BATZILL & KULLMAN BATTLE FOR LEAD IN CORINTHIAN DIVISION
With six of the twelve races now completed the Corinthian Division of the Corum Melges 24 Worlds is proving to be just as tough and exciting as the overall competition. Tonight Germany's Alba Batzill, helming Courage X for Eddy Eich, and America's Martin Kullman are neck and neck on 19 points apiece. Kullman is actually the more consistent of the two with his worst result being a 7th, but reigning Corinthian European Champion Batzill's two race wins make up for an 11th and 12th to keep him in the join lead. Fellow American Shawn Burke is third on 23 points, ahead of Bruce Ayres on 24 and Sean Scarborough on 26. Sweden's Mikael Lindquist, helming Team SBAB for Ingemar Sundstedt, and California's Don Jesberg jointly hold 6th place overall on 35 points.
The first six races of the championship have given us five different Corinthian division winners - Shawn Burke, Bruce Ayres, Sean Scarborou, Don Jesberg and Alba Batzill who is the only person with two wins to date. The 35 strong Corinthian (all amateur team) division race within the overall fleet and in the overall standings Batzill is lying 15th, Kullman 19th and Burke 20th - no mean feat for all amateur crews when you look at the names and reputations of the professional sailors they are racing against!