Melges 32 Audi Sailing Series heads to Porto Ercole for Event 2

by Joy Dunigan on 11 May 2013 2013 Melges 32 Audi Sailing Series second event in Porto Ercole, hosted by the Circolo Nautico e della Vela dell'Argentario, organized by B-Plan Sport & Events in collaboration with the International Melges 32 Class Association (IM32CA) and Melges Europe, got underway this weekend.

Opening day at the 2013 Melges 32 Audi Sailing Series commenced with three races after a morning spent remembering Olympic Medalist Andrew 'Bart' Simpson (2008 Gold in Beijing and 2012 Silver in London) who died in a tragic accident during a training session aboard AC72 Artemis Racing on San Francisco Bay on Thursday.

The Race Committee managed the best breeze that blew faintly out of the south for the big fleet of Melges 32s. Lanfranco Cirillo's Fantastica submitted a 1-7-4 scoreline to conquer the day. Separated by a three point margin, is Filippo Pacinotti's Brontolo and Marc de Antonio's Bribon-Movistar tied with 15 points each, seated second and third respectively.

Germany's Wolfgang Stolz on Opus One is fourth, while Edoardo Pavesio on FRA MARTINA is fifth despite getting a penalty in the first race of the day. Edoardo Lupi on Torpyone and Japan's Yukihiro Ishida on Yasha Samurai are tied with twenty-five points each finishing the day in sixth and seventh. Series leader Valentin Zavadnikov on Team Synergy, Deneen Demourkas on Groovederci and Carlo Alberini's Calvi Network round out the top ten rankings.

As the fleet looks ahead to day two in Porto Ercole, it is stressed that no one team can rest on their laurels as the unexpected is to be expected, especially with the a discard coming into play at the scoring of Race Six.

Racing is expected to commence tomorrow morning, Saturday, May 11 at 11.30. The forecasts look to be rather complicated as it calls for weaker breeze and more unstable air.

The next events are Portoferraio (Event No. 3 on 31 May-2 June), and Torbole (Event No. 4 on 12-14 July). The final event will be the 2013 Melges 32 World Championship on 18-22 September in Porto Rotondo, Italy.

Top ten results: (After three races)
1.) Lanfranco Cirillo/Michele Paoletti, Fantastica; 1-7-4 = 12
2.) Filippo Pacinotti/Nathan Wilmot, Brontolo; 3-11-1 = 15
3.) Marc de Antonio/Gustavo Martinez Doreste, Bribon-Movistar; 4-9-2
4.) Wolfgang Stolz/Jesper Radich, Opus One; 5-6-6 = 17
5.) Edoardo Pavesio/Chris Rast, FRA MARTINA; 2/SPI-3-10 = 19
6.) Edoardo Lupi/Pietro Sibello, Torpyone; 8-2-15 = 25
7.) Yukihiro Ishida/Richard Clarke, Yasha Samurai; 6-5-14 = 25
8.) Valentin Zavadnikov/Tommaso Chieffi, Team Synergy; 10-13-5 = 28
9.) Deneen Demourkas/Mark Mendelblatt, Groovederci; 15-15-3 = 33
10.) Carlo Alberini/Flavio Favini, Calvi Network; 13-14-7 = 34