Melges 20 Sailing Series Naples lead to Miani

by Joy Dunigan on 27 Mar 2011 Audi Melges 20 Sailing Series 2011.

With three races complete, the result standings are tight with Guido Miani on Audi sitting pretty in the lead position at the 2011 Audi Sailing Series, hosted by Circolo Canottieri Napoli. Tied with equal points, in second overall is Claudio Recchi on Let's Roll, and Dario Levi on Fremito D'Arjia is third.

Every race revealed a new winner. Miani won the first heat, Giancarlo Capolino's Legionario took race two, and Alessandro Molla's Spring Sailing Team won race three.

With light southerly breezes of 5-6 knots for the first race, and a slight build throughout the afternoon to about 8 knots for races 2 and 3, shifty conditions provided plenty of challenges for the race committee, but none too tough for the 27-strong Audi Melges 20 fleet to overcome.

Miani, along with tactician Gabriele Benussi dominated the first race, winning by a 300-yard advantage ahead of Claudio Recchi's Let's Roll with Lorenzo Bressani on tactics. Dario Levi on Fremito D'Arjia with Andrea Casale as tactician finished third. Race two provided a win for Capolino's Legionario with Francesco Ivaldi as tactician. Recchi came second followed by Peccerè di Mirko De Falco.

Miani's Audi took charge early in the final race of the day, but simply went the wrong way on the first downwind run allowing Molla's Spring Sailing Team to overtake the lead and pull ahead for the win. Federico Strocchi and tactician Gabrio Zandona on Cheyenne took second.

'It was a great day of racing.' said Miani after racing. 'Being in first place certainly is a pleasure, but the best part is the incredible fun we are having on this boat. Gabriele, Neville and I are trying to define the team, we've only raced together four times in recent years.'

'The last race was by far, the most complicated of all today. We started very well and when we got to the first windward mark, with a considerable lead and we went right. After realizing we went the wrong way, we did our best to stay with the top half of the fleet, pulling through the gate in third or fourth. We played defense back upwind, recovering a couple more positions, at least maintaining a third place finish.'

Sunday is the final day of racing. First signal will sound at 1100.

Top Five Results (Provisional, after 3 races)
1.) Guido Miani/Gabriele Benussi, Audi; 1-8-3 = 12
2.) Claudio Recchi/Lorenzo Bressani, Let's Roll; 2-2-8 = 12
3.) Dario Levi/Andrea Casale, Fremito D'Arjia; 3-4-10 = 17
4.) Federico Strocchi/Gabrio Zandona, Cheyenne; 10-7-2 = 19
5.) Alessandro Molla/Nicolo Bianchi, Spring Sailing Team; 5-15-1 = 21

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