Nico Celon Takes Two Bullets On Day One Of The Pre-Worlds In Annapolis

The opening day of the Pre-Worlds regatta at the Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis 2009 Melges 24 World Championship brought some very mixed conditions with variable wind and a fair bit of rain to test the competitors to the full out on Chesapeake Bay.  After two races it's an all Italian top three with Nicola Celon, the 2006 Melges 24 World Champion, leading this warm up series with Lorenzo Bressani sailing Uka Uka Racing second and Flavio Favini aboard Blu Moon third.  America's Bill Hardesty sailing Vince Brun's Event's Clothing/Annapolis lies in fourth place just ahead of Bruce Ayres and his Corinthian crew aboard Monsoon.  For all the news from the race course today please check out the IMCA Blog sponsored by Tacktick and supported by Verizon Wireless.  Full results are available on the Event Web Site.

Tomorrow the Pre-Worlds concludes with two more races planned and Championship racing gets underway on Monday.