Rubbini takes the lead

Two races sailed today at the Melges 32 2008 Audi Sailing Series Santa Margherita Ligure edition.

The 12 teams competing on day one of the Santa Margherita Ligure edition of the Melges 32 2008 Audi Sailing Series were faced with tricky conditions for the first two races of the series. Racing started in an 11 knot southerly breeze with a three foot chop making good upwind speed a challenge for the helmsmen. The wind faded steadily during the day and had dropped away to almost nothing by the end of the second race forcing the race committee to send the fleet ashore without having sailed the final scheduled race.
 
Fausto Rubbini and his team aboard Thule made the best of the day, posting a 3,1, scoreline to top the overnight leaderboard. The overall regatta series leaders, Stefano & Massimo Leporarti’s Kismet lie in second place this evening having convincingly won race one and placed fifth in race two. Third overall for the day with a second and a seventh is Claudio Recchi at the helm of Lorenzo Santini’s Uka Uka. Carlo Alberini aboard Calvi Network, sailing with Italian 49er Olympic sailor Pietro Sibello as tactician and competing at his first Melges 32 event, had an impressive debut scoring an eighth and a second to sit in fourth overall.
 
At the start of race one much of the fleet was bunched towards the committee boat end allowing the Leporati brothers aboard Kismet and Fausto Rubbini on Thule to make clean starts at the pin end. At the windward mark Kismet rounded first with Thule close behind and Uka Uka in third. Kismet sailed the run almost perfectly, keeping a loose cover on the chasing pack and managing to extend their lead to over thirty seconds by the leeward gate. Behind them the fleet had compressed and all the teams had to gybe frequently in order to find a clean lane. Uka Uka and Thule simultaneously rounded opposite leeward marks with Francesco Martino’s Pilot Italia and Savino Formentini’s Bitipi hot on their heels. As the breeze began to fade, Kismet sailed two textbook legs to take a well deserved win in demanding conditions. Uka Uka and Thule took second and third respectively. 
 
Race two got underway in eight to ten knots of wind and a still lumpy sea. At the top mark Luigi Melgari’s Matrix just managed to sneak in on port ahead of Thule and Kismet. Matrix paid the penalty for a slow rounding, immediately being rolled by Thule who held this lead to the leeward marks. At the gate the race committee signalled a change of windward mark to allow for a significant left hand shift. Matrix rounded in second. Kismet in third was the only boat to choose the right hand mark. As the breeze continued to shift hard to the left the final positions were decided at the windward mark as the downwind had become a processional reach to the finish. Thule held their nerve to get to the weather in the lead and went on to win the race. Calvi Network were able to benefit most from the shift and moved from mid-fleet up to second. Stefano di Properzio aboard Mataran also made a significant upwind gain to take third place.
 
After the fleet had finished, the pressure fell away rapidly and the race team made the sensible decision to send the fleet ashore for the day.
 
Racing at the Santa Margherita Ligure edition of the 2008 Audi Sailing Series continues on Saturday with at least three more races scheduled. The eight race series will conclude on Sunday.
 
Melges Europe and the Melges 32 European Class are grateful for the continuing support of their title sponsor Audi.