Quantum Racing did what they had to do win their second TP52 World title in three years, containing the 2009 world champions – the spirited, never-say-die Matador crew -through today’s one showdown, final race of the TP52 World Championship off Valencia.

The long delay, waiting for enough of a settled breeze to allow competition to take place, only one race was possible, starting at 1517hrs.

With a points cushion which meant that only one of these two could win the title, and Quantum Racing holding a three points cushion, the last race proved to be a tough head-to-head, match race as fully befits the America’s Cup waters.

While their title duel certainly warranted top billing, so too there were a set of supporting matches in the flukey 5-7 knots breeze – private battles and tussles to settle final results throughout the nine boat fleet.

The other key match was for third. Russia’s Synergy were seeking revenge over Artemis (SWE) with whom they tied for third on points in Palma last year. This time it was Synergy who prevailed, countback for third on the podium favouring their two race wins.

Matador were forced on to the back foot off the line when they jumped the gun, forced to re start. Though they did so swiftly and efficiently, Quantum Racing were immediately in a position to work them left, all the way the port tack lay line.

Whilst Bigamist (POR) went on to finish their season in style, winning the last TP52 race of the season, the title fighters rounded the first turn with Quantum Racing in eighth and Matador ninth.

Whilst Quantum Racing did good work herding Matador back into the darker depths of the fleet, the biggest threat arose when the duels ahead of them slowed, offering Matador half a chance of escaping back into the fleet.

But they crossed the finish with Alberto Roemmers’ team eighth and Doug DeVos’ Quantum Racing in ninth, enough to the give the title to the American flagged team by two points.

For Quantum Racing it completes an unmatched record of two world titles in three years, and a second, only losing out last year on countback to Matador, and adds the perfect final flourish in their final race with the Botin Carkeek designed boat in which they won the Audi MedCup title in 2008 and finished runners-up in 2009 and this season.

Finishing in fourth place, just ahead of their arch-rivals was enough for the Russian team to take third, but illustrating just how close it was also in the body of the fleet, only one point separated Synergy from sixth placed Cristabella, with Torbjorn Tornqvist’s Artemis (SWE) fourth, and Audi A1 powered by All4ONE (FRA/GER) fifth.

TP52 World Championship 2010
Final Results
1. Quantum Racing (USA) – Terry Hutchinson (USA) = 31,5 points
2. Matador (ARG) – Alberto Roemmers (ARG) = 33,5
3. Synergy (RUS) – Eugeni Neugodnikov (RUS) = 41
4. Artemis (SWE) – Torbjorn Tornqvist (SWE) = 41
5. Audi A1 powered by ALL4ONE (FRA/GER) – Jochen Schuemann (GER) = 41,5
6. Cristabella (GBR) – John Cutler (NZL) = 42
7. Bigamist 7 (POR) – Afonso Domingos (POR) = 51,5
8. Pace (GBR) – Johnny Vincent (GBR) = 72
9. Weapon of Choice (GBR) – Tom Wilson (GBR) = 76,5

Photo Credit: TP52 World Championship Valencia 2010 © Nico Martinez/WSM

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