Four wins from nine races was enough to secure Team Nika victory in the 44Cup Calero Marinas, opening event of the 2024 44Cup.
All four days of racing in the Canary Islands were in maximum conditions for the high performance owner-driver one design – in fact no one can remember an event requiring their smallest headsail, the J3, to be used in every race.
If Team Nike was star of the show, Chris Bake’s Team Aqua was star of the day.
In the first race, towards the end of the second beat they grafted their way past Team Nika, Artemis Racing and Aleph Racing to lead around the top mark.
They then just managed to do enough down the final run to win from a charging Artemis Racing and Black Star by just 8 and 11 seconds respectively.
But their second race will go down in 44Cup folklore when they were called OCS and then went on to score their second consecutive race win, aided by a ‘right shift from God’ again towards the top of the second upwind.
Again on this occasion they did just enough on the run to finish 13 seconds ahead of Hugues Lepic’s Aleph Racing, being steered here by Pietro Loro Piana.
“It was a very good regatta – challenging, strong winds,” commented Team Nika’s Vladimir Prosikhin, who last won in Oman in 2022. “We finished the previous one second and this one first – I hope we can stay consistent. We have two new crew – they smile, are full of energy and very strong.” Hull #10, Team Nika is the oldest RC44 competing, now 17 years old.
The 2024 44Cup resumes over 8-12 May in Baiona, Spain.
44CUP Calero Marinas Regatta – Final after 9 races
1. 🇲🇨 Team Nika – 2 1 3 1 4 1 6 7 1 – 26
2. 🇸🇮 Team CEEREF Vaider – 5 2 1 3 2 2 9 3 5 (2) – 34
3. 🇬🇧 Peninsula Racing – 3 3 8 5 1 3 4 6 2 – 35
4. 🇬🇧 Team Aqua – 9 4 2 7 6 5 1 1 4 – 39
5. 🇫🇷 Aleph Racing – 4 6 6 4 5 6 5 2 3 – 41
6. 🇲🇨 Charisma – 1 5 9 2 7 4 8 4 6 – 46
7. 🇨🇭 Black Star Sailing Team – 6 9 4 6 8 8 3 5 7 – 56
8. 🇸🇪 Artemis Racing – 7 8 7 9 3 7 2 8 8 – 59
9. 🇪🇸 Calero Sailing Team – 8 7 5 8 9 9 7 9 10DNF – 72
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