Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Recchi In Charge At Audi Melges 32 World Championship





Photos by Joy Dunigan
Recchi In Charge At Audi Melges 32 World Championship

Porto Cervo, Italy (23 September) - The first day of racing at the Audi Melges 32 World Championship, hosted by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda was nothing short of spectacular, not to mention delivered no surprises. At the end of the day, topping the 30-boat fleet is Claudio Recchi on ITA-93 Team 93. In second overall is Joe Woods on GBR-500 Red and Pieter Taselaar on USA-169 Bliksem is seated third.

Racing commenced on time under partly cloudy skies and moderate breezes with the left side of the line strongly favored. Upwind, the right initially appeared to be productive, however the left proved to be the side that catapulted Woods with David Lenz calling the shots to the front of the pack, leading the charge by a nice margin. Rounding second was Giovanni Maspero on ITA-999 Joe Fly and Andrea Cecchetti on ITA-753 Bagua with Vasco Vascotto as tactician. Downwind, Woods poured on the speed placing him at the gate well ahead of the rest of the fleet and back out to the left for pressure. Recchi chased Woods back upwind, passing Maspero and Armando Guilietti helming ITA-1 Uka Uka Racing for Lorenzo Santini and Cecchetti. Woods won the first race by what seemed to be a mile, Recchi took second and Maspero third.

For the second race of the day, the breeze dropped off slightly as another course four was posted on the board at 060, with an approaching weather system off to the east for the start. Once more Woods look to have a nice start, as did Recchi and Vincenzo Onorato on ITA-2121 Mascalzone Latino with with tactician Adrian Stead at his side. Onorato got the upper hand upwind charging the mark in first, Recchi right on his heels in second, Cecchetti in third. Recchi took the lead almost instantly from Onorato. An amazing downwind drag race with Onorato placed Recchi at the gate first, then proceeded to extended his lead back upwind with Taselaar finding his way into the number two position. Onorato slipped back into third for the final downwind run to the finish. Recchi was first across the line, Taselaar settled for second and across the line in third was Onorato.

Looking to day two at the Audi Melges 32 World Championship in Porto Cervo, Italy, four points separate Recchi from Woods in the overall points standings with Taselaar only one point further back. In fourth is Stefano di Properizio on ITA-651 Mataran and in fifth is Cecchetti.

Top Ten Results (After 2 Races)
1.) Claudio Recchi, Team 93; 2-1 = 3
2.) Joe Woods, Red; 1-6 = 7
3.) Pieter Taselaar, Bliksem; 6-2 = 8
4.) Stefano di Properizio, Mataran; 7-4 = 11
5.) Andrea Cecchetti, Bagua; 5-7 = 12
6.) Lanfranco Cirillo, Fantasticaaa; 9-5 = 14
7.) Giovanni Maspero, Joe Fly; 3-12 = 15
8.) Vincenzo Onorato, Mascalzone Latino; 12-3 = 15
9.) Armando Guilietti/Lorenzo Santini, Uka Uka Racing; 4-11 = 15
10.) Francesco Martino, Pilot Italia; 8-8 = 16