FRENCH TEAMS CAPTURE TOP SPOTS
With moderate winds and a heavy sea, competitors of the Melges 24 World Championship set out to complete races seven and eight. Even with the sun in full view and warm temperature, crews still needed their foul weather gear to take on the spray and large waves.
The first race was very good for the French who managed to give Harry Melges, helming for Jeff Ecklund (USA 409 "Star") a real run for the money. First day of the championship winner, Jean-Francois Cruette (FRA 321 "Scutum") rounded the top mark first, followed by Bruno Jourdren (FRA 472 "Pokemon"), then Jamie Lea (GBR 437 "Black Seal). Jamie was very strong allowing him to maintain a solid second position until the end, while Bruno took first place. Melges stayed further back in the beginning moving up gradually throughout the positions to take third.
Race eight in the series brought lots of competition from the French again. Francois Le Bourdais (FRA 375 "Voiles Performance") took control in the beginning, with Erik Arthur (NOR 341) right behind, then Jourdren, then Vincent Bodin (FRA 424 "Solea"), then Oliver Ponthieu (FRA 173 "Groupe Lucien Barriere"). The french stayed at the front of the pack only allowing limited stiff competition from Rob Smith (GBR 484 "The New Barbarians") and from Harry Melges later in the race. In the end, Le Bourdais captured first, Melges took second place and a fabulous finish for Smith with third.
Overall provisional results leave us with Harry Melges in first place with 14 points, Jamie Lea still in second place with 49 points, and Rob Smith with 55 points has moved up from fourth to third.
To add to a successful race day for the French teams Sebastien Col, helming for Philippe Ligot (FRA 475 "Ouistreham") moved from sixth overall to fourth. Bruno Jourdren moved up from eighth to fifth. Edigio Babbi (ITA 421 "Citta'di Cesenatico") had a productive day moving from twelveth to eighth.
Provisional Results
01. USA 409 - Harry Melges / Jeff Ecklund - 11, 1, 1, BFD/RDG, 3, 2, 3, 2 = 14 points
02. GBR 437 - Jamie Lea / Richard Thompson - 18, 7, 14,1,4, 3, 2, 18 = 49 points
03. GBR 484 - Rob Smith / Stuart Simpson - 10, 5, 4, 14, BFD, 8, 11, 3 = 55 points
04. FRA 475 - Sebastien Col / Philippe Ligot - 22, 9, 13, BFD, 6, 7, 9, 4 = 56 points
05. FRA 472 - Bruno Jourdren - 33, 23, 11, BFD/RDG, 7, 1, 1, 8 = 59.5 points
06. NOR 249 - Kristopher Spone / Neils Hauff - 9, 15, 3, 2, 1, 20 = 61 points
07. FRA 173 - Oliver Ponthieu - 7, 30, 5, 4, 5, 25, 16, 1 = 63 points
08. ITA 421 - Edigio Babbi - 19, 2, 24, 23, 2, 24, 4, 34 = 98 points
09. FIN 236 - Kenneth Thelen - 4, 31, 17, 8, 11, 9, 28, 23 = 99 points
10. MON 429 - Antoine Fickley / Benjamin Cohen -13, 19,9,17,15,12 = 100 points