Pump It Up — Annapolis - The Annapolis NOOD Is On, Let's Go Racing!
The 2009 Sperry Top-Sider Annapolis NOOD Regatta gets underway today. There is simply no better way to be kicking off the spring sailing season, not to mention the racing calendar in the Northeast as we work our way up to the 2009 Melges 24 World Championship, October 23 - November 1.
Drum roll please! Twenty Melges 24s are officially signed-up and ready to go, but we know for a fact there are more coming. Among those expected to compete are teams headed for the Worlds, each specifically taking a very serious look with firm evaluation.
Lorenzo Bressani aboard Lorenzo Santini's ITA-787 Uka Uka Racing is in attendance and are no doubt in full preparation mode for Worlds. This team, at least for now, appears to have an untouchable talent for winning. It seems as though almost anything Santini puts his finger on turns to gold. He and Bressani are not only Melges 24 defending World Champions, they've also just came off of a fresh win in Key West — AND last week in Malcesine, Italy they won for the first edition event of 2009 Audi Sailing Series.
Kristen and Peter Lane, from California with their formidable double Brickhouse 539 and 623 efforts are quite prepared — Mark Ivey, Charlie McKee, Brian Hutchinson, Mark Stube, Matt Noble and Scott Norris will be seen working it out as they march ahead to Worlds. The general report this morning from Kristen Lane is the fleet is really excited about this event.
"The conditions yesterday were very similar to what we had at the North American's last year." commented Lane. "We are very happy we made the trip here as it's going to be an extremely valuable education on the Chesapeake Bay."
Simon Strauss on USA-757 Simplicity, 2007 Melges 24 Corinthian World Champion Othmar Mueller Von Blumencron on USA-679 Gannet, USMCA Southeast District Governor Steve Kopf on USA-773 Blur-Pacific Energy Ventures are all in attendance with the goal of ramping up to Worlds.
We want to know who you think will make the grade in Annapolis on the USMCA Forum.