Good Day For The Italians But Larson Extends His Lead At The Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis Melges 24 World Championship

Despite the decidedly damp and cold conditions which prevailed on day two of the Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis 2009 Melges 24 World Championship, the quality of racing for the international fleet was nonetheless characteristically red hot. Overnight leader Chris Larson aboard 'West Marine Rigging/New England Ropes' turned in a solidly consistent 6,4, scoreline for the day, w.hich sees him extend his margin at the top of the leaderboard tonight to eleven points. Surprisingly perhaps Larson believed that the Annapolis conditions today had been more predictable than normal. 'The wind didn't really move about that much today, so much so in fact that in both races we were actually able to one-tack both first beats by simply hitting the left hand layline. This afternoon though the wind did begin to get a little spotty, with more pressure in some places than others.' Whilst obviously delighted to still be leading at this stage, Larson also recognised that there was still a long way to go in this Championship. 'We are four races in to a twelve race series and so far I've been successful with doing my job on the boat, which is to get us off the line cleanly. Richard Clarke has been doing a great job on tactics and the whole crew has been solid. I think if we can maintain this approach then we will be in good shape.'
 
Today also saw a return to more familiar form for two of the Melges 24 fleet's most well known teams, as Italians Lorenzo Bressani on 'Uka Uka Racing' and Gabrio Zandona on 'Joe Fly' respectively, each took a gun in today's two races. Bressani followed up his win in the first race with a second place in race two, after a prolonged battle with Zandona at the front of the fleet. 'Uka Uka Racing's' 1, 2 score today earned them boat of the day; an achievement made all the more impressive given that they were racing with a substitute crew, following a severe ankle injury to their regular bow-girl Francesca Prina. For the first time this regatta, they have broken into the top ten and now sit in seventh place overall. Trimmer Federico Michetti was full of praise for stand-in Meredith Adams, who he said had coped well with sailing with a foreign speaking team. 'To be honest I was very nervous about how things would go today as we have raced and trained for so long with Francesca. Meredith fitted in really well however and picked up our way of doing things very quickly.'  Asked if he thought 'Uka Uka Racing' could still win this championship, Michetti glanced down at the results sheet and commented 'For sure we could. There are lots of teams in the top ten with poor scores. We definitely have no more room for mistakes and it will be very, very difficult. However, we like a good fight and of course will be trying to the very end.' Michetti has his own special incentive to keep striving for victory; already a triple Melges 24 European Champion, victory here this week would make him the first ever person to have sailed on three Melges 24 World Championship winning crews.
 
A third place in race one and a win in race two has catapulted Zandona and the 'Joe Fly' crew into second place overall, ahead of Bill Hardesty on 'Events Clothing/Atlantis' in third. Hardesty confirmed that it had been another tricky day out on the racecourse but said he was pleased with his team's 2,7, performance today. 'The breeze was up in the morning and died back a little this afternoon. We feel pretty comfortable in the breezier stuff, but the light winds have been a bit of a weakness for us so far. However we think we may have found the extra gear that we have been looking for as we were able to hang on to the Italian boats a lot better in the second race.' Hardesty also believes that the unpredictability of the current out on the Chesapeake is creating an extra challenge for the racers. 'With the amount of rain we have been having here recently, looking at the tide charts is all but useless. With all the rivers draining into this area it's hard to know whether you are sailing in salt water or fresh.'.
 
Most of the other top ten teams had an up and down day today. Brian Porter on 'Full Throttle' finished with a 5,12, tally and sits in fourth overall. Italy's Carlo Fracassoli on 'Gullisara' dropped from third to fifth after scoring two results outside the top ten. Norwegian Eivind Melleby marred his otherwise single-digit scoreline so far with a twenty-second place in race two, but only dropped one place to lie in sixth. Italian Flavio Favini on Swiss entry 'Blu Moon' had a disappointing day by his own high standards with a 9,21 and has tumbled from second to eighth overall tonight. Also dropping down the order to ninth place after an 11,18 day was US sailor Alan Field on 'WTF'.  Jamie Lea at the helm of 'Team Barbarians' seems to have been anchored in tenth place since the regatta started and a 16,8 set of results today sees him remain there going into day three.
 
In the Corinthian Division things could not be tighter between the top two teams so far with David Dabney on 'Conejo Racing - Ocean Sailing Academy' and Bruce Ayres on 'Monsoon' tied on eleven points apiece. Just two points adrift and poised to pounce is Othmar Mueller von Blumencron on 'Gannet'.
 
With two more races scheduled for tomorrow and the likelihood that similar conditions to today's will prevail, the fifty-one boat international fleet can look forward to another day of tricky sailing, as this regatta goes into it's third day. Just to throw in an added dimension to the already intriguing mix, the single discard for the twelve race series could come into play if both races are completed tomorrow.

Full results are available from the Event Website.  The championship runs until Saturday 31 October with a total of 12 races scheduled.  You can follow the racing live on the IMCA Official Blog.  For further information or to request photographs or video footage please contact fiona.brown@melges24.com.

Provisional Overall Top Ten After Four Races

1.  Chris Larson - West Marine Rigging/New England Ropes - 17 points
2.  Gabrio Zandona - Joe Fly - 28 points
3.  Bill Hardesty - Events Clothing/Atlantis - 31 points
4.  Brian Porter - Full Throttle - 31 points
5.  Carlo Fracassoli - Gullisara - 33 points
6.  Eivind Melleby - Full Medal Jacket - 38 points
7.  Lorenzo Bressani - Uka Uka Racing - 39 points
8.  Flavio Favini - Blu Moon - 39 points
9.  Alan Field - WTF - 40 points
10. Jame Lea - Team Barbarians - 49 points

Provisional Corinthian Top Five After Four Races

1.  David Dabney - Conejo Racing-Ocean Sailing Academy - 11 points
2.  Bruce Ayres - Monsoon - 11 points
3.  Othmar Mueller von Blumencron - Gannet - 13 points
4.  Christof Wieland - Unsponsored - 16 points
5.  August Hernandez - High Voltage - 24 points

THE SHEEHY LEXUS OF ANNAPOLIS 2009 MELGES 24 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IS SPONSORED BY:

Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis - Title Sponsor
Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis, the Baltimore-Annapolis area's ONLY Elite Lexus dealership for six consecutive years, will be the title sponsor of the Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis 2009 Melges 24 World Championship. To drive a Lexus is to experience the perfect blend of automotive performance and luxury. To own a Lexus from Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis is to experience something even more: a recognition of your personal needs that goes beyond offering expert service and convenient hours. Throughout the regatta, competitors and spectators will be able to inspect a wide range of Lexus luxury automobiles, which will be on display at the regatta center.

Pusser's Rum - Official Rum
The official rum for the 2009 Melges 24 World Championship is Pusser's Rum. Rum and the sea are inseparable, and no rum is more akin to the sea and the sailor than Pusser's Rum - the Original Navy Rum. Pusser's continues its long standing association with the Melges 24 Class by hosting the mid-week Pusser’s Painkiller Party as well as providing their legendary Pusser’s Painkiller cocktails for the daily post racing gatherings and sponsoring the Pusser's WipeOut Of The Day competition.

Coral Reef Sailing Apparel & Gill - Official Apparel Sponsor
The official apparel sponsor for the 2009 Melges 24 World Championship is Coral Reef Sailing Apparel (CRSA) and Gill. CRSA is continuing their strong commitment to the Melges 24 class by providing apparel for the World Championship. Items can be purchased online now, or on-site at the event. Gill is a brand leader in foul weather apparel specific to the sailing enthusiast.

Atlantic Yacht Rigging - Official Rigging Partner
The official rigging partner for the 2009 Melges 24 World Championship is Atlantic Yacht Rigging. AYRS is a full service company that can help with any of your rigging or repair needs any time of the year. From wire swaging projects to fiberglass repair and everything in between, they will be onsite providing the best service to the entire fleet.

T2P.TV - Official Video Partner
T2P.TV is an National award winning media group specializing in live, on the water video production and online broadcasting of major sailing events for almost a decade. As such they have been involved in coverage of every facet of the sport from Jr. Sailing to the America's Cup. T2P.TV will be providing official video coverage of all the racing action throughout the Championship.

Official Beer
We thank Buck Distributors for supplying the official beers of the regatta. Miller Lite triple hops brewing, Peroni master-brewed, and Leinenkugel a legend in brewing for over 140 years. Cheers!

Tacktick - Official IMCA Media Output Sponsor
Tacktick, the world leader in wireless, solar powered electronics for the marine industry, is the Official Sponsor of the Media Output from the 2009 Melges 24 World Championship. Tacktick's support will enable the class to provide media output in the form of daily press releases, live online reporting from the racecourse via the officialMelges 24 Blogas well as on the dock video interviews with the sailors.

Other supporting sponsors include the City of Annapolis, National Sailing Hall of Fame, BoatingLaw.com, Go!The Airport Shuttle, Boatyard Bar and Grill, Sam's Waterfront Cafe, APS Ltd, Pusser's Caribean Grille at the Annapolis Marriott Waterfront, Team Barbarians, RACEBOOK-US, North Sails One Design, SailFastPhoto, PantherVision, Chesapeake Bay Roasting Co, Bert Jabin's Yacht Yard, Sail 22, Latis Yachting Solutions, Kathryn M Weber, CPA, MarinaCastTV, Fawcett Boat Supplies and LaCroix Waters.  This event is also supported by the International Melges 24 Class Association (IMCA), the US Melges 24 Class Association (USMCA) and the Annapolis Melges 24 Fleet #22.

The Melges 24 Class and Eastport Yacht Club are extremely proud to be partnered with these outstanding companies and sincerely thank them for their generous support of the 2009 Worlds.

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Visit the official event website at www.melges24worlds2009.com for more information on the Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis 2009 Melges 24 World Championship. Also, visit the Eastport Yacht Club online.

The Melges 24 is designed by Reichel Pugh and considered the most unique one design sportboat in the world as well as one of the fastest-growing classes of high performance yachts. For more information, visit the official class websites of the International Melges 24 Class Association (IMCA)and U.S. Melges 24 Class Association (USMCA).

For more information or press photos, please contact:

Justin Chisholm 
International Melges 24 Class Association (IMCA)
2009 Melges 24 World Championship Press Officer
+44 7769 938722
Skype: justinchis 

Fiona Brown
International Melges 24 Class Association (IMCA)
Administrator 
+44 (0) 7711 718470
Skype: fpbrown

Nancy Noyes
Eastport Yacht Club (EYC) 
2009 Melges 24 World Championship Press Officer
+1 (410) 263-5028 

Joy Dunigan
U.S. Melges 24 Class Association (USMCA)
2009 Melges 24 World Championship Press Chair
Class Communications Director | Executive Secretary
+1 (912) 398-5776
Skype: joysavannah