DAY 3 ON THE RACE COURSE BY ERIC WULFF
Day three of the 2005 Corum Melges 24 World Championship got off to a great start with 16-18 knots of wind, blue skies, and planning conditions for the downwind runs in race one. After races five and six today the fleet has reached the midpoint of the regatta. The results are showing that the teams that can produce the most consistent top 10 results are the ones that are in position to win the 2005 Corum Melges 24 World Championship trophy. In race one, Gabriele Benussi and Dave Ullman looked to carry over there string of top 10 finishes from day two into day three and they succeeded with finishes of 4 & 9 for Benussi and 5 &3 for Ullmanin races 5 and 6 respectively. These consistent scores by Benussi and Ullman have allowed them to take the top 2 spots respectively after 6 races.
Waiting in the wings is pre-regatta favorite James Spithall who started off the week a bit slow but seemed to have his team firing on all cylinders today by taking two bullets. Spithill started race 6 on the pin end of the line and about one third of the way up the first beat he tacked to port and crossed the majority of the fleet. He was able to work back to the middle of the course and tacked on a large right shift that buried many of the sailors who stayed left. Spithill and his team masterfully worked the middle of the beat to perfection using every shift up the middle of the course until a bit of a lefty came in and they were able to cross the starboard tackers and round first with about a 10 second lead. Spithall continued to push hard and lead every mark finally taking the bullet to a round of applause from the numerous spectator boats.