The 44Cup Puerto Calero delivered fresh drama on day two as Turkey’s Wow! Sailing Team scored its first-ever bullet in the class.
Led by double Olympic gold medallist Iker Martínez, the team clinched victory in the final race of the day, holding off strong competition and volatile conditions. Winds shifted between 10 and 25 knots, testing the tacticians across the course.
Wow! Sailing Team made a clean start, winning the pin and riding a left-side lift to the top mark. Despite pressure from Peninsula Racing, they held their lead and crossed the finish 32 seconds ahead.
“It was a bit of gambling and consistent sailing,” said co-owner Murat Edin, who helmed the winning race. “We didn’t make big mistakes. We were solid and just kept things going.”
Edin described the finish as an “adrenaline rush,” adding: “I even let go of the wheel for a second to celebrate — until I remembered the kite was still up!”
The Turkish team has been campaigning for a year on the RC44 circuit. This marks a breakthrough moment in their journey.
Earlier in the day, Team Aqua returned to form, winning the first race. Helmed by RC44 Class President Chris Bake, they fought back from seventh at the top mark to take the win.
“The team sailed at a high level today,” said tactician Cameron Appleton. “Chris was phenomenal, a big factor in our success — especially after I started the boat really badly.” Appleton described the final race’s shifts as “30 to 40 degrees with big streaks of pressure,” calling it “incredible racing.”
Race two saw Finland’s GeMera Racing, led by Markus Törnqvist, take the win after a strong start from the boat end. “Very shifty, very tough,” Törnqvist said. “We got locked out in the first start, but managed to recover. Consistency is key.”
With five different winners from six races, the competition remains wide open. GeMera Racing is the only team with two wins so far. Team Aqua’s 1-2-3 performance across the day pushed them to second overall, ahead of GeMera Racing.
Peninsula Racing’s Vasco Vascotto welcomed the close racing. “Everybody can win races. That gives this class happiness for everybody,” he said.
Artemis Racing also impressed, with tactician Hamish Pepper calling the day “very tricky and testing.” With lighter winds expected tomorrow due to a high-pressure system, the start has been delayed to 1300.
The regatta continues as the fleet adjusts to Lanzarote’s shifting conditions and fierce tactical battles.
