Palma World Cup Day 5, Bissaro-Sicouri: Stand & Deliver.

Image: Laurens Morel – www.saltycolours.com || ISAF is making an interesting work with the World Cup events. Lots of info and excellent images by  available. With Twitts and live results after each race. For perfection they are just missing Live Tracking.

Today it was the final cut for the Medal race. Bissaro-Sicouri were 9th and Sorrentino-Pennati 10th after 3F races. But both scored +15 positions in the 2 first races, so it became and tough task for them to stay in the medal slots.
Austrians Zajak-Frank  (13th overall after 3F) and Argentines Carranza-Blando (16th) were on the charge, specially the ARG team, that were recovering from a 22th overall, scored their second top ten in a row with a 6th and later a 12th.
So for the final race the battle was between Bissaro-Sicouri , Zajak-Frankc and Carranza-Blando, the rest was somehow secured inside the other 9 top pos.
 
 ITA37 couldn’t fail at all,
as they already were inside the medal race when the day began. I was following the updates with Lamberto Cesari, that was connected with Marco Iazzetta, coach of Bissaro & the Arg team, that following races onsite.

I told Lambi by skype I was going to call my ‘pal’ Francesco for a little help for ITA & ARG… Iazzetta next update was: “They are leading final race at the top mark” …. well I thanked Franckie for the help, the rest was upto them. They ended 4th, matching their best result obtained in the QSeries and they kept secure inside the medal race.

Francesco replied “Only one shall pass”… Blando-Carranza scored another excellent 7th and Zajak-Frank two positions behind with 9th. It was close for them also, specially for the argies, that didn´t had a good start at all, with the famous pitch included and some blocking wall that didn´t allowed them pass beyond 15th.
Talked to Esteban yesterday, and he told me he discovered at wrong setup the previous day, so he was confident in improving yesterdays performance, and just like that they went from 15-28 pos to 6,7,7 and a 12th. Putting them only five points of the medal race after being 22th overall in the week.

To me a perfect scenario for the future, with a really low start, tough moments with a pitch and a 28th, and a final recovery that put back confidence in this crew that has lots of potential with a helm that has 40 days of catsailing at most and 2 weeks on the N17, the future looks good. Entering the medal races would have been somehow a ‘miracle’ , not on their capabilities finally unleashed, but on how the week was developing.

Going back to Bissaro & Sicouri, they were under great pressure, but they stood up and delivered what was needed with only once chance to make it. Really happy for them, both long time members of the CSN posting history.  Vittorio  even was labeled together with Cesari the ‘Dark Horses’ for 2011 Worlds and also delievered an excellent 3rd overall.

Full Results at (Click N17 Tab) https://www.trofeoprincesasofia.org

1	NED 040	Mandy Mulder	12	6	NED 046	Elke Delnooz	37
2	FRA 065	Moana Vaireaux	20	7	GBR 56	Lucy Macgregor	50
3	FRA 39	Billy Besson	30	8	USA 104	Sarah Newberry	54
4	NED 44	Renee Groeneveld	31	9	GBR 58	Pippa Wilson	56
5	SWE 012	Tim Shuwalow	36	10	ITA 037	Vittorio Bissaro	59

Below Silvia Sicouri’s report and later the dutch report from the front row with Jasper Van Staveren.
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Report By Silvia Sicouri – By a hair but we made it!

“We went in the water at 13.30. Only one objective: to remain in the top ten. Wind oscillating about 8 knots, difficult. The first race went wrong , 16th. So wrong, but the games were still open. Second try again was not brilliant: we can not follow with the wind fluctuations, and positioned ourselves 12th.
Marco does not tell us where we are in general … so we have to do really well for a chance to enter (we were eleventh , 1 point behinnd the tenth). Vittorio and I decided the strategy: A good start, the turns, a simple race to the right of the medal spot. 

Simple logic right? “Fortunately,” things went right! We started well, we had a good turn, “killed” the French, veered right in layline, and shot the first windward mark! Yet we lacked a little speed  compared to the French and Dutch, but finishing in fourth place we have earned the medal race spot!

Back on land I found that I have to pay the salary to all those who are weren´t able to work at as they were following us on-line, also found out how to sponsor a company of tranquilizers to be distributed on those with a weak heart :)!  
We are quite happy , and tomorrow we want to get on the water and have fun: nothing to lose and everything to gain!”

Thanks to all of your messages and your support!
Silvia Sicouri ITA 037.

Original report at their website https://www.bissaro-sicouri.it/per-un-peloma-ce-labbiamo-fatta/