Photos by Joy

Samba Pa Ti ahead by a nose

Melges 32 Worlds set sail in Palma

Tuesday September 20th 2011, Author: James Boyd, Location: Spain

Far beneath the air traffic of Palma's very busy airport, the opening day of the 2011 Melges 32 World Championship, hosted by Real Club Nautico de Palma was remarkable. Brilliant sunny skies, 10-12 knots of breeze and lumpy seas set the stage on Palma Bay. After two races, John Kilroy's Samba Pa Ti with tactician Vasco Vascotto holds the lead by one point, ahead of Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino and tactician Francesco Bruni in second overall. Seated in third is fellow American Alexis Michas on Zetiana with Brian Ledbetter calling tactics.

The first race of the day kicked off with a clean start. Kilroy, Jason Carroll and tactician Cameron Appleton on Argo launched off the pin end of the starting line, Steve Howe's Warpath right alongside. Onorato looked to port tack right behind the fleet in search of clean air almost immediately after the start, enabling him to get up to speed fast. Great Britain's Peter Rogers on Highlife, with Andy Horton on tactics, took an early lead rounding the top mark in first. Reigning Audi Sailing Series Champion Lanfranco Cirillo with tactician Michele Paoletti on Fantastica followed in second, Onorato was third followed by Japan's Yukihiro Ishida on Yasha Samurai with Hamish Pepper on tactics in fourth. Ishida made great strides to advance as did Onorato. Both surpassed Rogers downwind, passing through the gate in first and second. Ishida managed to hold off Onorato's challenge for the lead with a photo finish at the line for the win. Onorato settled for second, Carroll was third, Howe fourth and Kilroy worked hard to take fifth.

Kilroy showed the fleet who was boss in race two with a great start to take a lead he would simply refuse to relinquish, in fact, extended on every leg adding up to an impressive two minute lead on the fleet to win. A key, nice, up-the-right-side beat, put him in command early. Michas had an impressive run for a second place finish. William Douglass' Goombay Smash with tactician Chris Larson was third, Onorato took fourth followed by Geoff Pierini and tactician Steve Hunt on Sicktrix rounding out the top five.

Even lighter air is in the forecast for Wednesday, however racing is expected to begin on schedule.

Results:

Pos Sail nr. Yacht Owner Tactician R1 R2 Tot
1 USA13131 SAMBA PA TI JOHN KILROY VASCO VASCOTTO 5 1 6
2 ITA2121 MASCALZONE LATINO VINCENZO ONORATO FRANCESCO BRUNI 2 5 7
3 USA162 ZETIANA ALEXIS MICHAS BRIAN LEDBETTER 8 2 10
4 USA128 ARGO JASON CARROLL CAMERON APPLETON 3 12 15
5 USA178 SHAKEDOWN GEOFF PIERINI STEVE HUNT 12 4 16
6 GER206 OPUS ONE WOLFGANG STOLZ JESPER RADICH 9 7 16
7 USA32917 WARPATH STEPHEN HOWE MORGAN LARSON 4 14 18
8 ITA212 FANTASTICA LANFRANCO CIRILLO MICHELE PAOLETTI 10 9 19
9 USA49 FULL THROTTLE JOHN PORTER JONATHAN McKEE 7 15 22
10 ITA667 BRONTOLO HH FILIPPO PACINOTTI DANIELE CASSINARI 13 11 24
11 JPN203 YASHA SAMURAI YUKIHIRO ISHIDA HAMISH PEPPER 1 24 25
12 GBR500 RED JOE WOODS PAUL GOODISON 15 10 25
13 ITA1 AUDI FRATELLI GIACOMEL CLAUDIO RECCHI RICCARDO SIMONESCHI 11 16 27
14 FRA202 TEASING MACHINE JEAN FRANCOIS CRUETTE STEPHANE CHRISTIDIS 22 6 28
15 USA169 BLIKSEM PIETER TASELAAR TOM SLINGSBY 20 8 28
16 USA2 GOOMBAY SMASH WILLIAM DOUGLASS CHRIS LARSON 28 3 31
17 GBR121 HIGHLIFE PETER ROGERS RUAIRIDH SCOTT 6 25 31
18 ITA177 CUERVO Y SOBRINOS FERDINANDO BATTISTELLA ANDREA CASALE 21 13 34
19 ITA487 TORPYONE EDOARDO LUPI BRANKO BRCIN 18 18 36
20 GBR40 DAWN RAID OSCAR STRUGSTAD ANDY HORTON 17 21 38
21 NED209 ROARK KEES KAAN GEERT DE KROM 16 23 39
22 ESP226 BRIBON - MOVISTAR MARC DE ANTONIO ALTIMIRA HUGO ROCHA 14 26 40
23 GER225 IMMAC FRAM CHRISTIAN SOYKA PETER BOLVIG HANSEN 23 19 42
24 ITA23 B-LIN SAILING.COM LUCA LALLI TIZIANO NAVA 29 17 46
25 ITA25021 FRA MARTINA EDOARDO PAVESIO ENRICO FONDA 19 27 46
26 ITA187 RUSH DILETTA MAURO MOCCHEGIANI MATTEO IVALDI 26 20 46
27 ITA19 ATLANTICA 19 CARLO PERRONE LORENZO BODINI 25 22 47
28 JPN199 TEAM BROS NAOFUMI KAMEI KAN YAMADA 24 28 52
29 ESP9704 TURISMO RIAS BAIXAS - CASALDOG SANTIAGO ESTEVEZ SANDRA AZON CANALDA 27 29 56
 

 From Nico Martinez/www.nicomartinez.com

 

 

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