Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo (click here for more photos of Bella Mente Racing’s adventures)
After finishing today with two third place finishes, Bella Mente Racing took second overall in IRC 0 for the 33 Copa del Rey MAPFRE. Next up for the sailing team of 20, led by owner/driver Hap Fauth, is the Mini Maxi Rolex World Championship in September.
Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo
“After waiting around for the breeze today, the race didn’t pan out for the mighty Bella Mente,” said Mike Sanderson who joins Fauth and John Cutler in the afterguard. “Most of the time our aim wasn’t to win the start, but to make sure that we didn’t lose it. Although that tactic didn’t pan out today, John Cutler did a nice job to make sure that we were still in the game, and Hap had the boat smoking downwind.
Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo
“It was an amazing regatta, right down to the wire. Peter Henderson, Rob Ouellette and the Bella Mente Shore Crew deserve a huge thank you, as does our fearless leader Hap. We had our moments during this regatta, but the great news is that we are on the right pace. I certainly wouldn’t swap with any other boat going into the Mini Maxi Rolex Worlds. Bring it on!”
It is getting down to the wire for Bella Mente Racing as they head into the sixth and final day of racing at the 33 Copa del Rey MAPFRE, just one point behind IRC 0 class leader Shockwave. The team completed two windward/leeward races today with second- and third-place finishes, respectively.
Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo
“It was an outstanding race day,” said owner/driver Hap Fauth. “The entire team really shined in both races, and John Cutler did a fantastic job in the shifty conditions, which kept us in the hunt.”
Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo
Cutler, who joins Fauth in the afterguard, added that today marked the windiest day of the regatta with breezes from 14 to 15 knots. “The top four boats in our class are close enough so that whoever has the final good day (tomorrow) will win the regatta.”
Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo
Bella Mente was able to break its tie with Robertissima III today and now holds second place going into day five of racing at the 33rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE. The sailing team of 20, led by owner/driver Hap Fauth, will continue sailing in IRC 0 through Saturday (August 9).
Photo Credit: Jesus Renedo
“It was another solid day on Bella Mente,” said Crew Boss Mike Sanderson adding that the team completed two windward/leeward races today. “We went out and won the first race but were over the line in the second race. Even though we started 50 seconds late, the team was still able to work its way back to a third-place finish.”
John Cutler, who joins Fauth and Sanderson in Bella Mente Racing’s afterguard, added that the conditions were shifty and tricky today. “Race one was a great effort by the whole team,” said Cutler. “We got into the lead on the first run and were able to hold our position throughout. Race two we misjudged the start, which caused us to be over early. However, we spotted some good breeze and were able to recover quickly.”
The team is two points behind class leader Shockwave, but there are still four races to compete in before Saturday.
Crew Boss Mike Sanderson’s thoughts halfway through 33rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE
We have high expectations in the Bella Family. After a third and fourth place finish on Tuesday, we knew we had to come back swinging in order to get the regatta back in our favor. It was a huge effort by the whole team to come back and win yesterday’s coastal race.
It’s all on for this regatta. Shockwave is having a great event, but we are still only halfway through racing and a four-point lead can be swallowed up in one race. Today will be quite telling as to who grabs the event by the horns.
Tune in through Saturday (August 9) for more nightly reports featuring Hap Fauth, Mike Sanderson, John Cutler and Peter Henderson. For more updates, follow the team on Facebook and Twitter.
For more information on the 33rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE, visit http://bit.ly/ULAhwj
Photo Credit: Jesús Renedo
Bella Mente Racing took the win in today’s coastal race at the 33rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE. The sailing team of 20, led by owner/driver Hap Fauth, is tied for second place with fellow mini maxi team onboard Robertissima III.
“It was a better day for us,” said Fauth adding that Bella Mente had slipped down to fourth place on Tuesday after taking third and fourth place finishes in the two windward leeward races of the day. “We had great boat speed and the crew execution was impeccable and very in sync with the wind shifts.”
Photo Credit: Jesús Renedo
Bella Mente Racing’s Boat Captain Peter Henderson added that today’s coastal race was approximately 30 miles in total and the team experienced a nice southwesterly sea breeze, maxing out at 13 knots, off the coast of Mallorca in the afternoon. “We had a good start, but it was pretty tight with the rest of the fleet up the first beat and we rounded just behind Shockwave,” said Henderson. “We passed Shockwave on the first run and were able to capitalize and build on our lead, but the competition was super close throughout the track so it was a nail-biter up until the finish. I’m looking forward to what the rest of the week brings.”
Tomorrow, the team will transition back into buoy-to-buoy racing against competitors in IRC 0. “We still have six more races to complete in this regatta so there is a lot of opportunity for us to win,” added John Cutler who joins Fauth and Mike Sanderson in the afterguard.
Photo Credit: Jesús Renedo
Tune in through Saturday (August 9) for more nightly reports featuring Hap Fauth, Mike Sanderson, John Cutler and Peter Henderson. For more updates, follow the team on Facebook and Twitter.
For more information on the 33rd Copa del Rey MAPFRE, visit http://bit.ly/ULAhwj
The original Bella Mente Racing campaign kicked off in 2006 with Key West Race Week, and since then owner and skipper Hap Fauth has had three additional racing yachts in the program.
Launched in September of 2018, the current Bella Mente is a Maxi 72 designed by Botin Partners in Spain and built by New England Boatworks in Rhode Island.
