Melges 32s head for Club Nautico Scarlino

Latest round of the Melges 32 Audi Sailing Series to take place this weekend

The second stage of the 2010 Audi Melges 32 Sailing Series will take place this weekend, 30 April-2 May on the west coast of Italy hosted by Club Nautico Scarlino. 18 teams featuring some of the world's greatest sailors are due to compete.

The participation grows by two for this event and includes 2009 World Champion Pieter Taselaar on Bliksem with Jeremy Wilmot on tactics and European Melges 32 Fleet President Filippo Pacinotti welcomes back tactician Freddie Loof aboard Brontolo. Great things are expected from Luca Lalli on BLinSailing and tactician Lorenzo Bressani. Also aboard is Federico Michetti and former America's Cup sailor Flavio Favini. Calling the shots for Pilot Italia owner Francesco Martino is the legend, recent Rolex Farr 40 World Champion Vasco Vascotto. So this fleet isn't short on talent.

Leading the overall series is Lanfranco Cirillo on Fantastica with the careful and patient eye of tactician Michele Paoletti. Cirillo blasted the fleet with speed in Lerici, pulling off an incredible win ahead of 15 competitors. Cirillo has competed at almost every Melges 32 event so far in 2010. His goal - victory at the 2010 World Championship - is firmly in his master plan. He has also confirmed his future participation at the 2010 US Nationals in Harbor Springs, MI over 29 July-1 August, before heading west to San Francisco for the main event.

Seated second and definitely one to watch is Mauro Mocchegiani's Rush Diletta, on which Matteo Ivaldi will call tactics. Defending 2009 Audi Sailing Series Champion Carlo Alberini on Calvi Network holds third place. On tactics is 2009 series winning tactician Gabriele Benussi. As a staple member of Alberini's Calvi Network, his team is strong and determined to win.

Registration, weigh-in, measurement checks and practice racing are scheduled for Thursday, 29 April. Racing commences on Friday, 30 April with the first warning signal just after noon, with more scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Awards take place afterwards where in addition to the top prizes, an all new, exclusive Melges watch will be raffled, special thanks to Ferdinando Battistella on Cuervo Y Sobrinos.

Immediately following Friday's racing, the newly formed Roark Melges 32 team owned by Kees Kaan, will bring a dose of tradition to the fleet as he hosts a Koninginnedag party in honor of Queen's Day, a Dutch national holiday.

After racing on Saturday, another new team steps up to the party plate - Francesco Serena on H2SO4 will host an on-the-dock party just ahead of, what will be an exquisite owners dinner at Col di Sasso. This impeccable location is the ultimate Maremma Tuscan style experience. The dinner will take place at a farmhouse estate. The sprawling property overlooks hills populated by olive trees and forests as well as sunsets over the Gulf of Follonica and Tuscan Archipelago. Col di Sasso is the most exclusive part of the estate. The dinner will be located in the high part of the house called Campo di Chiara that features classic colors and decor typical of the Tuscan countryside.

Rounding out the onshore activities is a Sunday morning breakfast hosted by the Fra Martina Melges 32 team owned by Edoardo Pavesio.

Entry list

1.) Filippo Pacinotti, Brontolo
2.) Luca Lalli, BLinSailing.com
3.) Carlo Pesenti, i.nova.2
4.) Martin Knetig, Black Mamba
5.) Peter Rogers, Highlife
6.) Francesco Martino, Pilot Italia
7.) Kees Kaan, ROARK
8.) Edoardo Lupi, Torpyone
9.) Mauro Mocchegiani, Rush Diletta
10.) Roberto Pardini, Janas
11.) Lanfranco Cirillo, Fantastica
12.) Carlo Alberini, Calvi Network
13.) Wolfgang Stolz, Opus One
14.) Edoardo Pavesio, Fra Martina
15.) Ferdinando Battistella, Cuervo Y Sobrinos
16.) Francesco Serena, H2SO4
17.) Pieter Taselaar, Bliksem
18.) Vincenzo Onorato, Mascalzone Latino