Two bullets for Recchi

A report from day one of the Melges 32 racing in Cagliari

The Cagliari edition of the Melges 32 Audi Sailing Series exploded into life today with three races being completed in near perfect, 10 to 12 knot, Mediterranean conditions. As expected, the racing was of the highest quality with the teams having to use every ounce of their skill and expertise to gain any advantage.

The crews arriving at the dock this morning were greeted by clear blue skies accompanied by a warm, gentle breeze. Following the skippers briefing, where the fleet were reminded by Chief Umpire Luca Babini of his intention to strictly enforce the class concerning bowsprits, all the boats left the dock well in advance of the 12.30 scheduled start time. Outside out of the confines of the harbour the breeze was solid and racing was able to start on time.

The fleet was split on the first upwind leg of race one with Stefano Leporati’s Kismet leading the group furthest right looking good for much of the beat. At the top mark however the boats who had worked the middle and left who had done the best and Michael Illbruck’s Pinta led a very compressed group around.

Down the run most boats chose to stay right but a group led by Claudio Recchi at the helm of Uka Uka racing made a small gain by gybing out to the left. The choice of leeward gate mark was almost exactly an even split with Uka Uka Racing taking advantage of a couple of boats overstanding the laylines, to round first ahead of Pinta.

With the breeze oscillating the tacticians had to be on top of their game and there were several place changes up the next beat. Rounding the top mark for the second time Luigi Melegari’s Matrix - Cortina d’Amprezzo led from Uka Uka Racing in second, then Armando Giuletti’s Hiroshi-Citta di Milano.

On the final run the boats who gybed early found more pressure and a big let down enabling them to make a huge gain. At the finish Uka Uka Racing took the gun with Hiroshi - Citta di Milano second and Savino Formentini’s Bitipi getting the decision on a photo finish with Pinta to take third. The leader at the top mark, Matrix came in fifth.

Uka Uka Racing had the upper hand right from the very start of race two and tactician Gabriele Benussi made sure that they were in complete control for the entire race. Behind them a fascinating three way battle for second place was going on between Bitipi, Matrix and Fausto Rubbini’s Thule. With places changing between these boats at every cross, predicting second was impossible until the final boat lengths to the line. In the end Matrix did enough to claim second with Bitipi clocking up another third ahead of Thule and Kismet in fourth and fifth.

The final race of the day was another close fought affair featuring lots of place changing both upwind and down. Aboard Hiroshi - Citta di Milano tactician Ian Ainslie made the most of the shifts on the second beat to get them around the windward mark in the lead. With the breeze now flicking around considerably they did well to extend their lead on the final run to take a well deserved win.



Despite having rounded the last mark in second, as they neared the finish, Uka Uka found themselves trapped on starboard gybe outside the layline for the right hand end of the line by a pack of boats. Despite desperate efforts to soak down into a gybing position they were unable to make it and consequently dropped to fifth. Thule made the most of the last section of the run to take second ahead of Bitipi who recorded yet another third place.

In spite their last race troubles Claudio Recchi and Gabriele Benussi aboard Uka Uka Racing hold a two point lead over the ever consistent Savino Formentini and tactician Flavio Grassi on Bitipi. Following a protest resulting in the disqualification of Hiroshi - Citta di Milano from race one, Fausto Rubbini and his tactician Lorenzo Bressani on Thule sit in third place overnight.

The social programme kicked off this afternoon when the crews hit the dock and were able to enjoy free beer and pasta courtesy of Michael Illbruck’s Pinta team. On Saturday evening there will be a Mojito Party and Sunday’s final prizegiving will take place following the end of racing.

Five more races are scheduled in what is shaping up to be a superb regatta. Melges Europe will be issuing further daily press releases to keep you up to date as the Cagliari edition of the Melges 32 Audi Sailing Series unfolds.

Melges Europe and the Melges 32 European Class are grateful for the continuing support of their title sponsor Audi and also to Moby Lines for their generous assistance with the transportation of the fleet to Sardinia.