2011 Böklunder Melges 24 European Championship - Fracassoli Consolidates At The Top After Two Races On Day 3
Day 3 of the 2011 Böklunder Melges 24 European Championship saw the weather gods eventually deign to smile upon the 80 international teams competing at the regatta in Aarhus, Denmark. Initially cloudy skies produced windless conditions for most of the morning, forcing a two hour postponement ashore. Around midday however, the skies cleared and very soon after a solid 5 - 6 knot breeze filled in across the bay, allowing the fleet to take to the water and complete two excellent races.
A third and an eighth from championship leader Carlo Fracassoli on ITA 803 'Gullisara' saw him extend his advantage at the top to 22 points. Despite only managing a thirteenth and a sixth today, Alberto Bolzan on ITA 716 Saetta, nevertheless moved up into second place overall, leapfrogging over Andrea Racchelli on ITA 735 Altea, whose 8,14, score for the day drops him to third tonight.
By far the best performance today came from Petr Fiala on CZE 752 Aloha who won the first race in some style and followed up with a third in the next race, moving him up to fourth in the overall standings. A lacklustre (by his standards) 16,11, scoreline from Tonu Toniste on EST 790 Lenny sees him drop one place to fifth overall.
Toniste's Lenny crew remain as the leading Corinthian team and have extended their advantage in that division to 5 points over Tiit Vihul on EST 761 Rock City in second. Vihul has also moved up on place in the overall standings and now sits in eighth. The second race of the day saw Corinthian teams fill the top two places in the main fleet, with Oyvind Peder Jahre on NOR 751 Storm Capital Sail Racing taking a comprehensive win, ahead of Nicolai Thorsell on DEN 426 Sonich. Jahre now lies in third in the Corinthian Division and tenth in the main fleet.
The first race of Day 3 at the 2011 Böklunder Melges 24 European Championship saw a consummate performance by Petr Fiala on CZE 752 Aloha, who led from start to finish take a comfortable race win, ahead of Peter Saraskin on EST 791 Zuxu. Third home and consolidating his championship lead was Carlo Fracassoli on ITA 803 'Gullisara'. Finding more familiar front of the fleet form for the first time at this event, Christophe Barrue on FRA 639 Euro-Voiles came home in fourth, ahead of International Melges 24 Class Chairman Ricardo Simoneschi on ITA 819 Audi in fifth. Winner of the first two races of the regatta before an OCS in Race 3 had dropped him well outside the top twenty, Flavio Favini on SUI 782 Blu Moon, had to claw his way back from a windward mark rounding in the teens to keep his championship hopes alive with a seventh place.
With the breeze now consistently touching 10 knots, the Race Committee rolled quickly into the second race of the day, which got away first time under an I & Z Flag combination. Proving the quality of the 30-strong, all-amateur Corinthian fleet at this championship, this race was dominated from start to finish by two Corinthian teams. Past World and European Melges 24 Champion Oyvind Peder Jahre on NOR 751 Storm Capital Sail Racing is no stranger to the front of the overall fleet at major Melges 24 events, and he was always in total control throughout this race. Also showing considerable calmness and poise during this race was fellow Corinthian Nicolai Thorsell on DEN 426 Sonich, who appeared have no problems closing out his second place. Rounding out an impressive boat of the day performance, a clearly delighted Petr Fiala came home in third, ahead of Kristoffer Spone on NOR 400 Baghdad, who chalked up his best result in the regatta so far with a fourth.
In the all-amateur Corinthian Division, series leader Tonu Toniste on EST 790 Lenny, consolidated his lead in the Corinthian Championship with a 5,4 Corinthian score. By way of a Corinthian win in the first race and a sixth in the second race, Tiit Vihul on EST 761 Rock City moved up one place to sit in second in the Corinthian standings. Despite picking up a Z-Flag penalty in the first race, a main fleet and Corinthian win in the second race puts Oyvind Peder Jahre on NOR 751 Storm Capital Sail Racing in Corinthian third overall at the end of Day 3.
Racing at the Böklunder Melges 24 European Championship continues tomorrow Wednesday 27th July with two more races scheduled and an expected continuation to the lightish conditions. Several top teams are nursing at least one high score at this point and the introduction of the series discard after the first race tomorrow may make a difference to the upper echelon of the leaderboard.
Results after 5 Races
Overall
1st Carlo Fracassoli ITA 803 Gullisara 17 points
2nd Alberto Bolzan ITA 716 Saetta 39 points
3rd Andrea Racchelli ITA 735 Altea 40 points
4th Petr Fiala CZE 752 Aloha 41 points
5th Tonu Toniste EST 790 LENNY 57 points
Corinthian Division:
1st Tonu Toniste EST 790 Lenny 17 points
2nd Tiit Vihul EST 761 Rock City 22 points
3rd Oyvind Peder Jahre NOR 751 Storm Capital Sail Racing 23 points
Racing in the 2011 Böklunder Melges 24 European Championship series began on Sunday 24th July and the ten race series runs through until Thursday 28 July.
Media representatives who would like to attend the event are asked to contact IM24CA Media Coordinator Fiona Brown on fiona.brown@melges24.com.
Aarhus Sailing Club and the International Melges 24 Class would like to thank event title sponsor Böklunder for their most generous support of the 2011 Böklunder Melges 24 European Championship. Böklunder is the producer of a delicious range of meat and sausage products.
The 2011 Böklunder Melges 24 European Championship will run from 22 to 28 July. Registration will open on the morning of Friday 22 July, there will be practice racing on Saturday 23 July and Championship racing will run from Sunday 24 to Thursday 28 July inclusive. You can keep up with all the latest news and developments from the 2011 Böklunder Melges 24 World Championship via the Championship Facebook Page, the event web site and www.melges24.com.
The 2011 Böklunder Melges 24 European Championship is sponsored and supported by:-
Böklunder
Henri Lloyd
Aarhus Kommune
Sport Aarhus Events
Idraetssamvirket Aarhus
Canon
Volvo
Kongres Kompagniet
Ullman Sails
Sailing Aarhus
The Melges 24 is designed by Reichel Pugh and considered the most unique one design sportsboat in the world as well as one of the fastest-growing classes of high performance yachts. For more information please visit the official website of theInternational Melges 24 Class Association.
For more information please contact:
Justin Chisholm
International Melges 24 Class Event Press Officer
justin@justinchisholmsolutions.com
Skype justinchis
Tel +44 7769 938722
Fiona Brown
International Melges 24 Class Administrator & Media Coordinator
fiona.brown@melges24.com
Skype fpbrown
Tel +44 7711 718470
Ken Holst
Press Coordinator
Sailing Aarhus
ken@sailing-aarhus.dk
Tel +45 61 65 63 73
René Bruun
Chairman Danish Melges 24 Association
rene.bruun@bni.as
Tel +45 41 12 11 24