Italian Flavio Favini, sailing the Swiss boat Blu Moon, took a 2-3 in the tenth and eleventh races at the International Melges 24 Class World Championship yesterday to win the event with 28 points and no need to sail the finale, scheduled for today. Going into this afternoon’s last race, Harry Melges stands second (2-2-3-5-1-1-9-[13]-3-6-4) with 36 points; Detroit’s Bora Gulari, current and 2009 International Moth Class World Champion, is right behind at third ([8]-7-6-2-6-2-3-6-2-1-2) with 37 points. In fourth is American Chris Larson, sailing a Canadian boat, with 44 points. Twenty-six boats are competing for the Open and Corinthian titles.

 The event is being sailed at the Royal Geelong YC on Corio Bay, about 45 miles southwest of Melbourne, Australia. Winds for the series have varied from a “honking northerly” to yesterday’s 7-15 knots. 

 Favini, who had a 6-3-7-1-2-5-1-4-1-2-3 series, was runner-up behind Brian Porter in the 2013 World Championship at San Francisco, won the Melges 24 World title in 2001, and won the Melges 24 Class European Championship in 2013 and 2007. Harry Melges, with crew tactician Andy Burdick, Federico Michetti, and Jeff Ecklund for this series, won the World Championship and the North American title in 2002, with the same crew.   

Click Here to see lastes results from Australia

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