Melges 24 Worlds 2015: Swiss Chris Rast on EFG - What a day!
02 July, 2015 - Middelfat, Denmark - What a day here in Middelfart! Thanks to some champagne conditions, PRO Hank Stuart brings at home three more races and now, after nine races and one discard, the situation among the 95 boats fleet starts to unravel.
At the top spot of the ranking there is now Chris Rast’s EFG SUI684 (1-1-1) that gets three bullets and is now in front of former leader Andrea Rachelli’s Altea ITA735 (25p-3-4), that had a great come back in seventh, closed in third position after starting with OCS. On the third level of the podium retains Bora Gulari’s Air Force One USA820 (21p-2-7), that in race seven suffered the same problem of Altea.
EFG SUI684 Chris Rast (c) Pierrick Contin / IM24CA
Altea ITA735 Andrea Racchelli (c) Pierrick Contin / IM24CA
Air Force One USA820 Bora Gulari (c) Pierrick Contin / IM24CA
“We sailed great today getting some good margin on the opponents, but it’s far to be over, especially here, where the race course is really challenging and the fleet huge as never before. Moreover, as we know, tomorrow is another day and we need to be again at our best to manage the situation,” 3-time time Swiss Olympian Chris Rast said after the daily prize giving hosted in Middelfart Marina’s Hospitality Village.
The top three boats are now in a good advantage over their pursuers, led by 2014 Melges 24 World ranking winner Audi tron ITA840 (27-14-9) helmed by Riccardo Simoneschi. To complete the top five we have the best of the Corinthian Division, German entry Musto Racing GER803 (24-11-17) skippered by Kicker Schäfer.
In Corinthian division the battle among the top three boats is strong. German Musto Racing GER803 steered by Kicker Schäfer got with a sixty-one points in total a two-points' margin ahead of Norwegian Storm Capital Sail Racing NOR751 with Øyvind Jahre in helm ending the day with sixty-three points. Tight hold on the third position with seventy-five points is keeping two-time Olympic 470 medallist, Estonian Tõnu Tõniste's Lenny EST790.
Musto Racing GER803 Kicker Schäfer (c) Pierrick Contin
Storm Capital Sail Racing NOR751 Øyvind Jahre (c) Pierrick Contin
Lenny EST790 Tõnu Tõniste (c) Pierrick Contin
Races valid for Melges 24 World Championship 2015 will resume tomorrow, at 11 am. Weather forecasts predict some light winds of 6-8 knots coming from the South.
We remind you that the series will count on fourteen races and that after the end of the race number thirteen the standings will include two discards.
Melges 24 World Championship 2015 is organized by Match Racing Denmark in collaboration with the International Melges 24 Class Association and Middeflart Sailing Club.
Day 3 highlights by Zerogradinord - Maulo Melandri, Janna Buriani and Simona Bellobuono
Photo gallery by Pierrick Contin / IM24CA
High resolution images are available to accredited media. For further information please E-mail Piret Salmistu
To follow the racing a greatest set ever of the manpower and equipment has been used. With three cameras on the water the streaming was produced by Zerogradinord and SportsXStream along with the International Melges 24 Class Association. Steve Ancsell from United Kingdom and Mauro Melandri as the official Event press Officer from Italy all three races are covering with a fascinating commentary about the racing and content about the Melges 24 Class.
The link to the daily LiveStream can be found here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy7SD_V_E3ZSgPqyhWZhSYg
In addition, live stream from the Morning Briefing and after the racing dock chats will be brought to the audience from the Middelfart Marina. International media team of Zerogradinord will broadcast such content daily until the end of the event. See emotional interviews afterwards and follow the action live here (https://livestream.com/zerogradinord/melges24worlds2015 ).
The days of the event are:
Tuesday 30 of June to Sunday 5th of July: 2015 Melges 24 World Championship
Sunday 5 of July: Closing Ceremony
Event website: http://www.melges24worlds15.dk/
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