Rambler and Titan (Photo by George Bekris )
The start to the weekend was the Around the (Conanicut) Island Race on Friday, which is scored separately from the Saturday/Sunday races. The race has become a popular “add on” for competitors, especially those gearing up for the biennial Newport Bermuda Race the following week. George David’s (Hartford, Conn.) Custom Maxi Rambler took line honors, finishing the 19-nautical mile distance in two hours, 10 minutes. However, Titan 15, a Reichel/Pugh 75 owned by Tom Hill (Puerto Rico) finished in first on corrected time with Hap Fauth (Minneapolis, MN) in second with his Mini Maxi Bella Mente. “We really love the competition,” said Hill after racing. “We have been having so much fun racing Titan that to be that close to the other boats is really enjoyable.” Rambler finished in third.
The Rolex Cup – presented to the best performing two-boat team in the Around the Island Race – was won by Rush, a J/109 owned by Bill Sweetser (Annapolis, MD) and Spitfire, a J/122 owned by Pierre du Pont (Rockland, DE).
On Saturday, the first day of the two-day buoy racing, most classes completed three races. The skies may have threatened rain but didn’t deliver much on that promise. Come Sunday, the promise of ideal conditions didn’t materialize until late in the day, and most classes ended up adding only one more race to the total score. The IRC boats were split into six classes, with Classics, 12 Metres, 6 Metres, J/105 and NYYC Swan 42 one designs rounding out the fleet.
In IRC 1, Bella Mente won three of four races and took the overall title. An IRC 69 from Reichel/Pugh, the Mini Maxi adds this title to a recent victory in Storm Trysail Club’s Block Island Race, in May, and the 2009 IMA Mediterranean Circuit. The much-anticipated duel among Bella Mente Titan 15, Rambler and Rán, Niklas Zennström’s (London, U.K.) Judel/Vrolijk 72, proved exciting with the 90-foot Rambler taking line honors in some, but not all races, and the fleet finishing within minutes of each other.
Sforzando, Blair Brown’s (Padanaram, MA) Kerr 55, used consistency to take the IRC 2 title. With four second-place finishes, Sforzando held off Natalie J, Philip O’Neil’s (Bloomfield Hills, MI) TP52, race 1 and 3 winner finishing in second overall, and Snow Lion, Lawrence Huntington’s (New York, NY) Kerr 50, winner of race 2. The U. S. Naval Academy’s TP52 Invictus finished in third.
Rounding out the IRC classes was IRC 3 overall winner Cool Breeze, a Mills 43 owned by John Cooper (Springfield, MO), with four victories in as many races; Wings, a J/122 co-skippered by Mike Bruno/Tom Boyle/Jim Callahan (Irvington, NY) won the largest class, the 14-boat IRC 4; Storm, the J/109 owned by Rick Lyall (Wilton, CT), winner of the 12-boat IRC 5 class; and Bluto, the Evelyn 32 owned by Ben Hall (Tiverton, RI), winner of IRC 6.
In the Classics division, a total of 15 boats competed in the first leg of the 2010 NYYC Invitational Racing Series for Vintage and Classic Yachts. Entries were split among five classes, each full of eye pleasing entries.
Around the Island Competitors ( Photo by George Bekris )
One such is Columbia that ushered in the 12 Metre era of America’s Cup racing in Newport and won the 1958 Cup. This year, it was chartered for racing by a group of nine friends lead by Americans Charlie Ingersoll (Washington, DC) and Mike Furgueson (Mendham, NJ). “A group of us have been sailing for the past nine years in (the) Around Island in Cowes (England) and decided we wanted to try something new,” said Ingersoll. “So, with my seven European friends we decided on this regatta and because Mike Ferguson and I are both NYYC members. We chartered Columbia since we like to race and thought it would be fun to charter a 12 Metre. I mean, we’re in Newport Harbor, and we really wanted to have that Newport experience.” With three first places and one second, Columbia took the traditional class win over Jon Wullschleger’s (Sarasota, FL) Nefertiti, while Guy Heckman (Newport) and USA won the 12 Metre Modern class over second-place Victory 83 and Denis Williams (Hope Sound, FL).
In CRF Classics, Black Watch, Lars Forsberg’s (Greenwich, CT) Custom S&S won CRF-1, while Peter Kellogg’s (Summit, NJ) Catboat Silent Maid won CRF-2. Clarity, Bill Doyle and Jed Pearsall’s 6 Metre won both all three races to take the 2010 title.
In the first of two one design classes, the 13-boat NYYC Swan 42 class was won by Chris Culver’s (New York, NY) Blazer, with Glen Darden’s (Fort Worth, TX) Hoss in second. The NYYC Swan 42s are gearing up for the national championship, which will be held during NYYC’s Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex (July 17-24). The class enjoyed one day of buoy racing on Friday as a standalone day in lieu of participating in the Around the Island Race where Jon Halbert’s (Dallas, Texas) Vitesse won.
The nine boat J/105 class was won by Live Edge, owned by Michael Mountford (Toronto, CAN), with Dudley Nostrand’s (Hamilton, MA) Jaded in second.
Bella Mente (Photo by George Bekris )
More Photos of the weekend’s racing can be found HERE
New York Yacht Club 156th Annual Regatta presented by Rolex June 11-13, 2010
Preliminary Results
Blue Fleet
Top 3 in each class
IRC 1 Overall (6 boats) – 4 races
Place Boat, Boat Type, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3-R4, total points
1. Bella Mente, Mini Maxi, Hap Fauth (Minneapolis, MN) 1-1-1-2, 5
2. Rán, JV72, Niklas Zennstrom (London, UK) 3-2-2-1, 8
3. Titan 15, RP 75, Tom & Dottie Hill (Puerto Rico) 2-4-6-3, 15
IRC 2 Overall (7 boats) – 4 races
Place Boat, Boat Type, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3-R4, total points
1. Sforzando, Kerr 55 Blair Brown (Padanaram, MA) 2-2-2-2, 8
2. Natalie J, TP52, Philip O’Niel (Bloomfield Hills, MI) 1-7-1-3, 12
3. Invictus TP52, USNA (Annapolis, MD) 6-3- 4-1, 14
IRC 3 Overall (13 boats) – 4 races
Place Boat, Boat Type, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3-R4, total points
1. Cool Breeze, Mills 43, John Cooper (Springfield, MO) 1-1-1-1, 4
2. Nasty Medicine, Corby, Stephen Sherwin (Hamilton, RI) 3-2-4-3, 12
3. Temptation ,Taylor 45, Arthur Santry (Arlington, VA) 4-4-2-4, 14
12 Metre Traditional (4 boats) – 4 races
Place Boat, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3-R4, total points
1. Columbia, Mike Furgueson (Mendnem, NJ) 2-1-1-1, 5
2. Nefertiti, Jon Wullschleger (Sarasota, FL) 1-2-3-2, 8
3. American Eagle, Carol Swift (Barnstable, MA) 3-3-2-5(DNS), 13
12 Metre Modern (3 boats) – 4 races
Place Boat, Boat Type, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3-R4, total points
1. USA, Guy Heckman (Newport, RI) 2-1-1-3, 7
2. Victory 83, Denis Williams (Hope Sound, FL) 1-2-3-2, 8
3. Courageous, Isham / Auersperg (New York, NY) 3-3-2-1, 9
Green Fleet
Top 3 in each class
J/105 (9 boats) – 5 races
Place Boat Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3-R4-R5, Total points
1. Live Edge, Michael Mountford (Toronto, CAN) 4-2-4-1-2, 13 points
2. Jaded, Dudley Nostrand (Hamilton, MA) 1-1-2-9-6, 19
3. Vixen Christopher Beane (Marblehead, MA) 7-3-3-4-3, 20
CRF1 (7 boats) – 3 races
Place Boat, Boat type, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3, Total points
1. Black Watch, S & S Cstm., Lars Forsberg (Greenwich, CT) 2-1-1, 4 points
2. Sonny, S&S Sloop Joe Dockery (Newport, R.I.) 1-2-2, 5
3. Angelita, 8 Metre, Sam Croll (Greenwich, CT) 3-4-3,10
CRF2 (2 boats) 3 races
Place Boat, Boat type, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3, Total points
1. Silent Maid, NY Catboat, Henry Colie (Summit, NJ) 1-1-1, 3 points
2. Windigo, Reliant, Mark Treat (Barrington, RI) 3(DNC)-3(DNF)-3(DNC), 9
6 Metre (5 boats) – 3 races
Place Boat, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3, Total points
1. Clarity, Jed Pearsall (Newport, RI) 1-1-1, 3 points
2. Alana, Thomas Rodes (Cambridge, MA) 4-2-3, 9
3. Madcap, Thomas Fair (N. Kingstown, RI) 3-3-4, 10
White Fleet
Top 3 in each class
NYYC Swan 42 (13 boats ) – 4 races
Place Boat, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3-R4, Total points
1. Blazer, Chris Culver (New York, NY) 1-1-2-6, 10 points
2. Hoss, Darden / Williamson (Fort Worth, TX) 3-7-4-1, 15
3. Vitesse Halbert (Dallas, TX) 5-8-1-2, 16
IRC 4 (14 boats) – 4 races
Place Boat, Boat type, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3-R4, Total points
1. Wings, J/122, Bruno/Boyle/Callahan (Irvington, NY) 3-2-1-2, 8 points
2. Christopher Dragon, Andrew Weiss (Mamaroneck, NY) 4-1-2-4, 11
3. Spitfire, Pierre du Pont(Rockland, DE) 1-3-4-5, 13
IRC 5 (12 boats) – 4 races
Place Boat, Boat type, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3-R4, Total points
1 146 Storm Lyall 1.0420 New York J109 10 1 2 4 3
2 51 Rush Sweetser 1.0410 New York J/109 12 5 3 2 2
3 156 Out of Reach III Nees 1.0460 Other X-35 15 3 5 1 6
IRC 6 (8 boats) – 4 races
Place Boat, Boat type, Skipper (Hometown) R1-R2-R3-R4, Total points
1 53194 Bluto Hall 1.0110 Other Evelyn 32 9 4 3 1 1
2 51920 Elan Hammel 1.0190 New York Beneteau 36.7 10 3 1 4 2
3 1976 Mischief Schwartz 1.0070 Bristol Seguin 40 10 1 2 3 4
Rolex Cup Results – Team top score combined, Around the Island Race
Top 3 (of 8 teams)
Team – Boat and Boat
1. THE ISLANDERS – Rush and Spitfire
2. RAMBLER – Act 1 and Rambler
3. FORTY THIEVES – Upgrade and Nasty Medicine
NYYC Swan 42 Class
June 10 – Two races
1 Vitesse, John Halbert (Dallas, Texas), 1-1 2
2 Arethusa Lotz Newport RI 2-4, 6
3 Hoss Darden / Williamson Fort Worth 6-2,
More information can be found at http://www.nyyc.org/
Bliksem Pieter Taselaar Winners Audi Melges 32 Worlds (Photo by Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi)
The tenth and final race of Audi Melges 32 World Championship reached its final verdict to determine the remaining steps of the podium behind the World Champion Bliksem today.
The race today was a photo finish that ended with 3 teams in a close battle. Giovanni Maspero’s Joe Fly (Francesco Bruni as tactician) in the tenth race (wind around 7 knots) tried to replicate the success of race number 9. Lorenzo Santini and Alessio Marinelli’s Uka Uka Racing, with Lorenzo Bressani aboard, ended in seventh place: this tied them with Joe Fly in terms of ranking.
Team 93 came in ninth, putting them one point below its rivals. Giovanni Maspero’s Joe Fly can cheer for an unexpected result, that confirms their name is synonymous with success at every appearance. The men of Uka Uka Racing also have their satisfaction after a troubled season.
Team 93 must have a bitter taste in their mouth from being able to dominate the first part of World Championship, but not bringing home a title that was at their door. Team 93 should be credited although for being the only real opponent of the formidable Bliksem and having ignited the spectacular duel of Audi Melges 32 World Championship.
Also in the top ten were the American Argo (Jason Carroll), fifth, followed by Mascalzone Latino, Pilot Italia, Bagua, the British Red and Brontolo.
Melges 32s (Photo by Carlo Borlenghi)
The first Audi Melges 32 World Championship hosted by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda closes the long season of races hosted by Audi.
Final overall standings – Audi Melges 32 World Championship 2009 after 10 races:
1-BLIKSEM -USA (Taselaar / J.Wilmot) 6,2,1,1,14,8,4,5,2,(DNC):pt.43
2-JOE FLY (Maspero / Bruni) 3,12,20,5,2,9,14,7,1,1:pt.54
3-UKA UKA RACING (Santini-Marinelli / Bressani) 4,11,19,6,9,3,2,2,10,7:pt.54
4-TEAM 93 (Recchi / McKee) 2,1,2,3,1,11,17,9,(DSQ),9:pt.55
5-ARGO – USA(Carroll / Baxter) 10,10,6,17,6,15,3,19,3,5:pt75
6-MASCALZONE LATINO (Onorato / Stead) 12,3,5,14,7,5,12,13,9,15:pt.80
7-PILOT ITALIA (Martino / Paoletti) 8,8,4,2,24,12,7,6,25,10:pt.81
8-BAGUA (Cecchetti / Vascotto) 5,7,18,10,3,10,1,16,13,26:pt.83
9-RED-GBR (Woods / Lenz) 1,6,11,11,4,20,19,1,19,12:pt.84
10-BRONTOLO (Pacinotti / Loof) 14,15,DNF,13,11,2,8,3,6,13:pt.84
Melges 32 Fleet
Claudio Recchi’s Team 93 (ITA) remains in first place overall with three races having been run in the Audi Melges 32 World Championsip 2009, organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Pieter Taselaar’s (New York, N.Y.) Bliksem (USA) took a bullet in today’s only race and climbed from yesterday’s third place to sit in second place overall ahead of Stefano di Properzio’s Mataran (ITA). Red (GBR), owned by James Woods, slipped from second overall to fourth after taking sixth place in today’s race. Recchi, who is one of the most experienced Melges 32 owners, also has aboard with him former Melges 24 World Champion Federico Michetti and American two-time Olympic medalist (’84 gold in the FD, ’00 bronze in the 49er) Jonathan McKee (Seattle, Wash.). Victory, however, is by no means assured to any of the current leaders, since there are three more days of racing to go and a possible seven more races to be held with a discard coming into play after race six.
The start of racing today was delayed as the Race Committee headed to the regatta course to see whether this morning’s rain storm would pass over Porto Cervo and allow the games to commence. After recording winds of 15-17 knots accompanied by widely spaced swells coming in from the southeast and wind-driven waves coming in from the northeast, the Committee, headed by Principal Race Officer Peter “Luigi” Reggio deemed that racing would be challenging but secure, and the first warning signal was given at 12.30 p.m.
“It was blowing at around 18 knots at the start; the seas were a bit messy but the conditions were not a problem for this class,” said Reggio on his return to Porto Cervo Marina. “As the race went on, the wind picked up to 25-26 knots and the seas were building. This is an owner-driver class and these conditions are tiring, and we decided that for the safety of all, it was better to send the fleet home. We still have three more days of racing left.”
The windward-leeward course set today was again approximately 7 nautical miles and it was Taselaar, with Australian brothers Jeremy (tactician) and Nathan (the 470 Men’s 2008 Olympic Gold medalist and three-time world champion) Wilmot on board, who led the fleet across the finish line ahead of Team 93 and Mataran. Francesco Martino’s Pilot Italia (ITA) took fourth place ahead of Vincenzo Onorato’s Mascalzone Latino (ITA).
Melges Fleet Racing Off Porto Cervo, Italy
Racing is scheduled to continue tomorrow, Friday 25th September, at 12 midday with a maximum of three races to be held on each race day. According to the forecast, conditions should improve tomorrow with light rain in the morning giving way to sunshine and northerly winds of approximately 14-18 knots.
Audi Melges 32 World Championship 2009
Melges 32 – Summary Results – as of 09/24/09 at 15:47
Place, Boat Name, Helmsman, Owner, Nation, R1-R2-R3-Points
1. TEAM 93 Claudio Recchi Claudio Recchi, ITA,2,1,2, 5.00
2. BLIKSEM Pieter Taselaar Pieter Taselaar, USA,6,2,1, 9.00
3. MATARAN Stefano Di Properzio Stefano Di Properzio, ITA,7,4,3, 14.00
4. RED Joe Woods Joe Woods, GBR,1,6,11, 18.00
5. MASCALZONE LATINO Vincenzo Onorato Vincenzo Onorato, ITA,12,3,5, 20.00
6. PILOT ITALIA Francesco Martino Francesco Martino, ITA,8,8,4, 20.00
7. ARGO Jason Carroll Jason Carroll, USA,10,10,6, 26.00
8. FANTASTICAAA Lanfranco Cirillo Lanfranco Cirillo, ITA,9,5,13, 27.00
9. BAGUA Andrea Cecchetti Andrea Cecchetti, ITA,5,7,18, 30.00
10. UKA UKA RACING Armando Giulietti L. Santini & A. Marinelli, ITA,4,11,19, 34.00
11. JOE FLY Giovanni Maspero Giovanni Maspero, ITA,3,12,20, 35.00
12. BITIPI Savino Formentini Savino Formentini, MON,11,17,9, 37.00
13. SEI TU 32 Antonello Morina Antonello Morina, ITA,15,14,15, 44.00
14. CALVI NETWORK Carlo Alberini Carlo Alberini, ITA,13,20,14, 47.00
15. MATRIX Luigi Melegari Luigi Amedeo Melegari, ITA,21,13,16, 50.00
16. OPUS ONE Wolfgang Stolz Wolfgang Stolz, GER,20,9,22, 51.00
17. JANAS Pietro Fois Roberto Pardini, ITA,16,30(DSQ),8, 54.00
18. TORPYONE Edoardo Lupi E.Lupi & M.Pessina, ITA,23,21,10, 54.00
19. RUSH DILETTA Mauro Moccheggiani Mauro Moccheggiani, ITA,17,16,23, 56.00
20. TEASING MACHINE Jean Francois Cruette Jean Francois Cruette, FRA,26,24,7,57.00
21. HIGHLIFE Dave Cowell Peter Rogers, GBR,19,26,12, 57.00
22. BRONTOLO Filippo Pacinotti Filippo Pacinotti, ITA,14,15,30(DNF), 59.00
23. TEAM BARBARIANS Fred Kemp Stuart Simpson, GBR,18,19,24, 61.00
24. BLACK MAMBA Martin Knetig Martin Knetig, CZE,27,22,17, 66.00
25. BIG BANG HUBLOT Cesare Curtis Battistella & Curtis, ITA,22,18,26, 66.00
26. SHAKEDOWN Geoffrey Pierini Geoffrey Pierini, USA,24,23,25, 72.00
27. FRA MARTINA Edoardo Pavesio Edoardo & Vanni Pavesio, ITA,25,28,21, 74.00
28. I.NOVA2 Carlo Pesenti Carlo Pesenti, ITA,28,25,28, 81.00
29. LEA Ernesto Faraco Aamalia De Lana, ITA,29,27,27, 83.00
Melges 32 At Audi Melges World Championship (Photo Courtesy Of The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda)
The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s sailing season in Porto Cervo is about to close in style with the twelfth and final event of the season being an inaugural ISAF World Championship for one of the most exciting and rapidly expanding one-design classes around. The Audi Melges 32 World Championship 2009 began officially on Sunday 20th September with registrations, measurements and official checks on the 30 participating boats and crews, but the tension will truly rise when racing starts tomorrow, Wednesday 23rd at 12 midday. Racing will continue through Sunday 27th September with a maximum of ten races scheduled.
Although approximately two-thirds of the fleet is Italian, seven other nationalities – Australia, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Monaco and the USA – are also represented. The teams to watch are numerous and no one boat is seen as a favourite for the championship, so competition is sure to be fierce.
Carlo Alberini’s Calvi Network (ITA) has performed well this season, winning the Audi Melges 32 Sailing Series after four legs in Italian waters. Peter Taselaar’s (New York, N.Y.) U.S. entrant Bliksem showed excellent form in the final two legs of the Sailing Series gaining three bullets and four second-place finishes over 13 races and boasts four-time 470 World Champion Nathan Wilmot of Australia aboard. With three professional sailors allowed on each crew, sailing superstars are not in shorMatrix Cortina t supply. America’s Cup Sailor Ray Davies is calling tactics on Luigi Melegari’s D’Ampezzo (ITA) while Pietro D’Alì, 2007 winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre, is sailing on Rush Diletta (ITA) and Adrian Stead is tactician aboard Vincenzo Onorato’s Mascalzone Latino (ITA). Onorato is a former World Champion in the Farr 40 and Mumm 30 classes and will be looking to establish a name for himself in the Melges 32 class.
The fleet completed a practice race in light winds of approximately 11 knots and lumpy seas today, but many boats were clearly keeping their tactics under wraps until racing starts in earnest tomorrow. Normally sunny Porto Cervo has been experiencing unsettled and stormy weather over the past few days, and conditions look to remain variable for the first few days of racing. Principal Race Officer Peter Reggio is confident, however, that the YCCS Race Committee will manage to fit in the full quota of 10 races, or close to it.
The first signal is scheduled for 12 midday tomorrow, Wednesday 23rd September, and the forecast predicts east to northeasterly winds of 8 to 10 knots.
