Riccardo Simoneschi Wins ACURA Key West Race Week
From Joy Dunigan of the USMCA (photo courtesy of J H Peterson) - There is some truth in the saying, "it's not over, until it's over." The Melges 24 fleet in Key West proved just that today. Riccardo Simoneschi and his crew of tactician Matteo Ivaldi, Giorgio Tortarolo, Lucy Giorgetti and Vittovio Rochelli on "ITA-693 Giacomel Audi Racing" are the 2007 Melges 24 ACURA Key West Race Week Champions! All week they sailed strong despite a few problems in the beginning. Their amazing performance on the water today showed that they certainly worked things out. "Our goal today was to try hard, so we worked hard to get a good start and then we were leading by a lot. The rest was in the end of the others. Gabrio had a bad end of the week. Myself and my tactician we are used to this kind of competition, both of us coming from Olympic classes. We are especially happy as we came very close to winning last year. We did it this year. This class is very special that it has the best sailors in the world. To win in the Melges 24 is the very best. There is no comparison."
The last race was the ultimate, a final showdown. Gabrio Zandona helming for Giovanni Maspero along with Daniele Cassinari calling tactics, Federico Buscaglia and Federico Insabato on "ITA-550 Joe Fly" led the fleet by a slim margin. Overnight, he was ahead by only five points in front of sailing legend Dave Ullman on "USA-505 Pegasus 505" in second place. Ullman's all-star team consisted of Bill Hardesty calling tactics, Brian Hutchison, Doug McLean and Jage Hernandez. In third, Andrea Rachelli helming for Franco Rossini on "SUI-521 Blu Moon", also on-board was Tiziano Nava calling tactics, Federico Valenti and Serena Cima. This was their first appearance at Key West Race Week.
The entire fleet was on edge for the start. Glorious conditions were in effect — 8-10 knots of breeze and the sun was out — perfect weather to round out the championship! The start resulted in several individual recalls including a tough break for Ullman as he was over early. The fleet went left. It was full-on intensity at the weathermark. Simonsechi, with a nice lift right at the mark gave him the momentum to take the lead, just ahead of Jack Jennings "USA-659 Pied Piper Racing" rounding second followed by Francois Bernac helming "FRA-571 Partner & Partners" for Philippe Ligot in third. Zandona looked good trying to round in about fifth, but in the process hits the mark resulting in a major setback for the sensational team of racers. Downwind Jennings maintained an even strain right on Simoneschi's transom all the way to the gate. The breeze picked-up and Simoneschi put some distance on Jennings. Simoneschi went right and Jennings went left. Simoneschi held on to the lead and a change of course was implemented at the weathermark.
Again it was Simoneschi, then Chris Larson driving for Scott Holmgren on "USA-631 Rosebud", Jennings, Bernac, Brian Porter on "USA-649 Full Throttle", Kelly Gough at the helm for Shawn Grisham "USA-674 Bulls-eye" Rachelli, then Zandona, rounding respectively. Ullman was next with a nice recovery getting back in the hunt.
At the last leeward mark rounding of the race, the breeze dropped off and the overcast skies moved in. Simoneschi now with a big lead over Larson in second. Jennings was third, Bernac fourth, Gough in fifth, Corinthian competitor Othmar Von Blumencron on "USA-679 Gannet" was sixth, Porter seventh, then Pollard in eighth. Ullman caught up and passed Zandona downwind by three positions heading left. With the breeze on the increase, Simoneschi continued his huge lead, sailed well up to the finish and won the race. Quickly everyone calulated the numbers. With Ullman's twelvth and Zandona's fourtheen finishes the door was wide open for Simoneschi to step in and take the title.
Final overall results show Simoneschi, also the International Melges 24 Class Vice Chairman (Europe) as the 2007 ACURA Key West Race Week Champion, followed by Zandona in second. Obviously Zandona was very dissappointed. "It was a tough day. It seemed harder than normal. We made so many mistakes in the last two days. When you lead for so many days, then end up in second place it is hard. To have the taste of victory then, it's gone — that's yacht racing." Rachelli was in third, tying with Zandona also with forty-seven points. Hardesty, calling tactics for Dave Ullman slipped to fourth, "We pulled the trigger just a little too early on the start. Being over early didn't help. Our mistakes was worse than Joe Fly's. In Europe they are sailing more regattas in Europe and against larger fleets. We, this team hasn't sailed together for seven months, so for us to come out and anticipate winning was a bit of a dream." Ullman added, "Great sailing as always in Key West. We need more U.S. boats sailing. But, we're looking ahead to some pretty hard training at Santa Cruz leading up to the Worlds. We'll have four Pegasus Racing boats there!"
TOP TEN RESULTS
01. RICCARDO SIMONESCHI, Giacomel Audi Racing; 4, 9, 3, (17), 6, 5, 8, 6, 1 = 42
02. GABRIO ZANDONA/GIOVANNI MASPERO, Joe Fly; 1, 2, 1, 3, 2, (20), 12, 12, 14 = 47
03. ANDREA RACHELLI/FRANCO ROSSINI, Blu Moon; 2, 7, 2, (10), 5, 8, 6, 9, 8 = 47
04. DAVE ULLMAN, Pegasus Racing 505; 7, 6, 5, 5, 1, 7, (13), 7, 13 = 50
05. EIVIND MELLEBY/ LARS HORN JOHANNESSEN, Siste Stein; 3, 1, (12), 7, 10, 10, 7, 4, 11 = 53
06. FRANCOIS BERNAC/PHILIPPE LIGOT, Partner & Partners Racing Team; 15, 5, 9, 2 , (37), 6, 3, 8, 6 = 54
07. CHRIS LARSON/SCOTT HOLMGREN, Rosebud; 6, 10, 11, 11, 12, (18), 1, 3, 2 = 56
08. JOHN POLLARD, Xcellent; 9, 11, (26), 8, 24, 1, 9, 1, 4 = 67
09. ALAN FIELD, Cujo; 13, 13, 13, 1, 8, 11, 2, (17), 9 = 70
10. JOHN GIMSON/EAMON O'NOLAN, Bateauneuf; 12, 3, 10, 6, 4, 14, 10, 20, (22) = 79
CORINTHIAN HEAT
Bruce Ayres and his crew of Jon Pinckney, Don Smith and Dave Sheldon on "USA-637 Monsoon" are 2007 Melges 24 ACURA Key West Race Week Corinthian Champions! "We need to sail more." said Ayres. "It was a great regatta. We are looking forward to the 2007 Fullpower Melges 24 World Championship in Santa Cruz. I love sailing against the best, and that's why we're here. We usually strive to get into the top ten, so we are a little dissappointed this year. But, for part-timers we didn't do too bad. We just need some more time in the boat." In second place was Simon Strauss on "GBR-592 Gill", who also faired well in the very deep fleet of talent and in third was John Jennings at the helm for Bob Dockery on "USA-549 Barracuda."
OVERALL CORINTHIAN RESULTS
01. BRUCE AYRES, Monsoon
02. SIMON STRAUSS, Gill
03. BOB DOCKERY, Barracuda
04. OTHMAR VON BLUMENCRON, Gannet
05. HENRI SAMUEL, Zig Zag 17
06. CHRIS DOUBEK, All or None
07. SEAN SCARBOROUGH, Rhino
08. LOREN COLAHAN, USA-556
09. MARTY JENSEN, Moxie
10. GARY SCHWARTING, Obsession
11. JIM GOLDEN, Chillout
12. LANCE SMOTHERMAN, Evolution
13. GUY MOSSMAN, Riot Act
14. TOM SINGLE, Juggling Act
15. CLIVE DAEM, Shisayo
16. GREG HOULIHAN, Moving Party
Next up for the Melges 24 in the U.S. is the 2007 Sperry Top-Sider St. Petersburg NOOD and of course following that will be the Pacific Coast Championship in San Francisco and Annapolis NOOD in April. The pinnacle however, will be the 2007 Fullpower Melges 24 World Championship in Santa Cruz, California hosted by the Santa Cruz Yacht Club this coming 03-12 May. "Key West has been and always is a great event. This is the Class to be in for sportboats. We are going to see big successes in 2007," commented Henri Samuel, International Melges 24 Class Chairman.
A salute goes out to Premiere-Racing and its entire staff especially Peter Craig and Jeanne Kleene. The race committee was surpurb, absolute world-class organizing delivered spectacular racing! We especially appreciate all the competitors that were able to make this great event. Especially the International competitors. We hope to see everyone back again next year!
Special thanks to professional photographer JH Peterson. He served as the official Melges 24 photographer for the day. He will be uploading photos to his WEB SITE shortly, so keep checking his web site often.