2015 Melges 32 Audi-Tron Sailing Series - A very dramatic end

by Melges 32 on 13 Jul 2015 2015 Melges 32 Audi-Tron Sailing Series - Sunday marked the end to a very dramatic stage in the 2015 Melges 32 Audi-Tron Sailing Series in Porto Ercole, where the race course became the ultimate showdown arena. Two more races were completed with Alessandro Rombelli on STIG and tactician Francesco Bruni with crew members Giorgio Tortarolo, Pierluigi De Felice, Michele Giovaninnini, Daniele Fiaschi, Luca Faravelli and Filippo La Mantia, stealing the show to win the event by one point. This is the second victory this year for Rombelli in the highly competitive Melges 32 Class.

With the points race relatively tight, Race Six was primarily about Porto Ercole second-runner up Jason Carroll and his Argo team keeping a close eye on, and attempting to control third-place finisher Roberto Tomasini Grinover on Robertissima. On the other flank, Edoardo Lupi and Massimo Pessina's Torpyone got out front to lead the pack around the top mark followed by Valentin Zavadnikov's Synergy GT, and then Rombelli. Downwind Rombelli made his move, trailed by Giangiacomo Serena Di Lapigio's G-SPOT with Lupi/Pessina still out front. The Lupi/Pessina team remained strong to get the win. Rombelli's second place finish leapfrogged him into second overall, placing him within striking distance of winning the event.

It was down to the wire in the final race of the Series. Carroll's poor start resulted in Rombelli getting out front and fast. Rombelli was first to the weathermark, just ahead of Richard Goransson's Inga From Sweden 3 and Andrea LaCorte's Vitamina. Rombelli proved to be too strong and much too fast to catch, as Goransson and LaCorte focused on battling for second and third positions. They swopped positions throughout the race with Goransson eventually getting the upper hand to finish second and LaCorte in third. Rombelli's impressive bullet gave him the overall event win by a single digit.

The 2015 Audi-Tron Sailing Series in Porto Ercole is organized by B.Plan Sport and Events (BPSE) in cooperation with Melges Europe.

The next destination for the Melges 32 Class is Trapani for the World Championship. On August 24-30, teams will go head-to-head in this beautiful part of Italy for the crowning of its seventh World Champion.

2015/16 Melges 32 Blue Water Series - Save the dates

The 2015/16 Blue Water Series cranks up the Fall/Winter racing circuit in Ft. Lauderdale, FL! Consisting of three events, the first is the U.S. National Championship on December 4-6, 2015. Event No. Two is the class' prestigious Gold Cup on February 12-14, 2016. The last event, also the newest addition to this collection is the Lauderdale Cup on April 1-3, 2016. Save the Dates - Mark Your Calendars and plan to attend these three amazing events that will satisfy your winter racing desires, all in one location - hosted by the Lauderdale Yacht Club in Ft. Lauderdale, FL USA.

Top ten results
(After Seven Races, One Discard)

1.) Alessandro Rombelli/Francesco Bruni, STIG; [13]-1-9-7-1-2-1 = 21
2.) Jason Carroll/Cameron Appleton, Argo; 1-5-1-1-6-[9]-8 = 22
3.) Roberto Tomasini Grinover/Vasco Vascotto, Robertissima; 3-4-2-3-9-[12]-5 = 26
4.) Andrea LaCorte/Jesper Radich, Celadrin/Vitamina; 6-[16]-10-2-11-10-3 = 42
5.) Edoardo Lupi-Massimo Pessina/Manuel Weiller, Torpyone; 10-7-[17]-4-10-1-9 = 44
6.) Richard Goransson/Michael Buckley, Inga From Sweden 3; 4-[15]-3-15-13-5-2 = 45
7.) Mauro Mocchegiani/Tommaso Chieffi, Audi-E-Tron; 11-12-[14]-9-4-6-4 = 46
8.) Giangiacomo Serena di Lapagio/Pietro Sibello, G-SPOT; 9-3-13-8-[16]-3-11 = 47
9.) Valentin Zavadnikov/Nick Rogers, Synergy GT; 12-2-12-[16]-5-14-6 = 51
10.) Keisuke Suzuki/Nicolai Sehested, Swing; 2-8-4-13-[17]-16-10 = 53

Results:

Nat-Sail #	Bow #	Boat Name	Owner	Tactician	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3	Race 4	Race 5	Race 6	Race 7	Total
ITA 065	065	Stig	ALESSANDRO ROMBELLI	FRANCESCO BRUNI	13	1	9	7	1	2	1	21
USA 128	128	Argo	JASON CARROLL	CAMERON APPLETON	1	5	1	1	6	9	8	22
MON 001	001	Robertissima 1	ROBERTO TOMASINI GRINOVER	VASCO VASCOTTO	3	4	2	3	9	12	5	26
ITA 194	194	Vitamina	ANDREA LA CORTE	JESPER RADICH	6	16	10	2	11	10	3	42
ITA 487	487	Torpyone	EDOARDO LUPI	MANU WEILLER	10	7	17	4	10	1	9*	44
SWE 321	321	Inga From Sweden 3	RICHARD GORANSSON	MICHAEL BUCKLEY	4	15	3	15	13	5*	2	45
ITA 187	187	Audi E-Tron F.lli Giacomel	MAURO MOCCHEGIANI	TOMMASO CHIEFFI	11	12	14	9	4	6	4	46
MON 181	181	G Spot	GIANGIACOMO SERENA DI LAPIGIO	PIETRO SIBELLO	9	3	13	8	16	3	11	47
RUS 013	077	Synergy GT	VALENTIN ZAVADNIKOV	NICK ROGERS	12	2	12	16	5	14	6	51
JPN 233	233	Swing	KEISUKE SUZUKI	NICOLAI SEHESTED	2	8	4	13	17	16	10	53
GER 212	212	Wilma	FRITZ HOMANN	NICOLA CELON	14	6	7	6	2	DNF	DNF	53
ITA 192	958	Fra Martina	EDOARDO PAVESIO	DIOGO CAYOLLA	5	10	6	14	12	15	7	54
ITA 667	667	Brontolo HH	FILIPPO PACINOTTI	GABRIO ZANDONA'	7	14	15	10	3	8	14	56
ITA 173	173	Spirit of Nerina	ANDREA FERRARI	ROBERTO SPATA	15	13	5	5	7	13	13	56
BER 001	111	Hedgehog	ALEC CUTLER	CHRIS RAST	8	9	11	17	8	7	16	59
RUS 223	223	Tavatuy	PAVEL KUZNETSOV	EVGENY NEUGODNIKOV	16	11	8	11	15	4	15	64
TUR 159	159	Eker	AHMET EKER	LEVENT PEYNIRCI	17	17	16	12	14	11	12	82