Please select your home edition
Edition
X-Yachts X4.3

2016 Melges 20 Sailing Series - Tight at the top in Porto Ercole

by Melges 20 on 8 May 2016
Matteo Marenghi Vaselli - 2016 Melges 20 Sailing Series Barracuda Communications
2016 Melges 20 Sailing Series - The Melges 20 fleet of forty teams representing nine nations battled more light air conditions on day two of the second act of the Sailing Series® Melges 20. Three additional races were completed with overnight leader Alessandro Rombelli at the helm of STIG hanging on to the lead by a thread.

Michael Illbruck's Pinta had a satisfying day on the water settling for second place overall on the points tiebreaker. Portovenere champion Richard Davies on Section 16 made it a 'moving' day to finish in third.

As if the light air conditions weren't challenging enough to deal with, adding three races to the scoreboard also meant that each team would discard their worst score. This shuffled the deck of players setting up for an intense showdown on Sunday.

The star of the day clearly was Matteo Marenghi Vaselli on Raya acquiring bullets in Race Four and Six.

In race four, Marenghi Vaselli took the early lead to earn a start-to-finish win ahead of a hard-charging Illbruck (second) and Davies (third).

The second race of the day, Race Five in the eight-part series featured some grand highlights. Apart from the very competitive upper rim of teams - winner Rombelli, Alexander Ezhkov on Pirogovo Yacht Club, and Corrado Agusta on Customly, the #Melges20Next team which includes youth duo Matteo Capurro and Matteo Poppu, got on the good foot to take an awesome fourth place finish. Wes Whitmyer Jr.'s Slingshot (sixth) and Jan Kuchar's Aloha (seventh) had great top ten finishes as well.

Pumped up and on the upswing, the Capurro/Poppu team gave a repeat performance in Race Six coming up with another top five finish.

The final showdown will happen on Sunday where two more races are scheduled to take place. With the points spread so tight, the Porto Ercole trophy is still very much up for grabs!

Top Ten Results (Preliminary - After Six Races. One Discard)

1.) Alessandro Rombelli, STIG; 3-2-1-[22]-1-16 = 23
2.) Michael Illbruck, Pinta; 4-9-[10]-2-5-3 = 23
3.) Richard Davies, Section 16; [20]-1-6-3-16-2 = 28
4.) Alexander Ezhkov, Pirogovo Yacht Club; 9-[12]-9-4-2-5 = 29
5.) Corrado Agusta, Customly; 2-[13]-7-6-3-13 = 31
6.) Guido Miani, Out of Reach; 1-5-4-[19]-13-10 = 33
7.) Igor Rytov, Russian Bogatyrs; [22]-3-5-13-10-6 = 37
8.) Matteo Marenghi Vaselli, Raya; [26]-4-18-1-14-1 = 38
9.) Lauro Bonora, Camay; 10-8-3-9-[17]-9 = 39
10.) Achille Onorato, Mascalzone Latino Jr.; 5-[22]-2-21-12-7 = 47
North Sails Loft 57 PodcastsMRT AIS Man Overboard Beacons AUS / NZHyde Sails 2024 - One Design

Related Articles

Rolex TP52 World Championship preview
The pinnacle event of the 52 SUPER SERIES will be held at Cascais The annual Rolex TP52 World Championship represents the top tier of monohull grand prix sailing. Held as the pinnacle event of the 52 SUPER SERIES, of which Rolex is also Official Timepiece, the regatta is one of the most revered in the sport.
Posted today at 9:01 am
Gitana 18, a new off the wall work
A 32-metre long and 23-metre wide flying carbon giant is taking shape For the past eighteen months, a new Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, a 32-metre long and 23-metre wide flying carbon giant, has been taking shape hidden from view behind the doors of the CDK Keroman shed in Lorient.
Posted today at 6:01 am
One month till close of entries into Mackay ‘25
Entries close July 18! Today marks one month till close of entries into Mackay '25!
Posted on 18 Jun
Competitors readying for epic battle
Distance racing is inherently an uncomfortable sport Enjoying a spectacular evening cocktail reception overlooking Newport Harbor, one competitor in the upcoming Transatlantic Race 2025, which starts tomorrow off Castle Hill Lighthouse just after 1 pm.
Posted on 18 Jun
Finn World Masters in Medemblik day 3
Pieter-Jan Postma continues to lead after 5 races Pieter-Jan Postma, from The Netherlands, continues to dominate the Finn World Masters in Medemblik, The Netherlands, after a fifth race was sailed on Wednesday in a north-westerly breeze building from 8-12 knots during the afternoon.
Posted on 18 Jun
24th Argentario Sailing Week day 0
Historic boats from 9 nations have gathered in Porto Santo Stefano Historic boats have gathered in Porto Santo Stefano to take on the 24th edition of the prestigious Argentario Sailing Week, organised by the Yacht Club Santo Stefano with the tangible support of the Monte Argentario Municipal Council.
Posted on 18 Jun
29th Superyacht Cup Palma fleet is ready to go
Crews are now able to size-up the competition in their respective classes The owners, captains and crews of the spectacular array of yachts gathered for the 29th edition of the Superyacht Cup Palma are making their final preparations ahead of the start of racing next Thursday.
Posted on 18 Jun
Swan One Design Worlds kicks off
Practice race and opening ceremony in Costa Smeralda The crystal waters of the Costa Smeralda once again set the stage for one of the most anticipated events in the international racing calendar: the 2025 Swan One Design Worlds, hosted by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in collaboration with ClubSwan Racing.
Posted on 18 Jun
Class40 top guns enter Rolex Fastnet Race
One of the most successful genre of offshore race boat ever Now 20+ years old, the Class40 has proved itself one of the most successful genre of offshore race boat ever.
Posted on 18 Jun
Finn World Masters in Medemblik Day 2
Pieter-Jan Postma leads after the second day of racing in The Netherlands Pieter-Jan Postma, from The Netherlands, is leading the fleet of 307 Finns from 27 countries after everyone sailed two more races at the 2025 Finn World Masters in Medemblik. France's Laurent Hay is second with Germany's Fabian Lemmel in third.
Posted on 17 Jun