Some superb sailing enabled Paul Cayard (USA) and the crew of Torbjorn Tornqvist’s (SWE) Artemis (SWE) to take the third regatta in the 2010 Audi MedCup circuit – the Camper Regatta – Conde de Godó Trophy, sailed off the coast of Barcelona.

Artemis won after a fantastic finale, coming from eighth at the first windward mark to finish second behind Bribón (ESP) in the last race. This is the Swedish flagged team’s first MedCup Circuit regatta win since 2007.

Artemis led by a single point, going into the one and only race of the final day. Soon after the start of the race, the odds looked suddenly to be stacked against Artemis when they picked the wrong side of the first beat and rounded the top mark in eighth place, with their main rivals Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) in second.

But two electrifying downwind legs, twice gybing away for clear air and flatter water, diverging from the line taken by the pack, saw Cayard and crew gaining three places on each run to secure Barcelona’s top trophy.

Emirates Team New Zealand at one stage seemed to be hanging on, just on target for their second regatta win of the season, with Luna Rossa (ITA) between them and their rival Artemis representing the 1-point margin that they needed to win, but in the end the Kiwi champions could do nothing to control the firepower of Artemis downwind.

On the final run Cayard, tactician Cameron Appleton and the Artemis crew gained 44 seconds, to cross just 16 seconds behind José Cusí’s (ESP) Bribón who finished their regatta with a flourish to clinch a creditable fourth overall in owner Cusí’s home city.

Cayard commented: “We are very very happy, mostly, because what we are trying to build here on Artemis is a process to go out and win races and that comes from a certain amount of confidence and stability and the boat the crew, our starting and we really lost that in Marseille, so more important really than winning the race, or being second, or third to me is just that we come back and we are very, very competitive. And that’s a great way to go forward, for the Medcup becauset also we were trying to work with the America’s Cup.”

Third overall last season their overall win at the first of two Audi MedCup Circuit regattas in Spain this season, boosts Tornqvist’s team from sixth overall on the 2010 standings to third.

Emirates Team New Zealand finish disappointed not to have won in Barcelona. They were hobbled for boat speed at times, citing a plastic bag that they caught around the rudder which left them lacking speed.

But the reigning title holders head to Cartagena for next month’s fourth regatta of the 2010 season, the Caja Mediterráneo Region of Murcia Trophy (24-29 August) having extended their overall lead by ten points in Barcelona. They now lead Quantum Racing (USA) by 28.5 points.

Final Results:

1. Artemis (SWE), 7+2+4+5+2+4+1+5+1+2= 33 points
2. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 1+4+8+1+3+2+5+3+5+3= 35
3. Quantum Racing (USA), 5+5+2+11+1+1+9+2+5+6= 44
4. Bribón (ESP), 3+3+7+7+5+11+10+7+4+1= 58
5. Cristabella (GBR), 2+1+11+9+6+9+4+6+6+8= 62
6. TeamOrigin (GBR), 10+6+3+3+9+7+8+1+7+9= 63
7. Matador (ARG), 4+9+9+10+10+3+6+9+3+4= 67
8. Bigamist 7 (POR), 8+7+10+8+4+5+7+4+10+7= 70
9. Luna Rossa (ITA), 9+11+1+6+11+10+2+10+8+5= 73
10. Synergy (RUS), 6+10+6+2+7+8+3+8+11+12= 73
11. Audi A1 powered by ALL4ONE (FRA/GER), 12(DNC)+8+5+4+8+6+11+11+9+10= 84

Audi MedCup Circuit 2010, Provisional Leaderboard after three events:

1. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL), 31,5+31+35= 97,5 points
2. Quantum Racing (USA), 59,5+22,5+44= 126
3. Artemis (SWE), 57+53+33= 143
4. TeamOrigin (GBR), 59,5+31+63= 153,5
5. Matador (ARG), 60+27+67= 154
6. Audi A1 powered by ALL4ONE (FRA/GER), 51,5+29,5+84= 165
7. Cristabella (GBR), 65+43,5+62= 170,5
8. Synergy (RUS), 64+35,5+73= 172,5
9. Bribón (ESP), 88+41+58= 181,5
10. Luna Rossa (ITA), 77,5+44,5+73= 195
11. Bigamist 7 (POR), 88+78+70= 236

For more, visit medcup.org