New Moon III win only race on Day 1 of Scandinavian Gold Cup
New Moon III BAH 25 of Mark Holowesko, Christoph Burger and Peter Vlasov has won the opening race of the Scandinavian Gold Cup at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Porto Cervo, after a challenging day on the water with light winds.
The winner of the prestigious Scandinavian Gold Cup is the first boat to record three race wins. Additionally, only race winners can progress beyond the third race, so it is all about winning races and that is the priority.
In the only race to count the wind was now more easterly, New Moon III favoured the left and had a nice lead at the top, but let Ku-Ring-Gai III escape on the second upwind and then trailed the Australians for the next two legs.
The wind had started to die again and it was a tortuous final lap. Ku-Ring-Gai III and New Moon III split gybes on the final downwind, and they only came back together 100 metres from the finish line.
New Moon III crossed just in front and gybed to cross the finish line to win the opening race by no more than two boatlengths.
Racing continues Friday with more breeze forecast.
