, to the point between Plage de l'Aiguille and Port de la Galere, and the point in front to the club.

First of all: the start: the big boat has made a testing start at -5min, showing their power and strategy of start. Unfortunately during the real start, TUIGA D-3, overshooting it and has to come back, the middle of the service r.i.b. (our too, and it wasn’t a safe position). However, the change of crew (Royal Denmark as usual) didn’t slow down the war-machine from the Principato.

 

Second start, with involved P-Class, Chinook, and the new entry boat SCUD, helmsman Torben Grael, who has given another lesson of starting to all, on our boat also the two members of the sponsor Banque Populaire Méditerranée (the sailing staff) agree that he made a magic action: 

Torben arrived at about 1-2 length from the R.C. and went in a dial-up that stop the boat and also the others, when he decided to go, the others like Marga F-3, Eva 6, weren’t able to go, and, I don’t know how SCUD still have enough Momentum, to leave all the others runners there and accelerate out of the starting line. Absolutely a Master-piece!!! (last year he started with left tack from the pin in front to the rest of the fleet).

 

 

 

Some trouble have been at the first mark, where the finding of a big piece of wood (still to check this) on the course has made some ”scompiglio” (n.d.t.: muddle) with the intervention of the Safety (my dear friend of yellow r.i.b. from Antibes, thank you to be active), unlucky when a groupe of boat was reaching it Marga has also a crash there (damaged the mainsail) Il Moro di Venezia has to overtake widely… the radio was a bit hot later with calling of protest and auto penalty declarations. On the docks others boats have reported some damages.

 

 

 

 

It has been a very nice day, closed with gusting and sunny spell.

I want just do a recall:

PLEASE people, in particular old one,

STAY safe,

STAY at home,

DRESS UP your mask,

INSTALL the french APP (it works in parallel to the others app, so at least 2 services on)

KEEP distance,

DON’T sneeze or cough without covering your face and DON’T spit on the ground,

we, photographers and co., will bring you the show,

DON’T MAKE RISK TO THE CREWS AND US just because you want be on the docks with a smartphone.

I was feeling much safer in March and April during the lockdown (yup I couldn’t go back at home in Bergamo till July) than now!!!

 

Day 4 - Vista Alternativa

On paper, my program for the event has been concluded, 1.5day is gone d/t the weather it’s part of the sailing, and as usual one day is dedicated to find new alternative to shoot, in particular from the ground, as fan I often watched the regattas from a beach or a port wall…

This year, when in May/June limits of the lockdown in France has been removed I could explore some iconic landmark of the P.A.C.A. (yup I was here and not at home near Bergamo for 5 months), so today, a bit in hurry for a missed alarm, I’ve climbed on top of the peak (7km, 250m to climb up to 642m in 1h16m) breathing a fantastic clean air full of pine and eucalyptus and I could shoot the bay with the departure of the big boat.

 

After, I’ve ride my snow-monster down on a wonderful snake road to another iconic place, this time at sea level, and another path to climb has brought me in the zone of the tack and of the mark (yes I know quite well the courses and on top I could listen the radio and the call of the same track of yesterday). In addition the weather passed from sunny and light breeze to stormy dark all around with light wind and sun rays falling as spot-light.

 

All the effort was rewarded by some different images than usual.

 

Friday, just one more day on the docks of the “Festival” (to investigate some rumours about some new damages) and Sunday it’s time to go in Glamour village for the third last event on the Côte.

 

Results tables: https://bit.ly/2FXNakF (too many to be listed)

 

Main Galleries Folder: http://bit.ly/2swmNYv

Main Galleries Folder 2020: https://bit.ly/2EEGlUa

Stage 1: https://bit.ly/3hwYRfP

Stage 2: https://bit.ly/32V01gh

Stage 3: https://bit.ly/3coBkvQ

Stage 4: https://bit.ly/3csdPlG