Showdown In Nappy Town, Santini's Uka Uka Racing Wins Annapolis NOOD
As the International Melges 24 works its way up to the 2009 World Championship (October 23-November 1), 21 competing teams considered the Annapolis NOOD a formal dress rehearsal. Reigning kings of the Melges 24 remain supreme. Lorenzo Bressani at the helm of ITA-787 Uka Uka Racing for owner Lorenzo Santini challenged and won the NOOD by an impressive 18 points over second place finisher Argyle Campbell on USA-795 Rock n' Roll. Othmar Mueller Von Blumencron on USA-679 Gannet was third.
Three days and seven races later, never once did Bressani even come remotely close to letting go of his lead. For second through fifth positions, it was a completely different story. The likes of Kristen Lane on USA-623 Brickhouse 623, Arthur Ansov at the helm of Hunt Lawrence's USA-769 Team Peacemaker, Othmar Mueller Von Blumencron on USA-679 Gannet and Argyle Campbell on USA-795 Rock n' Roll continuously fought for final position. Friday's medium-to-heavy air conditions left Lane in second overall and Ansov in third. However, Saturday and Sunday's conditions went from light to lighter and usually is a sure fire method for shaking up the results.
Former Melges 24 North American Champion Campbell was the only other competitor besides Bressani to leave a string of single digit finishes awarding him with second place overall. The last time third place finisher Von Blumencron competed in the Melges 24 was last October during the Melges 24 North American Championship where he finished tenth overall. He won this weekend's position on countback points to Annapolis local and long-time Melges 24 sailor Henry Filter on USA-721 Wild Child. Ansov was fifth.
The top three competing teams took home some awesome gear, special thanks to U.S. Championship Series title sponsor SLAM.
Top Ten Results
1.) Lorenzo Bressani/Lorenzo Santini, Uka Uka Racing; 2-2-1-2-2-1-1 = 11
2.) Argyle Campbell, Rock n' Roll; 4-4-4-1-4-8-4 = 29
3.) Othmar Mueller Von Blumencron, Gannet; 13-1-5-4-12-4-8 = 47
4.) Henry Filter, Wild Child; 11-6-13-6-3-3-5 = 47
5.) Arthur Ansov/Hunt Lawrence, Team Peacemaker 769; 3-5-3-9-13-10-12 = 55
6.) Paul Hulsey, Hoodlum Racing; 7-8-12-10-6-6-6 = 55
7.) Kristen Lane, Brickhouse 623; 5-3-2-12-15-15-7 = 59
8.) Simon Strauss, Simplicity; 6-12-22/DSQ- 8-10-2-2 = 62
9.) Peter Lane, Brickhouse 539; 10/MAN-14-7-17-1-11-3 = 63
10.) Steve Kopf, Blur-Pacific Energy Ventures; 12-15-8-3-8-12-9 = 67
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Once gain, all Melges 24 competitors are reminded that online registration for the 2009 Melges 24 World Championship is now open and all are encouraged to submit their entry as soon as possible. Visit and bookmark the Official Event Web Site for Worlds.