New boat winner

Caixa Galicia takes Audi IMS Mediterranean championships reports Laura Jelmini

The winner of 2003 IMS Mediterranean Championship was the Spanish yacht Caixa Galicia, a Grand Soleil 56R owned by Vicente Tirado.

The event took place in Punta Ala, in central of Italy 1-7 June under the auspices of Yacht Club Punta Ala.

Eight races were sailed in good conditions, but mainly in light to medium winds. The fleet of 28 yachts were split into two divisions - racer and cruiser/racer.

Caixa Galicia helmed by Roberto Bermudez and the American Dee Smith calling tactics won the series with the the results 2-2-2-1-1-1-1-3 while second place in general results was her sistership X-Sport helmed by Gabriele Benussi with the tactician Giovanni Cassinari on board. The two yachts sailed a match race throughout the series but especially in the 95 nautical mile long offshore race. This was sailed in very light winds that resulted in a DNF for all the other boats in the racer division.

Another match race went on with the two cruiser/racers Italtel (Grand Soleil 42R) and Wind (Rodman 42 - see photo below). Winner of the first prize in this category was Italtel owned by Antonio Orlandi with Vasco Vascotto at the helm and Francesco Bruni calling tactics, the 2003 IMS World Champion finishing in front of Marcello Parodi's Wind which was being helmed for the regatta by Lorenzo Bressani and with Michele Ivaldi on tactics.



King Juan Carlos of Spain took part in the event on board the Judel Vroljik 56 footer Bribon: finishing 5th overall.

The series consisted of 8 races: 6 windward- leeward races 8 miles long, 1 windward-leeward race 10 miles long and a 95 miles long offshore race on the course Punta Ala- Montecristo Island-Africa Rock-Cerboli Island-Punta Ala.

The event has been sponsored by AUDI as title sponsor and co-sponsors as co-sponsor quali: RAS, MONTE DEI PASCHI DI SIENA, SLAM,

Pos	Sail no	Yacht	Skipper	Type	Cl.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Pts
1	ESP6789	CAIXA GALICIA	VICENTE TIRADO	GRAND SOLEIL 56 R	R 1	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	3	10
2	ITA121	X-SPORT	STEFANO SPANGARO	GRAND SOLEIL 56 R	R 1	1	3	1	2	6	6	2	7	21
3	ITA2110	ITALTEL	ORLANDI ANTONIO	GRAND SOLEIL 42 R	C 2	7	29	10	4	3	3	3	1	31
4	ITA155	WIND	PARODI - MAFFINI	RODMAN 42	C 2	3	29	6	6	9	2	4	2	32
5	ESP6666	BRIBON	JOSE CUSI FERRET	JV 56	R 1	5	1	29	9	10	4	6	9	44
6	ITA1000	BRAVA Q8	LANDOLFI PASQUALE	FARR 49'	R 1	9	4	29	5	7	8	7	8	48
7	ITA149	ORLANDA	PIRERA ALESSANDRO	FARR 53	R 1	12	5	29	3	2	12	12	5	51
8	ITA2533	WORLD CARGO	SIMONESCHI RICCARDO	VISMARA 41	C 2	13	29	15	14	5	5	9	4	65
9	GRE42	MELITI III	GEORGE ANDREADIS	RODMAN 42	C 2	6	29	8	10	4	9	5	29	71
10	ESP6446	TELEFONICA MOVISTAR	GOLDONI GIORGIO	RODMAN 42	C 2	10	29	16	11	12	7	8	11	75
11	ITA14310	CIESSE TWIN SOUL 4	GANDINI LUCIANO	GRAND SOLEIL 44	C 2	4	29	14	12	11	13	16	6	76
12	ITA15013	MUZYKA	CRESCI CLAUDIO	IMX 40	C 2	11	29	12	8	13	10	10	13	77
13	ESP5757	TAU CERAMICA	JAVIER DOMINGUEZ BANDERAS	B&C 52	R 1	8	29	29	7	8	11	11	10	84
14	ITA13069	TOGAL	CALORE STEFANO	ESTE 31	C 3	18	29	4	17	16	17	17	18	107
15	ITA13702	MARETTA	MALAISI GIANFRANCO	GRAND SOLEIL 341	C 3	21	29	3	16	20	14	20	16	110
16	ITA13755	HIGH 5 (1999)	GAMUCCI GUIDO PAOLO	FARR 47'	R 1	15	29	29	13	14	15	13	12	111
17	ITA15999	MAGIC TOUCH	GALGANI SERGIO	VISMARA 40	C 2	14	29	18	15	15	29	14	14	119
18	ITA14241	ANTARES	SPORT VELICO MARINA MILITARE	IMX 40	C 2	17	29	17	19	18	16	19	15	121
19	ITA14085	VULCANO	MORANI GIUSEPPE	FIRST 36.7	C 3	29	29	5	23	17	19	15	17	125
20	GER5222	WESTWIND	PETER SUESELBECK	FIRST 36.7	C 3	19	29	9	22	21	18	21	20	130
21	AUT115	CHRISTINA 4	NAGELE GUNTHER	IMX 38	C 2	20	29	13	18	19	24	18	19	131
22	ITA14117	SPIKE PLUS	DEL BENE PASQUALE c/o FIAB S.p.A.	X-332 SPORT	C 3	29	29	7	20	23	21	22	22	144
23	ITA13444	SNOW BALL	MELLINI MARIO	X-302	C 3	29	29	11	24	22	20	24	21	151
24	ITA13903	EXTASY	ABOLAFFIO DANIELE	FIRST 40.7	C 2	16	29	19	25	24	22	23	25	154
25	FRA9239	BABAU	CARLO ARSI	SUN FAST 32 (DK)	C 3	29	29	29	21	25	23	26	24	177
26	SUI4902	NASHORN	BERNET EDWIN	BALTIC 51	C 2	29	29	29	26	27	25	25	23	184
27	ITA13147	TELLINA	MARCHI LUCA	X-332	C 3	29	29	29	27	26	27	27	26	191
28	ITA13109	SIRIO V	GONFIOTTI FABRIZIO	SUN FAST 32	C 3	29	29	29	28	28	26	28	27	195