Andrea LaCorte and his Vitamina Cetilar team (ITA) were crowned champions of the M32 European Series opener. They kept the pedal down all weekend long and posted a perfect scorecard here in Riva.
Garda was glorious this weekend. This lake is the gift that keeps on giving. With a snowcapped mountain backdrop, the M32 fleet was given two days of the famous Ora southerly heavy wind, then the Sunday finale began with a tactical, light-wind Pelèr. It was the perfect way to launch the M32 European Series.
Behind the Italians’ picket fence was a heated battle between Harold Vermeulen’s Leeloo (NED) and Hakan Svensson’s Cape Crow Vikings (SWE). It was a classic fencing match; the winner was decided in the final race, when the Ora and sunshine showed up to illuminate the action. The Vikings looked quite strong at first, well ahead by the first leeward gate. But don’t blink: in the M32 class, a strong lead is never safe. A sneaky Leeloo powered past the Swedes and also put Peter Warrer’s Warrer Racing (DEN) between the two silver contenders. By the finish line, the Vikings were shut out the back. So in the end, the overall second position goes to Leeloo with 40 points and the Vikings round out the event podium with 41 points.
