Foto copyright Rick Tomlinson
Fuente info Scuttlebutt europe
Bressani Clinches Third Melges 24 World Championship
Corpus Christi, TX, USA - The final day of the 2011 Melges 24 World Championship in Corpus Christi, Texas saw the regatta come to a close with some thrilling racing action out on the water. A third place in the first race of the day for reigning world champion Lorenzo Bressani on ITA 817 Uka Uka Racing, was enough to see him retain the title he won in Tallinn, Estonia last year, with a race to spare. Despite not sailing the final race, Bressani's overall winning margin was still a massive 23 points - a real indication of just how comprehensively the Italian has dominated this regatta.
A solid second and a fourth today for Brian Porter on USA 749 Full Throttle was good enough for him to secure second overall. Porter, who started the series with an uncharacteristically poor first day, fought his way up to second during the week with a determined and consistent performance.
As reigning World Champions, Bressani and the Uka Uka Racing crew went into this regatta as the firm favourites, a mantle they more than lived up to during the championship. Their performance this week has been nothing short of remarkable, winning six out of the twelve races and never finishing below sixth in any of the races they sailed. Tactically astute throughout the series, they started well in virtually every race and both upwind and downwind they always appeared to hold a speed advantage over their competitors. Bressani's victory this week is his third in the Melges 24 Class, an achievement also matched by both team owner Lorenzo Santini and tactician Jonathan McKee. Trimmer Federico Michetti goes one better, now with a record breaking four Melges 24 World Championship wins to his name. Not to be outdone by his crewmates bowman Fabio Gridellie is now a double Melges 24 World Champion.
In the all amateur Corinthian Division, Eiichiro Hamazaki on JPN 783 closed out an comprehensive victory with two more race wins to secure the 2011 Corinthian Melges 24 World Championship title by a margin of 17 points over second placed Christof Wieland on GER 635 Unsponsored. -- Justin Chisholm
Top Ten Overall
1. Uka Uka Racing - Lorenzo Bressani, ITA, 24 points
2. Full Throttle - Brian Porter, USA, 47
3. Embarr - Nathan Wilmot, IRL, 54
4. hedgehog - Alec Cutler, BER, 55
5. Brick House 812 - Kristen Lane, USA, 58
6. Blu Moon - Flavio Favini, USA, 62
7. AUDI - Riccardo Simoneschi, ITA, 78
8. WTF - Alan Field, USA, 92
9. Altea - Andrea Rachelli, ITA, 92
10. New England Ropes/West Marine - Bora Gulari, USA, 95
Top Five Corinthian
1. Esprit - Eiichiro Hamazaki, JPN, 11
2. Unsponsored - Christof Wieland, GER, 28
3. Rosebud - Scott Holmgren, USA, 41
4. High Voltage - August Hernandez, USA, 41
5. Smokin - Kevin Clark, USA, 56
