Fiamma Gialla into the lead

After a third day of tight racing in light winds for the J/24s at the Tropheo Academia Navale regatta in Livorno, Italy

After three days of tight racing in light winds, warm air and sunny skies, the Tropheo Academia Navale regatta at Livorno, Italy, is building to a tight close. Series leader is past Italian and European Champion and current Farr 40 circuit helm, Andrea Casale and his pro team on Fiamma Gialla, a boat supported by the Italian Customs.

Second by just three points, is Luigi Ravioli aboard his new boat, Fiamma Gialla, for his employers - also the Italian Customs Authority. In third, sailing in his first event since winning the 2007 European Championship, is Ian Southworth at the helm of Inmarsat Hedgehog. Six points separate him from the lead and just two from second place.

Due to light unstable winds, just two races were possible on Saturday , the race officer resorting to Black flag starts and subsequent abandonments. During one start, Casale collided with Southworth, who was very confident of his rights, but this was abandoned.

Race seven was dominated by a left handed wind bend, which persisted throughout the day. Ravioli, Casale and Southworth finished within feet of each other after a two hour battle.

Race eight saw slightly less breeze at around eight knots and Southworth pushed hard for the left side at the pin end losing out to the crew of Italy 212, and their boat, Jamaica.

Following the 20 degree shifts became very challenging, with a need to protect the left side. The German team in Max Bahr crossed from the right to take second place behind Jamaica. At the windward mark, Southworth had slipped to eighth place but down the run pulled through to third by the leeward mark. Disaster then struck him at the mark rounding, as the German crew, helmed by Greg Wilcox, on Rotoman, forced into the mark without rights. Southworth was pushed low, avoiding contact. Unable to tack left, he dropped to tenth place.

By the following weather mark, Hedgehog was eighth again, gaining more down the following run to again finish within feet of fifth placed Casale and just a boat length behind Wilcox. The race leaders Jamaica took the gun from Max Bahr and the Italian crew sailing J de Quadri.

The final day promises tight racing for the leading crews as a they test each other in the build up to the June World Championship.