Kilroy hangs on

Three more races held at the Audi Melges 20 Worlds

The third day of racing on Lake Garda produced premium conditions and spectacular competition at the 2014 Audi Melges 20 World Championship once more. Three additional races were completed with second placed Achille Onorato's Mascalzone Latino Jr. closing the gap on regatta leader, American John Kilroy on Samba Pa Ti down to five points.

Going into today's races, Kilroy proudly held an impressive 14-point lead. Between Onorato and third place overall Guido Miani's Monaco Racing Fleet, the points-spread was reduced substantially as each won a race today, remain in touch with Samba Pa Ti.

After last night's Championship dinner, crews were happy about the 13:00 start. Race seven got started with Miani taking immediate control rounding the top mark in first. With each run and beat, Miani extended for the win with the Czech Republic's Jan Kuchar on Aloha racing strong to finish second, followed by Mirko Bargolini's Spirit of Nerina in third - his best finish yet in the Audi Melges 20 Class.

In the 13-15 knot winds, Onorato made a great start in race eight to lead at the top mark. The fight was then on between Onorato and Vladimir Lipavsky's Ost Legal downwind, followed by Matteo Marenghi Vaselli's Lucifer, Marco Gambarella's Chimera, Kirill Podolsky's AnywayAnyday and Russ Lucas on Shimmer. The first run presented the opportunity for several teams to make great advances, especially Lucas. He was sixth at the top mark, and fourth at the gate. He raced hard gaining another position upwind for the final ending up third. At the finish line Onorato won, Lipavsky held on to second while Lucas held off Vaselli to take third. Lauro Bonaro's Camay had a fantastic race for fourth. John Brown's Blind Squirrel - one of seven teams competing for the Corinthian World Champion title, rounded out the top five.

It was at this point, Onorato had reduced the point spread between Kilroy and himself to two points. For Kilroy, a 14-12 result in race seven and eight meant he needed to nail race nine to protect and continue his overall lead.

Kilroy launched off the line in today's last race with a nice lead around the track, and on the first run slowly but surely pulled away from the fleet. Naofumi Kamei's Mamma Aiuto! challenged Kilroy, but Miani and Onorato came on strong, looking to move up in the rankings. On the last run, after Kilroy had crossed the line to win, it was a photo finish between Kamei and Miani. Miani gybed over right at the finish line in an attempt to get second, but Kamei just barely crossed a split second before. Onorato finished fourth and reigning World Champion John Taylor on Ninkasi rounded out the top five.