Each year, the principal yachting magazine in Russia, YACHT RUSSIA, hosts their annual Yachting Russia Cup on Lago di Garda in Italy. The Yachting Russia Cup is unique in its format since it is sailed as fleet racing with live judging on the water. Overall, there are 32 teams with 140 sailors in total that rotate in two shifts, Alpha and Bravo, for three days of qualifying. Then the top half sail in their fleets for the winners of each class. Eight teams were racing J/70s. Elena Otekina provided reports on the racing that took place April 22-26.
On day 1 at the beginning, the wind was unstable and weak, but by noon, it was up to 15-18 knots and continued building. In both groups, Alpha in the morning and Bravo in the afternoon, three races were held for all fleets. In the J/70s, Yuri Firsov’s team was able to win the first day with 1-3-1 for 5 points. However, they were tied on points with Igor Puzanov’s DREAM TEAM that posted a 2-1-2 for 5 points, too. After lunch, the Bravo teams took to the water. In this J/70 group, Boris Mashunkin’s YES TEAM won all three races. The team of Renata Hejdera sat in second place, third was Sergei Golofast, and fourth Timothy Zubkov’s TESTAROSSA team.
Day 2, the morning Bravo group was able to run four races per class. The Alpha group was left with just a single race in an extremely gusty and unstable local breeze. In the J/70 fleet, the leader of the first day, Boris Mashunkin’s YES TEAM, managed to keep first place with two fourths and two first places. But, they were tied on points with Sergei Golofast’s FASTER TEAM, with two seconds and two firsts. Sitting in third place was Zubkov’s TESTAROSSA team. In J/70 Alpha group, Boris Burmentiev won the race and climbed to third place in the final standings. The first and second places were retained by the teams of Yuri Firsov’s FIRSOV SAILING and Igor Puzanov’s DREAM TEAM.
After day 3, the qualifying series was complete, and the fleets were divided into Gold and Silver for the Grand Finale that would take place over the next two days. In total, all four scheduled races for the morning group (Alpha) and two races for the Bravo group were held in winds that started with about 6-8 knots in the morning and increasing to 16-18 knots by afternoon with gusts well into the low 20s. The J/70 Alpha group saw no change in the standings after their four races. The top two qualifiers were Yuri Firsov and Igor Puzanov’s DREAM TEAM, both scoring two firsts and two seconds. The Bravo J/70s saw some epic broaching in the first race. However, nothing was going to slow down Sergey Golofast’s FASTER TEAM from winning with a final 3-1. Meanwhile, Mashunkin’s YES TEAM maintained their second position to qualify for the Gold fleet finale.
On day 4, the best teams of the Alpha and Bravo teams met in the Gold Fleet on the water, and after lunch, the crews of the Silver Fleet got to compete against each other. Four races were held for both Gold and Silver fleets. The J/70 Gold fleet was dominated by Igor Puzanov’s DREAM TEAM, posting a record of 1-1-1-2 for a comfortable first day lead. Yuri Firsov had a rough start to the day—off the starting line in the first race, they were over early, and then hooked their keel on the anchor line of the port end boat. After taking a last in the first race, they acquitted themselves by climbing rapidly into contention with a 2-2-1 for the day, sitting in second place. In third place was the J/70 Bravo group winner, Sergei Golofast’s FASTER TEAM. Fourth was Boris Mashunkin’s YES TEAM. In the J/70 Silver division, it was Boris Burmentiev’s team leading with a 1-1-4-3.
On day 5, the final day of racing for both Gold and Silver fleets saw a total of four more races sailed for each. After eight races, it was clear that Puzanov’s DREAM TEAM in the J/70s was going to run away with the class honors, adding a 2-1-1-1 to finish with just 8 points net, seven points clear of the next boat. Firsov started with a first on the final day and finished with scores of 1-2-3-4 for 15 points net to take the silver. Rounding out the podium was Golofast’s FASTER TEAM from Moscow. The J/70 Silver fleet saw Burmentiev’s team hold on to their lead to win their division. Taking the silver was Vadim Korkovidov’s LETJAT KIRPICHI, and it was Zubkov’s TESTAROSSA taking the bronze. For more YACHT RUSSIA magazine information, visit https://www.yachtrussia.com/.