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Melges 24
News
The first day's racing took place in a testing light to moderate shifty northerly breeze making for lots of place changes and one or two upsets. Race one got underway in 8-10 knots at the first attempt with only a couple of individual recalls. Cutler and Faini commenced battle early on and fought for the lead all the way round the course with Cutler eventually getting the better of Favini on the final leg to take the race. Behind them Californian Bruce Ayres and Norway's Kristian Nergaard, sailing with a crew which includes reigning Melges 24 World Champions Harry Melges and Jeff Ecklund, had an equally tought battle for third place with Ayres just managing to hold off Nergaard. After a rather average first lap Wisconsin's Art Brereton found his form and battled back from the mid teens to take fifth ahead of Britain's Jamie Lea, helming for Richard Thompson. Hawaii's Philippe Kahn had good pace early on, rounding the first leeward mark fifth, but by the finish had dropped back behind Brereton and Lea into seventh. By the start of race two the wind was down to a patchy 6-8 knots. Although
the fleet got away at the first attempt there were a large number of
individual recalls including Lea, Nergaard, Brereton and Kahn. Kahn
failed to recross the line along with Argyle Campbell from California
and Britain's John Pollard. At the first mark it was Scott Nixon, helming
for Jeff Jones from Michigan, who led the fleet ahead of Chris Doubek
of event sponsor Terra Nova Trading racing in his first major Melges
24 regatta. Cutler rounded third in front of Englishman Joe Woods with
Favini in fifth. By the leeward mark Nixon had managed to take the lead
and successfully defended his position up the final beat. Cutler overtook
Doubek for second and despite numerous challenges Doubek fought off
Favini to keep third. Having lost his battle for third Favini then faced
and defeated a last minute challenge from Brian Porter who eventually
settled for fifth ahead of Sean Scarborough from One of the most hard fought battles on the Melges 24 course today was between Philippe Kahn and his 14 year old son Shark, helming in his first international Melges 24 event. Although father got the upper hand in the first race it was Shark who took the honours in race two with a very creditable twelfth place. Overall Shark is now lying in 18th whilst Philippe languishes down at 32nd after is OCS in race two. We'll be watching this family battle with interest! In the overall standings Bruce Ayres' 3, 8 score line puts him in third
behind Alec Cutler (1, 2) and Favio Favini (2, 4) and five points ahead
of Brian Porter (11, 5) with Joe Woods in fifth (17, 7). "It was
a really tough day's racing in a very strong fleet. We did OK in race
two but in race one we got trapped out on the lay line at the first
weather mark and lost a couple of places, then lost a couple more trying
to cover down the last run taking us from a probable fifth or sixth
down to twelfth. We're hoping for a better day tomorrow." commented
Brian
DAY 2 ALL CHANGE IN THE MELGES 24 FLEET AT TERRA NOVA KEY WEST AT BRUCE AYRES TAKES THE LEAD 21 January 2003 - It was a day of exciting racing and mixed fortunes for the Melges 24 fleet at Key West. The big, high quality fleet and tricky conditions have resulted in some surprise upsets with most of the top names now counting at least one poor result. Bruce Ayres is very much the exception to this rule and is the only person with all top ten results. Today's first race, number three in the series, started on time in around 8 knots from the north east with only a small chop. The fleet got away cleanly at the first attempt with the majority opting for the right hand end. It was Bruce Ayres who led round the first mark with Kristian Nergaard, Argyle Campbell, Philippe Kahn and Jamie Lea hot on his heels. Down the first run Nergaard and Ayres were neck and neck with Nergaard just getting the advantage at the mark. The lead pair had opened up a small margin over third placed Campbell with Lea overtaking Kahn for fourth. Up the second beat Nergaard opened up his advantage nicely but behind
him Campbell and Ayres were locked in a full on battle culminating in
a gybing dual to the finish which Campbell won by less than a boat length. Down the run the top three held their places with Campbell getting
by Cutler to take fourth at the leeward mark. Rix and Porter both took
the right hand side up the second beat whilst Musto opted for the left
in In the overall standings Ayres now has a three point lead over Favini
with Campbell in third, Cutler fourth and Larson fifth. "We had
a really great day but its a long regatta and with the discard being
used
DAY 3 FLAVIO FAVINI LEADS MELGES 24s AFTER FIVE RACES IN KEY WEST It was a very hard day's racing with light airs and two huge shifts
for the Melges 24 crews to contend with in the single race completed
at Key West today. Nick Maxwell from Wisconsin was the delighted winner
of the Race five in the series started in a steady 10-12 knots from the North East with the fleet spread pretty evenly down the line. Series leader Bruce Ayres was looking good off the start until he heard his number called over forcing him to turn back. Also fouled up at the start was Kristian Nergaard who got caught in a scrum at the committee boat end and actually ended up caught on the committee boat's transom. Once away up the beat the fleet was spread out across the course, but the breeze began to go left and drop so those out on the left benefitted enormously. At the weather mark it was Stuart Rix who once again led the fleet closely followed by Nick Maxwell, Argyle Campbell, Joe Woods, Jeff Littfin, Terry Gibson and Peter Wright. Down the first run right was pretty much the only option and the top three arrived at the leeward mark in the same order. Mike Dow put in an impressive leg to come from the teens to fourth place with Woods dropping back to fifth and Gibson and Wright still in sixth and seventh. At the leeward mark a change of course was being signalled to allow for the big left hander and the course was also shortened slightly. Rix and Maxwell were tight all the way up the second beat until just before the mark "We got Rix right at the top of the second beat and just managed to sneek inside him on the mark." said Maxwell. Behind them Dow had overtaken Campbell with Wright now fifth. Meanwhile Kristian Nergaard, whose crew includes reigning Melges World Champions Harry Melges and Jeff Ecklund, was making up for time lost at the start and rounded sixth, just ahead of Woods. As the front of the pack bore away there was a massive shift to the
right and the final run to the finish turned into a tight reach. Those
who spotted it just managed to hold their kites to the finish but many
boats ended up two sailing in. "That last run was very tough as
it was a tight reach." said Maxwell, "The two boats behind
us took their chutes down but we were able to hold on to ours so we
ended up with a comfortable lead of probably ten boat lengths."
Behind him places were changing rapidly as boats struggled to hold their
kites and many of Overall after five races Flavio Favini, helming for Switzerland's Franco
Rossini, now holds the lead by four points ahead of Argyle Campbell.
Bruce Ayres has dropped back to fourth with Alec Cutler, helming for
DAY 4 FLAVIO FAVINI CONTINUES TO LEAD AFTER SEVEN RACES AT TERRA NOVA KEY WEST 2003 Races six and seven were completed in near perfect conditions with the Melges 24 fleet enjoying some spectacular sailing. Flavio Favini, helming for Franco Rossini, continued his outstandingly consistent performance scoring a first and third to give him an eleven point lead over Brian Porter. The wind had swung overnight into the South West and was up to 12-14 knots with a slowly building chop. With a strong current against them the boats had problems making the line and the fleet got away cleanly at the first attempt with the centre right seeming favoured. Favini made the best of the beat to lead round the weather mark ahead of Luca Santella, one of Italy's top sailors and a new face in the Melges class helming for Giovanni Maspero. Porter followed in third with Argyle Campbell fourth and Jeff Jones fifth. Going into the weather mark Art Brereton had looked set for the fourth slot but a slightly misjudged approach resulted in a last minute tack during which he fouled Campbell and by the time he'd done his turns he was back in thirteenth. Down the run Favini opened up his lead while Santella held off Porter and Jones overtook Campbell. At the top of the second beat Porter was just able to sneak through Santella while Jones held fourth. Campbell had dropped back to eighth behind Alec Cutler, helming for John Sherlock, Kristian Nergaard and Jamie Lea, helming for Richard Thompson. On the final run Favini just kept on extending his lead to the finish ahead of Porter and Santella. Behind them the pack was fighting for fourth with Cutler eventually coming out on top ahead of Jones, Nergaard and Lea. By the start of race seven the wind was up to 16-18 knots with a commensurate increase in the chop. Again the current was holding the boats back making it difficult to cross the line. Several boats, including Cutler, Nergaard and Favini, found themselves so well buried that the only solution was to tack, take some transoms and come out on port at the right hand end. "Everyone just had such a hard time getting to the line. We started in the middle but to weather of the centre line boat and Santella started with us right there and the two of us were really pushing one another right up to the line." commented John Porter, crewing for brother Brian, "No one was close to the line, I think we were closest and we were like a boat length and a half off." Santella rounded the weather mark first ahead of Jones, Larson, Porter and Lea. Down the first run Larson managed to get past Santella and Jones to take the lead while Porter and Lea held fourth and fifth. The strengthening breeze and increasing chop gave the crews plenty to get their teeth into up the second beat and at the second weather mark it was Santella back in the lead with Porter second, Larson third, Lea fourth and Favini fifth. Down the second run the lead pair held their places but behind them Lea managed to squeeze past Larson and Doug Clark, helming for Paula Zubrzycki, snuck into fifth ahead of Favini, Jones and Nergaard. Although the lead pair were fairly secure up the final beat third place was by no means a dead cert and the tacks were fast and furious as the pack scrabbled for an advantage. Favini showed that he sure has the ability to turn it on when necessary by coming from sixth to third up the last leg ahead of Clark, Larson, Lea, Jones and Nergaard. Overall Favini now leads with 21 points from Porter (32), Nergaard and Campbell are tied on 41 with Cutler fifth on 48.
FINAL DAY FLAVIO FAVINI WINS SECOND CONSECUTIVE MELGES 24 TITLE AT TERRA NOVA KEY WEST Second place in the final race of the series was enough to give Flavio Favini, helming for Franco Rossini, his second consecutive Melges 24 Key West title ahead of Brian Porter. Record 90 year low temperatures and strong winds made for unexpected conditions on the final day of racing. The start of the last race was postponed for 90 minutes while the wind dropped and the crews bundled up against the cold. "It's more like winter series racing in the Solent than Key West out there." said Olympic Silver Medallist Keith Musto. Once underway the crews were in for some outstanding racing and one
of the closest finishes of the week. With 18-22 knots from the NNE the
committee wisely moved the course in under the lee of the island where When an individual recall was signalled it was overnight fourth place Argyle Campbell who was forced to turn back. Up the beat left was definitely favoured and at the first mark Kristian Nergaard popped out just ahead of the pack with Jamie Lea, helming for Richard Thompson, and Morgan Larson right on his heels. Stuart Rix, helming for Quentin Struass, also had a good beat and rounded fourth but a problem during their host resulted in a serious broach put them back down in the teens. Among the boats who overtook them were Flavio Favini, Luca Santella, Shark Kahn and Brian Porter. Nergaard held his lead down the first run with Lea still right behind him at the leeward mark and Santella now in third, Favini fourth, Porter fifth and Shark Kahn sixth. The second beat brought constant place changing. Nergaard determinedly hung onto his lead whilst Favini crept up to second ahead of Larsen and Santella. Shark Kahn made up two places to round fifth whilst Lea dropped back into sixth ahead of Porter. Down the second run Lea was both smart and incredibly fast overtaking
all but Nergaard by the penultimate mark. Larson tenaciously hung onto
third with Favini now back in fourth, Porter fifth, Santella sixth and The last beat was an absolute hum dinger and had spectators on the
edge of their seats despite the biting cold. Nergaard was forced to
defend every inch of the way as places changed with each tack behind
him. On Overall Favini took his second successive Key West Melges 24 title by an impressive 14 points. Not a bad result for a man who earlier in the week had commented that he felt his starting could do with a bit of improvement after a year out of the boat due to commitments with the Mescal Latino America's Cup team. Porter was disappointed to be the bridesmaid yet again but was as enthusiastic as ever about both Terra Nova Key West and Melges 24s commenting that "Despite the cold there's still no where better to be in January!" Third place went to Kristian Nergaard whilst fourth slot was taken by Giovanni Maspero's new team from Italy, helmed by Luca Santella. Having been forced to recross the line Campbell was only able to score a 23 in the final race pushing him down to fifth overall ahead of Bruce Ayres in sixth, Jeff Jones seventh, Alec Cutler eigth, Morgan Larson ninth and Stuart Rix tenth. Overall a fantastic week for the 56 strong Melges 24 fleet with competitors from nine nations including the first ever Russian entrants in a Melges regatta. Full results are available at www.premiere-racing.com. Top 15:
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