Here's my release for Sevenstar SLAM Racing:
MELGES 24 WORLDS OFF TO FRUSTRATING START FOR FLEET
PORTO CERVO, ITA (3 June 2008) - Days 1 and 2 of the Volvo Melges 24 World Championship suffered from fickle and even non-existent breeze, with two fluky races on Sunday and none yesterday. A local yacht captain gave the most common of comments from the course: "This is not normal conditions for here." It certainly wan't "normal" to see the fleet hoisting spinnakers to reach the weather mark, yet that's precisely what happened during one of Sunday's races.
"I think we were very lucky," said Stefano Ciampalini, trimmer aboard 'Pilot Italia', which is leading the fleet with a 2,1 scoreline. Luck certainly played a big factor, though Pilot Italia displayed more than just luck in their three-bullet performance in the Pre-Worlds. "A good start is the most important part of this race when the wind is shifty - you must have the ability to tack freely that only comes from a good start," commented Ciampalini.
Bizarre conditions on Sunday sent many of the top boats into the middle of the fleet, including GBR 592 - 'Sevenstar SLAM'. "We had two good starts, but getting on the wrong side of a couple of shifts lost us quite a few places," commented skipper Simon Strauss. "Still, that's two races of a 12-race series, so we're not getting down on ourselves." Strauss, with double World Champion Bill Hardesty calling tactics, lies in 38th place, and they have plenty of company, with top Melges 24 teams littering the middle of the leader board. Many competitors picked for a possible podium finish have already sailed their throwout race, with former World Champ Nicola Celon aboard MARCHINGENIO in 56th, Gabrio Zandona aboard Joe Fly in 45th, Gabrielle Benussi on Alfa Spider in 29th, top Corinthian competitor Bruce Ayres and Monsoon in 40th, and Laser SB3 European Champ Geoff Carveth on Code Zero in 34th. Both Alina Helly Henson (Luca Valerio) and Saetta (Nicolo Bianchi) scored first place finishes in one race on Monday only to finish in 27th and 30th place respectively in the other of the day's two races.
BETTER CONDITIONS LIKELY FOR REMAINDER OF WEEK
PRO Peter Reggio has already decided to shoot for three races on Tuesday to gain back time lost yesterday, and with more stable winds from the West already blowing across Marina Porto Cervo, more consistent racing looks likely for the fleet as they work to qualify for Gold fleet ahead of the fleet splits on Wednesday. Forecasts for the region differ though, with some calling for the establishment of a strong Mistral sometime late Wednesday. Regardless of the forecast, one thing is certain in this fleet: The competition will be heating up substantially going into the splits on Wednesday, with many of the top Melges 24 teams likely to be fighting not just for a top 10 finish, but also to qualify in the Gold Fleet.
I'm headed to the dock now to clean the bottom of the boat - back in an hour or two with all the action, live. Thanks for watching!
MELGES 24 WORLDS OFF TO FRUSTRATING START FOR FLEET
PORTO CERVO, ITA (3 June 2008) - Days 1 and 2 of the Volvo Melges 24 World Championship suffered from fickle and even non-existent breeze, with two fluky races on Sunday and none yesterday. A local yacht captain gave the most common of comments from the course: "This is not normal conditions for here." It certainly wan't "normal" to see the fleet hoisting spinnakers to reach the weather mark, yet that's precisely what happened during one of Sunday's races.
"I think we were very lucky," said Stefano Ciampalini, trimmer aboard 'Pilot Italia', which is leading the fleet with a 2,1 scoreline. Luck certainly played a big factor, though Pilot Italia displayed more than just luck in their three-bullet performance in the Pre-Worlds. "A good start is the most important part of this race when the wind is shifty - you must have the ability to tack freely that only comes from a good start," commented Ciampalini.
Bizarre conditions on Sunday sent many of the top boats into the middle of the fleet, including GBR 592 - 'Sevenstar SLAM'. "We had two good starts, but getting on the wrong side of a couple of shifts lost us quite a few places," commented skipper Simon Strauss. "Still, that's two races of a 12-race series, so we're not getting down on ourselves." Strauss, with double World Champion Bill Hardesty calling tactics, lies in 38th place, and they have plenty of company, with top Melges 24 teams littering the middle of the leader board. Many competitors picked for a possible podium finish have already sailed their throwout race, with former World Champ Nicola Celon aboard MARCHINGENIO in 56th, Gabrio Zandona aboard Joe Fly in 45th, Gabrielle Benussi on Alfa Spider in 29th, top Corinthian competitor Bruce Ayres and Monsoon in 40th, and Laser SB3 European Champ Geoff Carveth on Code Zero in 34th. Both Alina Helly Henson (Luca Valerio) and Saetta (Nicolo Bianchi) scored first place finishes in one race on Monday only to finish in 27th and 30th place respectively in the other of the day's two races.
BETTER CONDITIONS LIKELY FOR REMAINDER OF WEEK
PRO Peter Reggio has already decided to shoot for three races on Tuesday to gain back time lost yesterday, and with more stable winds from the West already blowing across Marina Porto Cervo, more consistent racing looks likely for the fleet as they work to qualify for Gold fleet ahead of the fleet splits on Wednesday. Forecasts for the region differ though, with some calling for the establishment of a strong Mistral sometime late Wednesday. Regardless of the forecast, one thing is certain in this fleet: The competition will be heating up substantially going into the splits on Wednesday, with many of the top Melges 24 teams likely to be fighting not just for a top 10 finish, but also to qualify in the Gold Fleet.
I'm headed to the dock now to clean the bottom of the boat - back in an hour or two with all the action, live. Thanks for watching!
