Brazilians Winning After Two Days
(Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)- The fifty-three J/24 competitors are enjoying a very special treat sailing off Puerto Vallarta in Bahia de Banderas. So, far the weather has held true to form with the midday westerly thermal winds 5-15 knots from 220-240 degrees giving way to the afternoon thermal breezes from 300-320 degrees. The shifty, streaky winds make for challenging conditions and are keeping the tacticians on each team anxious to avoid significant mistakes going around the race track.The current leaders include J/24 class veterans fighting it out for the podium separated by only three points after four races and two days of sailing. It will be interesting to see if the top three can maintain the consistency they've managed to achieve so far with three more days of sailing left. So far, Maurizio Santa Cruz from Brazil, the current J/24 World Champion, is in first place sailing BRUSCHETTA to a 13-4-1-1 record. After a slow start the first day, Maurizio and team were red hot the second day, getting two firsts in very tough sailing conditions. Javier Arribas Leigh from Peru is second overall sailing PRIMERO to a consistent 1-8-4-8 tally. Just one point back is Chris Snow, the current J/24 NA Champion, sailing "S" to a 10-1-5-6 record. Chris and Javier were both in the top three going up the final leg of race four, leading the series until the wind got very shifty with puffs coming off the beach and down from the mountain ridges off Puerto La Cruz. The top ten shows the diversity of international talent in the world's largest one-design keelboat class; Brazilians are 1st, 6th; Peruvians 2nd; Americans 3rd, 7th, 10th; Mexicans 4th, 9th; Puerto Ricans 5th; and Germans 8th.
The sailing has been fun and challenging so far, but what a social event! Peter Wiegandt and Kenneth Porter have done a spectacular job for everyone to enjoy. The Mexican Ministry of Tourism, the President of Mexico- Felipe Calderon (a sailor himself sailing on the lake of Valle de Bravo) and the Mexican Navy (with Optimist youth training programs at every facility) are all supporting sailing, the Regata Copa Mexico and the J/24 Class in particular. And, the line-up of sponsors is extraordinary: MICROSOFT Office, Nyssen, Dos Equis XX Brewery, Nextel, Icon Vallarta, DELL Computers, Comex, Grey Goose, Coca Cola, Marival and Banamex. The Marival Suites Hotel, an all-inclusive resort, has every amenity, activity, food and drink one could ever wish for in a beach-front complex- four pools, horseback riding, hiking in the mountains, sailing, surfing, paddling, shuffleboard, bocce ball pits, tennis, 18-hole golf course, world-class spa (mud baths, whirlpools), the list is endless. Throw on top of that a spectacular sunset dinner on the beach and a Mayan-inspired evening show at the romantic and gorgeous Bahia Las Caletas on the luscious, mountainous south shore of Bahia de Banderas and you have a recipe for a fabulous event (read more about it below in an excerpt from SAIL's Kimball Livingston's blog). For more Regatta Copa Mexico sailing information.
