Melges 20 Miami Winter Regatta at Coconut Grove Sailing Club - Day 2
by International Audi Melges 20 Class Association 8 Feb 2015 07:43 GMT
6-8 February 2015
Audi Melges 20 Fleet anticipates intense final day of racing in Miami
With six races now complete, teams look forward to two more races and lots of opportunity to advance in the Miami Winter Series standings
The stellar conditions from Day One spilled over into Day Two as the 37-strong Audi Melges 20 fleet enjoyed three more races in a NNE breeze that had big changes in velocity, and even bigger shifts. While some teams were able to stay in phase and make sense of the big puffs rumbling in from the right and left sides of the course, others were caught rubbernecking, chasing shifts and doing more head scratching than grinning.
With super-fan wives Karen Hollerbach and Tovi Kiss spectating, fellow Michiganders Marc Hollerbach on Fu and Michael Kiss on Bacio decided to put on a show, and between the two teams they dominated the racing. After struggling on Day One, Hollerbach and his team put together a 3-3-1, ultimately winning the day and sliding firmly back into the top ten. The last race was particularly impressive after rounding the top mark in 14th, Hollerbach pulled off two perfect gybe sets picking off boats downwind faster than an American Sniper. He screamed into the finish line stealing the win and earning some well earned dockside refreshments and props from fellow racers.
Kiss' consistent finishes continued by posting a 2-5-3, giving him an overall regatta scoreline that does not feature worse than a seventh. Kiss seemed to have an extra gear upwind that propelled him to the front of the pack in every race thus far, and with two races remaining and a 7-point lead, one top five finish tomorrow will seal the win.
Sailing impressively and sitting second overall, twelve-year old Liam Kilroy on Wildman won the fifth race and showed that not only is he growing taller, but smarter and more experienced with each regatta that he sails. Recovering from a fourteenth place in Race Four, Alessandro Rombelli's STIG with 2014 Rolex Yachtsman of the Year Terry Hutchinson as tactician, finished with a second to land third overall going into the final day.
Another battle is being waged in the Corinthian fleet as fellow Canucks Brian Hill on Atlas, and Julian Plante on Shimmer are separated by just two points for the title. Sailing consistently, Audi Melges 20 fleet newcomer Plante has been in the mix in just about every race, while Hill has had more of a roller-coaster-ride grabbing a second in Race Five (nearly winning the race), followed by 20th that allowed Plante to get off the mat and stay in the fight. Rumor has it that the winner gets a year supply of maple syrup from the loser.
The third and final day of racing expects to see two more races and an Easterly breeze direction with similar velocity that will provide teams their last opportunity to move up in the standings. After racing each day, the fleet has organized its extremely popular debrief for everyone to gather around, listen to the tips from the day that helped the teams who did well, as well as the pitfalls that others struggled with.
Media and Racing Coverage
As with other Audi Melges 20 events around the world, racing updates from both events will be posted online at the Official Audi Melges 20 Facebook Page. Be sure to also follow the fleet on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Tune in for the latest racing information, results, video interviews, and photos. Race reports, press releases and photos will also be available online each day post racing at melges20.com.
Results after Day 2: (top ten, 6 races, 1 discard)
1.) Michael Kiss/Mike Buckley, Bacio; [7]-3-2-2-5-3 = 15pts
2.) Liam Kilroy/Steve Hunt, Wildman; 8-4-4-[10]-1-5 = 22pts
3.) Alessandro Rombelli/Terry Hutchinson, STIG; 4-8-1-[14]-8-2 = 23pts
4.) Richard Davies/Charlie McKee, Section 16; 3-6-6-5-[22]-13 = 33pts
5.) John Kilroy/Bill Hardesty, Samba Pa Ti; 1-2-13-1-18-[21] = 35pts
6.) Paul Reilly/Andy Burdick, Red Sky; 5-[10]-7-4-10-9 = 35pts
7.) Alexis Michas/Mark Mendelblatt, Midnight Blue; 10-14-3-[25]-4-10 = 41pts
8.) Marc Hollerbach/Jonathan McKee, Fu; 18-[23]-17-3-3-1 = 42pts
9.) Drew Weirda/Scott Nixon, Peshmerga; 2-17-9-12-[27]-7 = 47pts
10.) Jim Wilson/Jeremy Wilmot, Oleander; [24]-24-5-9-9-4 = 51pts
Corinthian Results (top three)
1.) Julian Plante, Shimmer; 63pts
2.) Brian Hill, Atlas; 64pts
3.) Vincent Porter, Windhover; 99pts