Melges 32 Gold Cup - Jason Carroll saves best for last
by Joy Dunigan on 3 Dec 2012
Argo skipper Jason Carroll USMCA/ Joy Dunigan
http://www.melges24.com/
Jason Carroll saved his best for last, banking on superb navigating tactics and excellent effort from his crew to power Argo to their first Melges 32 Gold Cup title in Forth Lauderdale, Florida. Coming into the final day as the second-ranked team after six races, Carroll and his racing team came all out and registered solid finishes in the last two races to squeak past previous frontrunner Roberto Tomasini Grinover on Robertissima 1. Sunday’s drama-filled battle capped a successful fifth Melges 32 Gold Cup race hosted by the Lauderdale Yacht Club.
The final day of the 2012 Melges 32 Gold Cup, hosted by the Lauderdale Yacht Club in Ft. Lauderdale, FL was nothing short of spectacular. Big breeze conditions and moderate-to-monster wave action gave Jason Carroll and his Argo Team comprised of tactician Cameron Appleton and crew members Scott Norris, Anthony Kotoun, Mark Towill, Erik Aakhus, Lindsay Bartel and Peter Crawford their very first Gold Cup victory.
Roberto Tomasini Grinover on Robertissima 1, with Vasco Vascotto on tactics fell to finish second overall after leading the event for two days. Andrea Pozzi's Bombarda with tactician Lorenzo Bressani finished third overall.
Two final races were held on Sunday with Joel Ronning on Catapult winning the first heat, while Alex Jackson on Leenabarca proudly took top honors in the race two of the day.
A very special thanks: The International Melges 32 Class Association (IM32CA) is extremely grateful of the incredible event organization and management of the Gold Cup by the Lauderdale Yacht Club. In particular, the IM32CA would like to recognize the amazing efforts of Event Chairwoman Lisa Friesecke, PRO Joel Buoy, Clyde Wright, Tom Lihan, Bob Meagher and Mike Toppa just to name only a few. We realize the level and effort it takes to host an event such as the Gold Cup. It was impeccable - again!
Top Ten Results: (After 8 Races, One Discard - FINAL)
1.) Jason Carroll/Cameron Appleton, Argo; 3-7-4-4-1-1-2-[9] = 22
2.) Roberto Tomasini Grinover/Vasco Vascotto, Robertissima 1; 2-2-1-5-9-2-5-[14] = 26
3.) Andrea Pozzi/Lorenzo Bressani, Bombarda; 8-4-3-1-5-3-[11]-4 = 28
4.) Lanfranco Cirillo/Michele Paoletti, Fantastica; [9]-1-6-8-2-4-3-6 = 30
5.) Steve Howe/Charlie Ogletree, Warpath; [10]-5-2-3-6-5-4-8 = 33
6.) Richard Goransson/Hamish Pepper, Inga From Sweden; 5-[13]-12-9-4-8-8-2 = 48
7.) Dalton DeVos/Jonathan McKee, Delta; 4-6-5-[12]-3-10-12-12 = 52
8.) Joe Woods/Rob Greenhalgh, Red; [15/DNS]-3-9-13-11-6-9-5 = 55
9.) Joel Ronning/Steve Hunt, Catapult; 1-[15/DNF]-15/DNS-6-15/DNF-7-1-13 = 58
10.) William Douglass/Chris Larson, Goombay Smash; 7-10-8-[11]-7-11-7-10 = 60