Miami Sailing Week Melges 24 - Razor sharp performance

by Melges 24 Class Association on 9 Mar 2012 Bacardi Miami Sailing Week (BMSW) day one for the 20+ strong Melges 24 fleet was nothing short of spectacular.

Thanks to Bruce Golison, and his superior race management team and Coconut Grove Sailing Club's impeccable racing staff, Melges 24 teams enjoyed three races filled with thrilling downwind rides that exceeded every on-the-water expectation.

Former America's Cup helmsman Flavio Favini at the helm of Franco Rossini's Blu Moon handed down a razor sharp 2-1-1 performance to lead the fleet over Ireland's Conor Clarke with Nathan Wilmot driving Embarr. Rounding out the top three was Riccardo Simoneschi's Audi.

The Melges 24s kept spectators on their feet as they ripped up and down the course, making for great displays of speed and fun. Today's partly sunny, shifty and very breezy conditions provided the perfect playground for the class' biggest and most ferocious sportboat speed demons.

The top five players, which also included Kristen Lane's Brickhouse 812 and Alan Field's WTF really put on a show.

More breeze and an additional three races are scheduled for Friday. The points spread is very tight with Favini ahead by a very slim margin — interpretation — this game is still very much up for grabs.

Melges 24
			1.	10		SUI 825	Blu Moon	Melges 24	Franco Rossini / F.Favini, T.Nava, S.Rizzi, M.Ivaldi, N.Dal Ferro	2	1	1			4.0
			2.	14		IRL 607	Embarr	Melges 24	Conor Clarke	1	2	4			7.0
			3.	19		ITA 819	Audi	Melges 24	Riccardo Simoneschi / lucia giogetti / vittorio rosso / g. benssi / federico buscalia	3	5	2			10.0
			4.	12		USA 812	Brick House 812	Melges 24	Kristen Lane / charli mckee/ jonny golsberry/ willien van way / matt pistay	5	3	3			11.0
			5.	11		USA 811	WTF	Melges 24	Alan Field / strur hunt / rrik shampain / stuart curran	4	11	5			20.0
			6.	47		USA 747	Monsoon	Melges 24	Bruce Ayres / Brian Hutchinson/ dan Smigth/ Oliver Otool/ danielle sariano	7	7	7			21.0
			7.	30		GBR 830	Black Seal	Melges 24	Richard Thompson / ahawn burke/ nigel young / krista pascaton / anette viborg	12	4	6			22.0
			8.	16		USA 795	Rock N Roll	Melges 24	Argyle Campbell / bill wiggens / charlies smythe / charlie enrght / stephanie roble	6	9	8			23.0
			9.	86		USA 786	Battle Rhythm	Melges 24	Guy Mossman / peter cranford / scott norris /	8	8	11			27.0
			10.	13		USA 619	Convexity	Melges 24	Don Wilson / jennifer wilson/ taylor confield/josh mccaffrey /janes reynods	9	12	9			30.0
			11.	33		USA 533	High Voltage	Melges 24	August Hernandez / susan Oneal / zack hernandez / david hernandez / maritn jhonsson	13	6	12			31.0
			12.	15		USA 829	Navega Racing	Melges 24	Kurt Winkelmann / brad bostur / ed furry / chris lay	11	15	10			36.0
			13.	21		CAN 629	Zingara	Melges 24	Richard Reid / bill goodrham / rossi miler / dave wright	15	10	13			38.0
			14.	18		USA 118	Hot Mess	Melges 24	Rob Britts / mak liebon/ steve liebel/ dawn engozzi	17	13	14			44.0
			15.	80		USA 680	Rocksteady	Melges 24	Cary Siegler / seth siegler/cary sigler/ tom coutne/ quin tobin	10	14	22/OCS			46.0
			16.	25		USA 125	Just Add Water	Melges 24	Roger Counihan / peter rich / todd wilson / chris dold	14	16	16			46.0
			17.	44		USA 744	Betty	Melges 24	Jeremy Tudor / jonie tedor/ doug nickles / scott gregory / mike nicolette	16	17	18			51.0
			18.	22		USA 622	Obsession	Melges 24	Gary Schwarting / collin wallsh / John jennins / james jennigs / sue mc morron	18	19	15			52.0
			19.	17		USA 312	Shockwave	Melges 24	Steven Boho / Catherine Boho	19	18	20			57.0
			20.	20		USA 720	Relentless	Melges 24	Scott Foxman / thomas word/ Fred Siegert/ brian huntman	20	21	17			58.0
			21.	87		USA 687	Firewater	Melges 24	George Haynie / jesse combs/ j booker/ a. dalton	21	20	19			60.0

International Melges 24 Class Association website