Jochen Schuemann, Sebastien Col and the crew of Audi Sailing Team powered by ALL4One exorcised some of their early season ghosts today with a pair of solid, well earned third places to seize the overall lead of the 52 Series at the Region of Sardinia Trophy.
    
Their first regatta in Cascais with their new Vrolijk design, the more radical and powerful design of the two pairs of sister-ships, was plagued by early boat speed problems, but today the Franco-German team seemed to have improved, finishing the second day of racing with a lead of three points over Markus Wieser and the team on Container who dropped to second today.

If today underlined the marked improvement of the Franco-German team, who shared the early lead here in Cagliari last year and finished second overall in this regatta, so too there was clear evidence that yesterday’s 6,6 by the world champions Quantum Racing was but a bump on the road for the Circuit leaders.

Ed Baird steered the green and black Botin Partners design to a second in the first race, behind Russia’s Synergy Team, and then a good victory in the second heat of the day to elevate themselves to third on the regatta standings.

And even the Russian team were on the bounce back. Their favourable opening was ruined yesterday by a finish line aberration which cost them a possible third but ended with a penalty. Unleashing their excellent boat speed upwind in the 13-16kts Mistral direction breeze, from a good start the Synergy team lead from the windward mark.

The reversal of fortunes in the first race was that of Markus Wieser’s Container team. They could not get back into the race after a poor first beat and finished seventh.

The offshore breeze picked up slightly for the second race of the day and Quantum Racing’s tactician Adrian Stead was able to stay on top of the big shift in wind direction which spread from the left side of the race track.

The split in the breeze was read smartly by Ross MacDonald on Bribón, allowing the Spanish boat a sudden jump to second at the second windward turn, sliding inside the jostling pack at the turning buoy, they were able to hold on to a useful second place.

After four races Audi Sailing Team powered by ALL4One lead the regatta by three points, while only four points separates second placed Container from sixth placed Bribón.

The Soto 40 class enjoyed excellent racing too in the brisk conditions which were slightly down the scale from yesterday’s rumbustuous opener. The dominant Spanish Iberdrola team finished both races in the lead, although Britain’s Tony Buckingham and the Ngoni crew lead through much of the second heat.

Region of Sardinia Trophy

52 Series
Results after four races:
1. Audi Sailing Team Powered by All4One (EUR), 4+1+3+3=11 points
2. Container (GER), 1+2+7+4=14 points
3. Quantum Racing (USA), 6+6+2+1=15 points
4. Synergy Russian Sailing Team (RUS), 3+7+1+5=16 points
5. RÁN (SUE), 2+5+4+6=17 points
6. Bribón (ESP), 7+4+5+2=18 points
7. Audi Azzurra Sailing Team (ITA), 5+3+6+7=21 points
8. Gladiator (GBR), 9(DNC)+9(DNC)+9(DNC)+9(DNC)=36 points

40 Series
Results after two races:
1. Iberdrola Team (ESP), 1+1=2 points
2. Noticia IV (ESP), 2+2=4 points
3. Ngoni (GBR), 3+3=6 points
4. XXII Sardegna (IT), 4+4=8 points
5. Patagonia (ARG), 6(DNC)+6(DNC)=12 points