Fuente info Scuttlebutt europe
Larson Makes Sense Of Drifting Conditions
Annapolis, Maryland, USA: When the fleet left for the racecourse on day four of the Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis 2009 Melges 24 World Championship, collective hopes of any racing were pretty low. The promising early morning breeze out on the Chesapeake frustratingly evaporated almost immediately the fleet reached the race area. Consequentially a long wait ensued while the Race Committee tried to track down some more. The delay lasted until just before midday, when Principal Race Officer Jeff Borland decided to try to get the fleet racing around a four-leg racetrack, in breezes which averaged no more than five knots.
The lack of breeze at the start resulted in a somewhat chaotic scene as the barely moving boats struggled to build enough speed to get away from the line, as well as almost twenty boats being called over at the gun.
As the race progressed, the breeze if anything got a touch lighter. Bressani turned his lead at the front of the fleet into a virtual horizon job, while Filter made the most of his local experience to make his second place secure at the finish. Field also refused to relinquish his third place and ghosted home ahead of Tony Beale on 'Scotch Bonnet' in fourth and Nico Celon on 'Fantastica' in fifth.
Friday's forecast is rumoured to call for similar weather to today, however there is some hope on the horizon for the racers, in the form of a local prediction of big breeze on Saturday's final day of racing.
Provisional Overall Top Ten After Six Races
1. Chris Larson - West Marine Rigging/New England Ropes - 22 points
2. Eivind Melleby - Full Medal Jacket - 28
3. Gabrio Zandona - Joe Fly - 32
4. Lorenzo Bressani - Uka Uka Racing - 44
5. Nicola Celon - Fantastica - 49
6. Terry Hutchinson - Quantum Racing/Gill Race Team - 50
7. Carlo Fracassoli - Gullisara - 55
8. Brian Porter - Full Throttle - 56
9. Alan Field - WTF - 57
10. Bill Hardesty - Events Clothing/Atlantis - 60
