RACHELLI WINS AT RIMINI IN DUEL WITH BATZILL

From Beppe Zavanone of the Italian Melges 24 Class - The weather has not been exactly what one would expect in June in Rimini, with chilly northern winds and strong gusts blowing over the 3rd Volvo Cup Regatta, part of the Blu Rimini event, along with Grade II Match Race, Ufo 22, Fun, Mini-IMS national championships, Bavaria Cup, beach parties and concerts (Lucio Dalla as event art director).

Six races were held over 3 days for the Melges24, with extremely variable sea and wind conditions. A real battle for first place, between Andrea Rachelli on Altea and Albert Batzill on No Woman No Cry, finishing first and second with the same final scoring.

Altea starts off winning over Devotissimo the first race on friday, with a northern wind around 12 kn and some waves. The wind and the waves increase during the second race, and Altea finishes second behind Cohen on Sogeti. One of the waves, reaching 3 meters, breaks off the anchor line of the jury boat, and damages the helm, forcing the fleet to skip the third race that day. What a pity, on such a nice day for sailing.

Despite the weather forecast calling for rain, the sun and the wind are on again on saturday, and the waves are lower. Celon on Aleali wins the third race, with Batzill on No Woman No Cry right behind him. Since Mini-IMS class was racing on the same field, the Melges had to wait for over an hour to start the fourth race, as the wind was decreasing. Unstable and dying out, the wind suddenly shifted by almost 40 degrees, giving a hand to the ones who found themselves on the right side, thanks to excellent tacticians, and a bit of luck. Paola Frani wins, followed by Ebrex Logistics, leaving the fleet many lenghts behind. So much that half of the fleet, fighting the current and with no wind, doesn't even finish that race!

The races on sunday are scheduled for 11 a.m., but just as the crews are boarding ready to leave, a thunderstorm comes over Rimini, and everybody runs away from the carbon masts... The rain stop soon, and the sun shines again, but we had to wait 'till the early afternoon for the wind, coming in from the north, between 8 and 10 kn. Altea wins the fifth race and, thanks to Devotissimo finishing second in front of No Woman No Cry, jumps to the head of the ranking list. The winds lasts barely enough for the sixt race to be held, No woman no Cry wins over Celon, and Altea does no better than sixth place.

These are the final standings after the six races with one discard: Altea and No Woman no Cry both have 19 points , but Altea has won two races, and the final victory is theirs. Third place goes to Cohen on Sogeti, fourth to Banca BSI and fifth place to Ale Ali.

The Italian Melges fleet will be racing again soon in Scarlino Follonica, for the National championship.