Audi Melges 20 World Championship - Dramatic final day
by Joy Dunigan on 4 Oct 2015
From left to right: Liam Kilroy, Cesar Gomes Neto and John Kilroy, Jr. Joy Dunigan
It was a dramatic final day in San Francisco at the 2015 Audi Melges 20 World Championship hosted by The San Francisco Yacht Club (SFYC). John Kilroy, Jr. aboard Samba Pa Ti has won his second, consecutive title. With the win, double success is also extended to crew member Jeff Reynolds, and Bill Hardesty who becomes a two-time Melges 20 World Champion tactician.
At the awards ceremony, Kilroy gave a heart-warming speech about his team and how Liam, came to sail in the Audi Melges 20 Class. 'This is such an amazing class. This is the smallest boat I have ever sailed and I never thought I was going to be in this class for more than a year,' said a very emotional Kilroy. 'It is such a great honor to be here, before you all - as an owner, as a family. And, I thank you for accepting Liam. I thank everyone in this room. I thank you for being the wonderful people that you are. This class is special. I salute you.'
In second overall, Cesar Gomes Neto on Portobello had a fantastic event. 'I like a lot of breeze. Believe it or not, it keeps me calm. The light air makes me nervous,' said Gomes Neto at the awards ceremony. 'It was a lot of fun. This is such a nice class. So many great sailors. I just love this. I wish I knew how fast we were going today, but there was so much water downwind coming over the boat.'
Liam Kilroy on Wildman came away from the Worlds with a third place trophy, followed by Guido Miani on Out of Reach finishing the event in fourth. It was a very proud day for Jim Wilson and his Oleander team as they rounded out the top five.
In the all-amateur team division, Oleg Evdokimenko on Kotyara with Aleksander Andrianov and Kontstantin Besputin are newly crowned Corinthian World Champions. 'The racing was amazing this week and we were so happy to be racing in San Francisco,' said Konstantin Besputin, Corinthian World Champion crew member. 'This was a great place to have a Worlds, racing against the very best sailors. This win was a great step for us as a team.'
'We hope to see many of the teams at the Monaco Winter Series that is happening over the next few months. There is great racing for sure. All of the events are very organized and regatta management is fantastic.'
Paul Currie at the helm of Wild Deuces with Justin Barnes and David Mori from Canada completed the event in second overall. Jay Golison driving Midlife Crisis with crew members Steve Flam and Keiran Searle were third.
All top tier teams were awarded trophies and Stella Rosa's 954 Champagne.
The final day of Worlds in San Francisco culminated in two final races that were absolute knock-down drag outs, literally for some. Early forecasts predicted the breeze would get bigger as the day went on, the real question was of course how quickly, if and when would it reach the Class' wind speed maximum.
Race Seven was won by Kilroy, securing his World Championship title. Corrado Agusta's Customly proved that he and his team were still in the groove with a successful first race of the day to take second. Drew Weirda's Merga had a great race to finish third.
For the final heat of the World Championship series. Under sunshine and 18-20 knots, Gomes Neto made it count, getting out front for the win. The top mark roundings and downwind runs were sheer entertainment as some teams were hit hard on the gybe sets allowing for other teams to unexpectedly advance. Freides recovered from a disappointing thirty-fourth in Race Seven to finish second. Miani was third.
A deep and very special thanks
No World Championship happens by itself. It is tough to organize and most especially, it takes hard work to keep it unfolding smoothly. The International Audi Melges 20 Class (IAM20CA) would like to thank Event Chairwoman Angie Lackey and Forrest Gay amongst the many volunteers that came together on the behalf of The San Francisco Yacht Club to make the World Championship a successful regatta.
The Class would also like to thank every team that traveled to participate. Without your support and dedication to this style of racing, the Worlds would not have been possible.
Up Next...
The IAM20CA moves on to Miami and to Monaco for the commencement of the Winter Series racing regattas. Registration is already online for the three 2015/16 Miami Winter Series events. More information can be found
online regarding the events in Europe.
Top ten results (Final - After Eight Races, One Discard)
1.) John Kilroy, Samba Pa Ti; 1-6-3-2-4-1-1-[16] = 18
2.) Cesar Gomes Neto, Portobello; 5-2-[16]-6-6-5-6-1 = 31
3.) Liam Kilroy, Wildman; [13]-1-6-1-1-8-9-6 = 32
4.) Guido Miani, Out of Reach; 2-[22]-5-10-2-4-15-3 = 41
5.) Jim Wilson, Oleander; 9-[25]-2-4-9-6-11-5 = 46
6.) Drew Freides, Pacific Yankee; [18]-8-1-5-3-10-34-2 = 47
7.) Corrado Agusta, Customly; [40/DNF]-9-21-8-7-2-2-9 = 40
8.) Alessandro Rombelli, STIG; 10-3-8-[27]-11-21-10-4 = 67
9.) Achille Onorato, Mascalzone Latino Jr.; 6-13-4-[24]18-9-8-11 = 69
10.) Brian Porter, Shimmer; [20]-18-11-3-12-12-7-7 = 70
Top three Corinthian results (Final - After Eight Races, One Discard)
1.) Oleg Evdokimenko, Kotyara = 147 pts
2.) Paul Currie, Wild Deuces = 180 pts
3.) Jay Golison, Midlife Crisis = 194 pts
2015 Audi Melges 20 World Championship - Final Cumulative Results |
|
|
|
Bow |
|
Sail Number |
Yacht Name |
Yacht Design |
Skipper/Crew |
Race
1 |
Race
2 |
Race
3 |
Race
4 |
Race
5 |
Race
6 |
Race
7 |
Race
8 |
T
O |
Total |
World Championship Racing |
|
One Design Division |
|
|
Audi Melges 20 |
|
|
1. |
313 |
|
USA 13131 |
Samba Pa Ti |
Audi Melges 20 |
John Kilroy |
1 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
16 |
[16] |
18.0 |
|
|
2. |
245 |
|
BRA 245 |
Portobello |
Audi Melges 20 |
Cesar Gomes Neto |
5 |
2 |
16 |
6 |
6 |
5 |
6 |
1 |
[16] |
31.0 |
|
|
3. |
311 |
|
USA 311 |
WildMan |
Audi Melges 20 |
Liam Kilroy |
13 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
9 |
6 |
[13] |
32.0 |
|
|
4. |
333 |
|
MON 333 |
Out of Reach |
Audi Melges 20 |
Guido Miani |
2 |
22 |
5 |
10 |
2 |
4 |
15 |
3 |
[22] |
41.0 |
|
|
5. |
250 |
|
USA 250 |
Oleander |
Audi Melges 20 |
James Wilson |
9 |
25 |
2 |
4 |
9 |
6 |
11 |
5 |
[25] |
46.0 |
|
|
6. |
236 |
|
USA 236 |
Pacific Yankee |
Audi Melges 20 |
Drew Freides |
18 |
8 |
1 |
5 |
3 |
10 |
34 |
2 |
[34] |
47.0 |
|
|
7. |
81 |
|
MON 81 |
Customly |
Audi Melges 20 |
Corrado Agusta |
40/DNF |
9 |
21 |
8 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
9 |
[40] |
58.0 |
|
|
8. |
65 |
|
ITA 65 |
STIG |
Audi Melges 20 |
Alessandro Rombelli |
10 |
3 |
8 |
27 |
11 |
21 |
10 |
4 |
[27] |
67.0 |
|
|
9. |
23 |
|
ITA 23 |
Mascalzone Latino jr. |
Audi Melges 20 |
Achille Onorato |
6 |
13 |
4 |
24 |
18 |
9 |
8 |
11 |
[24] |
69.0 |
|
|
10. |
8 |
|
USA 8 |
Shimmer |
Audi Melges 20 |
Brian Porter |
20 |
18 |
11 |
3 |
12 |
12 |
7 |
7 |
[20] |
70.0 |
|
|
11. |
401 |
|
USA 4014 |
Pinta |
Audi Melges 20 |
Michael Illbruck |
16 |
5 |
15 |
11 |
8 |
11 |
16 |
19 |
[19] |
82.0 |
|
|
12. |
280 |
|
USA 280 |
Merga |
Audi Melges 20 |
Drew Wierda |
25 |
4 |
10 |
23 |
26 |
18 |
3 |
12 |
[26] |
95.0 |
|
|
13. |
214 |
|
CAN 214 |
Grinning Streak |
Audi Melges 20 |
Rhonda Joyce |
14 |
11 |
12 |
16 |
14 |
3 |
35 |
33 |
[35] |
103.0 |
|
|
14. |
210 |
|
AUS 13 |
Transfusion |
Audi Melges 20 |
Guido Belgiorno-Nettis |
4 |
16 |
19 |
21 |
16 |
24 |
23 |
8 |
[24] |
107.0 |
|
|
15. |
15 |
|
USA 1315 |
Ninkasi |
Audi Melges 20 |
John Taylor |
22 |
7 |
9 |
15 |
20 |
25 |
17 |
17 |
[25] |
107.0 |
|
|
16. |
414 |
|
USA 414 |
Cinghiale |
Audi Melges 20 |
Robert Wilber |
24 |
20 |
18 |
26 |
17 |
7 |
14 |
10 |
[26] |
110.0 |
|
|
17. |
228 |
|
USA 228 |
Midnight Blue |
Audi Melges 20 |
Jason Michas |
8 |
21 |
35 |
19 |
27 |
13 |
12 |
14 |
[35] |
114.0 |
|
|
18. |
217 |
|
USA 217 |
Slingshot |
Audi Melges 20 |
Wes Whitmyer Jr |
12 |
17 |
29 |
18 |
35 |
14 |
5 |
29 |
[35] |
124.0 |
|
|
19. |
14 |
|
USA 14 |
Red Sky Sailing Team |
Audi Melges 20 |
Paul Reilly |
15 |
15 |
23 |
29 |
10 |
17 |
24 |
22 |
[29] |
126.0 |
|
|
20. |
133 |
|
USA 133 |
Funner |
Audi Melges 20 |
Sid Gorham |
7 |
19 |
33 |
12 |
22 |
20 |
26 |
21 |
[33] |
127.0 |
|
|
21. |
50 |
|
ITA 50 |
Fremito D'Arja |
Audi Melges 20 |
Dario Levi |
40/DNS |
40/DNS |
13 |
20 |
5 |
15 |
21 |
15 |
[40] |
129.0 |
|
|
22. |
301 |
|
MON 301 |
Raya |
Audi Melges 20 |
Matteo Marenghi Vaselli |
26 |
10 |
7 |
7 |
29 |
23 |
31 |
27 |
[31] |
129.0 |
|
|
23. |
76 |
|
USA 7676 |
Kuai |
Audi Melges 20 |
Daniel Thielman |
17 |
27 |
22 |
13 |
19 |
28 |
22 |
13 |
[28] |
133.0 |
|
|
24. |
88 |
|
USA 88 |
Heartbreaker |
Audi Melges 20 |
Robert Hughes |
3 |
26 |
28 |
30 |
23 |
22 |
4 |
40/DNF |
[40] |
136.0 |
|
|
25. |
47 |
|
RUS 047 |
Kotyara (Corinthian) |
Audi Melges 20 |
Oleg Evdokimenko |
19 |
29 |
26 |
14 |
15 |
26 |
18 |
31 |
[31] |
147.0 |
|
|
26. |
16 |
|
USA 16 |
Section 16 |
Audi Melges 20 |
Richard Davies |
27 |
23 |
14 |
25 |
24 |
33 |
30 |
20 |
[33] |
163.0 |
|
|
27. |
211 |
|
USA 211 |
Makaira |
Audi Melges 20 |
Skip Shapiro |
28 |
12 |
27 |
9 |
31 |
31 |
33 |
26 |
[33] |
164.0 |
|
|
28. |
196 |
|
USA 196 |
Midnight Sun |
Audi Melges 20 |
Alexis Michas |
23 |
30 |
17 |
31 |
21 |
27 |
20 |
28 |
[31] |
166.0 |
|
|
29. |
225 |
|
USA 225 |
Flygfisk |
Audi Melges 20 |
Tom Kassberg |
29 |
28 |
20 |
37 |
25 |
16 |
27 |
23 |
[37] |
168.0 |
|
|
30. |
222 |
|
CAN 222 |
Wild Deuces (Corinthian) |
Audi Melges 20 |
Paul Currie |
21 |
14 |
24 |
33 |
33 |
34 |
25 |
30 |
[34] |
180.0 |
|
|
31. |
230 |
|
USA 230 |
Yeah Baby |
Audi Melges 20 |
Justin Smart |
30 |
31 |
30 |
35 |
13 |
32 |
29 |
24 |
[35] |
189.0 |
|
|
32. |
227 |
|
USA 227 |
Manatea 20 |
Audi Melges 20 |
Bob Hayward |
34 |
36 |
32 |
38 |
30 |
29 |
13 |
18 |
[38] |
192.0 |
|
|
33. |
226 |
|
USA 226 |
Midlife Crisis (Corinthian) |
Audi Melges 20 |
Jay Golison |
11 |
35 |
34 |
22 |
32 |
35 |
28 |
32 |
[35] |
194.0 |
|
|
34. |
25 |
|
RUS 25 |
Versya |
Audi Melges 20 |
Anatoly Karachinskiy |
33 |
32 |
25 |
17 |
34 |
19 |
40/DNC |
40/DNC |
[40] |
200.0 |
|
|
35. |
176 |
|
JPN 176 |
Quatre Hiro |
Audi Melges 20 |
Takahiro Kato |
40/DSQ |
24 |
36 |
28 |
36 |
36 |
19 |
25 |
[40] |
204.0 |
|
|
36. |
161 |
|
GER 161 |
Mojito (Corinthian) |
Audi Melges 20 |
Florian Rixner |
33/RDG |
33/RDG |
33/RDG |
32 |
28 |
30 |
40/OCS |
35 |
[40] |
224.0 |
|
|
37. |
298 |
|
JPN 298 |
SP1 (Corinthian) |
Audi Melges 20 |
Yosuke Watabe |
31 |
33 |
37 |
34 |
37 |
39 |
32 |
34 |
[39] |
238.0 |
|
|
38. |
187 |
|
JPN 233 |
Swift Magic (Corinthian) |
Audi Melges 20 |
Naoki Hirakawa |
32 |
34 |
31 |
36 |
38 |
38 |
40/DNS |
40/DNS |
[40] |
249.0 |
|
|
39. |
17 |
|
USA 17 |
Solas (Corinthian) |
Audi Melges 20 |
John Murphy |
35 |
37 |
38 |
39 |
39 |
37 |
40/DNF |
40/DNC |
[40] |
265.0 |
|
|
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