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
After nine races of the 12-race Melges 24 World Championship off Australia’s Royal Geelong YC, 2001 World Champion and 2013 World runnerup Flavio Favini has taken the lead at the Melges 24 World Championship regatta, two points ahead of the Harry Melges team, who have a 2-2-3-5-1-1-8-(13)-3 for 25 points. In third is 2009 World Champion Chris Larson with 28 points. As crew, Melges has tactician Andy Burdick, Jeff Ecklund, and Federico Michetti. (Burdick and Michetti were on Brian Porter’s winning team in 2013.) Two races will be sailed today, with the final tomorrow. Geelong is about 45 miles southwest of Melbourne.
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Photo Credit – Teri Dodds
After the second day of competition in Australia for the 2014 Gill Melges 24 World Championship in Geelong, Harry Melges has captured the lead. With his crew of Andy Burdick, Jeff Ecklund and Federico Michetti aboard Star, they have a lead of 9 points to 14 points. For the full story, CLICK HERE and to keep up with the action, CLICK HERE FOR REGATTA WEBSITE.
We thank Teri Dodds for the use of her Photographs.
Photo Credit – Teri Dodds
Harry Melges, with crew Andy Burdick, Jeff Ecklund, and Federico Michetti, compiled a 1-1-3-2-1-3-(7)-1-3-2 series on Corio Bay to win the Melges 24 Australian Open National Championship title, January 21-27, over a tough 23-boat fleet from seven countries. Host Royal Geelong YC served as “home to local and visiting yachties.”
The Open National Championship was the warm-up regatta for the Gill Melges 24 World Championship at RGYC, January 27-February 2 (race one, January 29), the first Melges 24 World Championship in the Southern Hemisphere. Harry Melges (and Jeff Ecklund) won the World title in 2002 in Travemunde, Germany; Lake Geneva’s Brian Porter won the 2013 World title in San Francisco. Second in the Open was Flavio Favini, 2001 World Champion, 2013 European Champion, and 2013 World runner-up behind Brian Porter, who is not competing in the Corio Bay event.
Follow the daily action at the World Championship on the event website (www.melges24worldsaustralia.com).
The Australian Open was part of Geelong’s annual Festival of Sails, which started in 1844, helps celebrate Australia Day weekend, and is Victoria’s oldest ongoing sporting event. This year the festival attracted more than 350 boats in 14 divisions and thousands of people for on-the-water and shoreside activities.
Lake Geneva Yacht Club’s Brian Porter wins the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year award. This honor bestowed upon Brian Porter caps off an exciting year for the Lake Geneva Yacht Club. To read the full story from US SAILING, CLICK HERE.
For the second year in a row, the National Class E Scow Association has awarded both the National Ranking Championship and the Road Warrior Championship to Vincent Porter (I-2). The National Ranking title is awarded on the basis of a competitor’s best three regatta series points in the year, which in Vincent’s case was his first at the July ILYA Invitational at Pewaukee, his third at the August ILYA Annual Regatta at Okoboji, and his second at the September Class E Scow National Championship at LGYC. The Class E Association computed its 2013 rankings on regatta results for 203 skippers. Peter Strothman (I-9) was second in the rankings. The Road Warrior title is awarded to the skipper who accumulates the best place overall, counting all the regattas attended during the year.
