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Melges 32 World Championship fleet bound for San Francisco Bay

by Melges 32 Class Association on 18 Sep 2010
International Melges Class Association http://www.melges32.com/
International Melges 32 Class Association (IM32CA) is just days away from commencing its second World Championship, hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club (StFYC) in San Francisco, Calif. on September 22-25 with a record-breaking 32 entries.

The fleet is naturally dominated by 23 North American entrants, three from Japan, two from Great Britain and one each from the Czech Republic, France, Italy and New Zealand.

The illustrious Rolex Big Boat Series (RBBS) provides the perfect stage acting as Pre-Worlds. It is the ideal warm-up opportunity that promises a full serving of Bay Area breeze and stiff current for the 26 registered teams as they hone in on the class’ World Championship trophy.

To no one’s surprise, the entry list is long and right on target with class estimates. It is also safe to assume that the World Championship in San Francisco will produce intense competition as a vast number of teams have an excellent chance of doing well.

A quick glance down the Official Event Crew List gives every indication that not only is sailing’s elite present, but the racing will be tight, competitive, fast and seriously fun. From top to bottom it includes many of the season’s owner/driver regatta champions.

2010 Key West Race Week Champion John Kilroy with tactician Stu Bannatyne on Samba Pa Ti, Jean-Francois Cruette’s Teasing Machine and Miami Grand Prix winning tactician Christian Ponthieu, Gold Cup winner Rod Jabin on Ramrod with Chris Larson on tactics, East Coast Champion Alex Jackson on Leenabarca with tactician Rob Greenhalgh and Northeast Regatta Champ John Porter with tactician Jonathan McKee on Full Throttle will all be on task for a win.

The European contingent is equally strong. Front and center is 2010 Melges 32 European and USA Winter Series Circuit Champion Joe Woods on Red in true form with steady tactician Paul Goodison. Recently crowned 2010 Audi Melges 32 Sailing Series Champion Luca Lalli on B-lin Sailing will be in very good company with tactician, double (reigning) Melges 24 World Champion Lorenzo Bressani. Also, amongst his crew is former America’s Cup helmsman Flavio Favini and triple Melges 24 World and multiple European Champion Federico Michetti.

'The Melges 32 is the most exciting one design class in the world.' says North American Fleet President Stephen Pugh. 'We are very excited about welcoming everyone to what is unequivocally the most beautiful and popular sailing venue in the world. The always exciting San Francisco Bay will fully satisfy the thrill seekers. Pair that with StFYC’s world-class race committee led by John Craig and you have the makings of a monumental event.'

If one were to attempt to narrow down the field and examine who potentially is in best position for trophy contention, it would include Kilroy’s Samba Pa Ti. He has had a phenomenal year with exceptional high-end results beginning in Key West, simultaneously acquiring the prestigious Boat of the Week award. Kilroy has ventured beyond his backyard multiple times in 2010 in preparation for Worlds. He competed in Europe twice then returned in late August to win the inaugural California Cup/San Francisco Race Week.

Luca Lalli’s B-lin Sailing will be a force to be reckoned with. His strong and consistent performances throughout Europe in 2010 places him high on the list alongside of fellow European Woods. His collection of accolades span regattas in North America and Europe that include second place finishes in Ft. Lauderdale and Key West, a fifth in Miami and a fourth in Harbor Springs. The icing on the cake was a more than well-deserved win in Cagliari at the European Championship.

Porter’s powerful Full Throttle should not be underestimated either. A nice finish in Miami, a win in Newport and a fourth at Nationals is nothing to take lightly. He is also a former Melges 32 Division Champion at the Rolex Big Boat Series.

Returning to Worlds in full defense of the title and trophy, is Pieter Taselaar on Bliksem. Like Kilroy, Taselaar realizes the value in racing the European circuit and that it effectively raises the bar regarding crew work and pushes more aggressively for acquired boat speed. Two components, that Taselaar can attest, to win a World Championship is more than required, it’s mandatory.

RBBS/Melges 32 Pre-Worlds competition commences on Thursday, September 16 and runs through Sunday, September 19. Official World Championship racing begins on Wednesday, September 22.

Porter, Woods and Kilroy headline 2010 USA Sailing Series
Moving forward into World Championship competition, seven of the eight scheduled 2010 USA Sailing Series events are complete with Porter leading by two slim points. In second overall is Woods and Kilroy is third. Woods captured the Winter Series title back in March (Gold Cup, Key West and Miami). Kip Meadows on roXanne, currently seated in fifth, had control for a short period of time, as did fourth place Jabin. Clearly the chase is on. Only seven points separate first from fifth positions.

Full entry list

Sail Number

Yacht Name

Owner's Name           

Home Port

USA 211

Arethusa

Phil Lotz

Newport, RI, USA

USA 128

ARGO

Jason Carroll

New York, NY, USA

USA 138

Banshee

Derek Campbell

Seattle, WA, USA

CZE 204

Black Mamba

Martin Knetig

Brno, Czech Republic

USA 169

Bliksem

Pieter Taselaar

Scarsdale, NY, USA

ITA 23

B-lin sailing

Luca Lalli

Milano, ITA

USA 184

Bronco

Michael Dominguez

Barrington, RI, USA

JPN 199

Bros.

Naofumi Kamei

Tokyo, JPN

USA 208

Celeritas

Malcolm Gefter

Newport, RI, USA

USA 151

Dark N'Stormy

Edward Tillinghast

New York, NY, USA

USA 49

FULL Throttle

John Porter

Winnetka, IL, USA

USA 142

Goombay Smash

William Douglass

Stamford, CT, USA

USA 201

Heartbreaker

Robert Hughes

Ada, Mi, USA

USA 174

Leenabarca

Alex Jackson

Riverside, CT, USA

USA 1315

Ninkasi

John Taylor

Jupiter, FL, USA

USA 678

Pegasus-MotionX

Philippe Kahn

Honolulu, HI, USA

USA 007

Q

Jim Swartz

Park City, UT, USA

USA 206

Ramrod

Rodrick Jabin

Annapolis, MD, USA

GBR 700

Red

Joe Woods

Torquay, Devon, UK

USA 136

Rougarou

Andy Lovell

New Orleans, LA, USA

USA 77

roXanne

Kip Meadows

Rocky Mount, NC, USA

USA 13131

Samba Pa Ti

John Kilroy, Jr.

Los Angeles, CA, USA

USA 178

Shakedown

Geoffrey Pierini

Bernardsville , NJ, USA

JPN 5095

SLED

Takashi Okura

Tokyo, JPN

USA 32

STAR

Jeff Ecklund

Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

USA 158

Taboo

Stephen Pugh

Sausalito, CA, USA

GBR 84845

Team Barbarians

Stuart Simpson

London, London, UK

FRA 202

Teasing Machine

Jean François Cruette

La rochelle, FRA

NZL 221

Tirade

Stefan Goldwater

Auckland, NZL

USA 162

Viva

Don Jesberg

Mill Valley, CA, USA

USA 32917

Warpath

Steve Howe

Portland, OR, USA

JPN 203

Yasha Samurai

Yukihiro Ishida

Tokyo, Japan, JPN

 



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