NEWS 2012

 

Palma de Mallorca, Spain - Day two of the 2011 Melges 32 World Championship was filled with more warm sunshine but less breeze for an interesting day of performance sport boat racing. Again after an hour postponement the committee was able to start the first race of the day.

 

Race one of the day, commenced under 8-10 knots of breeze, slightly less than Day 1. A tough start for several of the teams being called over including 2009 Melges 32 World Champion Pieter Taselaar on Bliskem with Tom Slingsby on tactics. Team ROARK had a good start and was able to hold her position rounding the upwind mark as 7^th. First downwind was good, we had changed a few things which helped the team with better downwind speed then yesterday. Leeward mark rounding went good which resulted in winning a few places. Second upwind beat Team ROARK went to the right side and lost some places, which we couldn’t win back during the last downwind leg. Team Roark finished 14^th, which gave a good motivation for the upcoming race.

 

Second race started in more breezy but still shifty conditions. “The second race was super difficult. Very tough sailing today” said Carrie Howe (tactician, Team ROARK). Team ROARK again had a rather good start and tacked to the right side of the field. Which, eventually, wasn’t a good choice because we rounded the first upwind mark as 25^th  due to a late left shift. We fought our way back in the fleet. In the first downwind with our improved speed and gained some places and after a nice leeward mark rounding we were able to fight back to a 19^th place in this race. Overall we improved from yesterday but there is still much more room to improve. We are able to sail in the front of the fleet but we struggle to hold this position till the end of the race. With all the best sailors of the world around you, every little mistake costs you dearly.

 

More light air is in the forecast for Thursday. How light? That question remains to be answered. At this time, racing is expected to begin on schedule.

 

Top Ten Results (After 4 Races)
1.) John Kilroy/Vasco Vascotto, Samba Pa Ti; 5-1-10-1 = 17
2.) Lanfranco Cirillo/Michele Paoletti, Fantastica; 10-9-3-2 = 24
3.) Wolfgang Stolz/Jesper Radich, Opus One; 9-7-4-11 = 31
4.) Jason Carroll/Cameron Appleton, ARGO; 3-12-13-4 = 32
5.) Vincenzo Onorato/Francesco Bruni, Mascalzone Latino; 2-5-20-12 = 39
6.) Yukihiro Ishida/Hamish Pepper, Yasha Samurai; 1-24-2-13 = 40 
7.) Filippo Pacinotti/Danielle Cassinari, Brontolo HH; 13-11-1-17 = 42 
8.) John Porter/Jonathan McKee, Full Throttle; 7-15-5-15 = 42
9.) Geoff Pierini/Steve Hunt, Sicktrix; 12-4-8-20 = 44
10.) Edoardo Lupi/Branko Brcin, Torpyone; 18-18-6-3 = 45

 

21.) Kees Kaan/ ROARK; 19-23-14-19 = 72