| PALMA DE MALLORCA-(1-8-2003) Two races –5th and 6th - were held today at the 22 Copa del Rey Agua Brava, changing leaders in the 500 category while in 600, Italtel confirmed its ruling.
The start of the fifth race took place at 13.00 hours without delay. IMS 500 boats started making course #1, with 225 wind and 8-9 intensity knots. After a very tight start, the fleet steered to windward beacon on the left side of the regatta’s field; but a first shift of 10 grades reaching windward, provoked a change of course in the leeward beacon. In this group, Bribón, Caixa Galicia and Subaru X-Sport sailed very closely alternating the positions in the stern. Finally, the small 42 feet Balearia, took advantage of a renewed shift, passing easily the IMS 500 leaders.
Regarding IMS 600, the massive start of the fleet by the sight side provoked a “general call” at the start. After rectifying the line position, the start took place correctly. In this group, wind shifts did not condition so much the race. From the beginning, Jazztel seemed to reach the triumph arriving to windward followed by Italtel and Zurich. At the end, Italtel got the victory in this test thanks to the energy of its crew, followed by Jazztel and Zurich. Husa Hoteles with a first complicated haul reached the sixth position, loosing in general classification, the second place in favour of Zurich.
SIXTH RACE, BANCO ESPIRITO SANTO AND ITALTEL TRIUMPHS.
Today’s second race has been surprising. The course, consisting of 13.4 miles, was conditioned by a 12 knots wind and continuous shifts. The Banco Espirito Santo with José Luis Doreste as sailing master, made its best regatta of this edition beating Bribón of HM the King, by 1 minute. The most outstanding fact in the fight between Caixa Galicia and Subaru X-Sport, has been Subaru’s eight position that relegated it to a second place in the general ranks. Thanks to these results, Caixa Galicia reaches the top in the general classification thanks to its best regularity.
The second start of IMS 600 took place without incidents while the tight marking among the leaders -which started by the middle of the line-, made a tough guess which was the favoured side of the regatta´s field. Italtel, Telefónica Movistar and Husa Hoteles were dominating the first part of the course before a second group where, Jazztel, Zurich and Wind fought to overtake positions. Once again, Italtel won the sixth race with more than 2 minutes before Telefónica Movistar, which is awaking in this final phase of the Copa del Rey-Agua Brava. Husa Hoteles reached the third place drawing in points with Zurich, in second position.
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