Elimination series underway

F18HT challengers and defenders get down to business in International Catamaran Challenge Trophy

Not even a slightly late sea breeze could detract from the spectacular fall day that greeted the three Italian and four American teams who are competing in the elimination series for the International Catamaran Challenge Trophy (ICCT) being sailed on Narragansett Bay.

The ICCT got underway yesterday with the completion of four flights in the elimination series. Today’s acrobatic action, courtesy of the 18+ knots of breeze that filled in mid-afternoon, took place off Goat Island which provided a prime vantage point for spectators gathered along the seawall.

Alberto Sonino and Edward Canepa hold the lead in the Challenger’s elimination series, based on standings that are one race shy of three complete round-robins. Sonino and Canepa have a win-loss record of 4-1, with Daniele Saragoni and crew Teo Di Battista at 3-2. Both teams are sailing for Club Nautico Rimini. Massimiliano “Max” Sirena and Paolo Bassani, representing Vela Club Marano Riccione, have a 1-5 record.

Part way through the second round robin in the Defender’s elimination series, John Lovell (New Orleans, La.) and crew Charlie Ogletree (Houston, Texas), representing Southern Yacht Club, remain undefeated. Mark Murray (Newport, R.I./Pensacola, Fla.) and Charles Barmonde (Newport, R.I.), representing Team 1/Sail Newport, and Chris Brown and WF Oliver (both Virginia Beach, Va.), representing Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, are tied at 2-2. Barry Moore (Beverly, Mass.) and Eric Anderson (Andover, Conn.), representing Sea Cliff Yacht Club, finished the day 1-4.

Racing in the elimination series continues tomorrow, with a planned lay day on Wednesday, October 1. The Defender and Challenger will compete head-to-head in a best four out of seven series for the Trophy on Thursday and Friday, October 2-3.

Overall results

Team	Skipper/Crew	Wins	Losses
Challengers
Club Nautico Rimini 1	Alberto Sonino/Edward Canepa	4	1
Club Nautico Rimini 2	Daniele Saragoni/Teo Di Battista	3	2
Vela Club Marano Riccione	Massimiliano Sirena/Paolo Bassani	1	5
Defenders
Southern Yacht Club	John Lovell/Charlie Ogeltree	3	0
Sail Newport	Mark Murray/Charles Barmonde	2	2
Seawanhaka Corinithian Yacht Club	Chris Brown/W.F.Oliver	2	2
Sea Cliff Yacht Club	Barry Moore/Eric Anderson	1	4

Team	Skipper/Crew	W/L
Flight 1 9/28/03
Vela Club Marano Riccione	M.Sirena/P. Bassani	0
Club Nautico Rimini 1	A.Sonino/E.Canepa	1
Sail Newport	M.Murray/C.Barmonde	1
Sea Cliff Yacht Club	B.Moore/E.Anderson	0
Flight 2 9/28/03
Vela Club Marano Riccione	M.Sirena/P. Bassani	1
Club Nautico Rimini 2	D. Saragoni/T.Di Battista	0
Sea Cliff Yacht Club	B.Moore/E.Anderson	0
Seawanhaka Corinithian Yacht Club	C.Brown/W.Oliver	1
Flight 3 9/28/03
Club Nautico Rimini 1	A.Sonino/E.Canepa	0
Club Nautico Rimini 2	D. Saragoni/T.Di Battista	1
Seawanhaka Corinithian Yacht Club	C.Brown/W.Oliver	0
Southern Yacht Club	J.Lovell/C.Ogeltree	1
Flight 4 9/28/03
Club Nautico Rimini 1	A.Sonino/E.Canepa	1
Vela Club Marano Riccione	M.Sirena/P. Bassani	0
Southern Yacht Club	J.Lovell/C.Ogeltree	1
Sail Newport	M.Murray/C.Barmonde	0
Team	Skipper/Crew	W/L
Flight 5 9/29/03
Club Nautico Rimini 2	D. Saragoni/T.Di Battista	1
Vela Club Marano Riccione	M.Sirena/P. Bassani	0
Sail Newport	M.Murray/C.Barmonde	1
Seawanhaka Corinithian Yacht Club	C.Brown/W.Oliver	0
Flight 6 9/29/03
Club Nautico Rimini 2	D. Saragoni/T.Di Battista	0
Club Nautico Rimini 1	A.Sonino/E.Canepa	1
Southern Yacht Club	J.Lovell/C.Ogeltree	1
Sea Cliff Yacht Club	B.Moore/E.Anderson	0
Flight 7 9/29/03
Vela Club Marano Riccione	M.Sirena/P. Bassani	0
Club Nautico Rimini 1	A.Sonino/E.Canepa	1
Sea Cliff Yacht Club	B.Moore/E.Anderson	1
Sail Newport	M.Murray/C.Barmonde	0
Flight 8 9/29/03
Vela Club Marano Riccione	M.Sirena/P. Bassani	0
Club Nautico Rimini 2	D. Saragoni/T.Di Battista	1
Seawanhaka Corinithian Yacht Club	C.Brown/W.Oliver	1
Sea Cliff Yacht Club	B.Moore/E.Anderson	0