Audi Melges 24 Worlds at San Francisco

Audi Melges 24 Worlds at San Francisco - Day 4

by Fiona Brown/IMCA 17 Oct 2003 09:42 BST

14 year old 'Shark' Kahn leads the Melges 24 worlds going into the final day © Pierrick Contin

Luca Santella flies downwind on day 4 of the Melges 24 worlds © Pierrick Contin

KAHN AND MELGES SEPARATED BY ONE POINT AT AUDI MELGES 24 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

If you'd told us six days ago that a fourteen year old kid would have Harry Melges on the ropes going into the final day of the Audi Melges 24 World Championship in San Francisco we'd have politely laughed you out of court. Today we have egg on our faces and Shark Kahn and his Pegasus 1 crew of Richard Clarke, Mark Christensen, Brian Hutchenson and Brian Lee have Harry Melges, Jeff Ecklund, Hans Melges and Steve Inman well and truly worried.

Today's two races brought thrills and spills as Melges and Kahn both found themselves down in the cheap seats for a change. After yesterday's shifts the wind was rock steady at 225 and racing got underway at lunch time in 6 knots, which increased to around 16 knots by the end of race eight.

The first start was fraught and Harry Melges ended up wallowing in the third row as the fleet, and his main rival, sped off up the beat. After a first mark rounding at 29th Melges spent the race playing catch up to eventually finish 11th. Kahn meanwhile was once again showing that he is not to be trifled with and took second place on the first lap behind Paul Brotherton, helming for Ian Cleaver. By the second windward mark Kahn had the lead and eventually won by nearly two minutes. Brotherton duelled with Kerry Poe for second as Brian Porter, Flavio Favini, helming for Franco Rossini, Egidio Babbi and Sebastian Col made heavy work out of fourth, eventually crossing the finish line in that order within seconds.

In race eight it was Kahn's turn to find himself out in the cold. Having put in a respectable beat he looked set for a top ten first rounding as he approached on port. Unfortunately the starboard layline was full to bursting and couldn't find a slot until the low 20s. If his older and more experienced rivals hoped this would leave the youngster dazed and confused they were to be sadly disappointed and Kahn simply dug in and worked his tail off, finally finishing sixteeth. Up ahead Melges was fairing only a little better, his first mark rounding of tenth seemed solid enough and with his legendary speed the spectators fully expected him to storm his way to the front. By the second windward mark he was up to seventh but he lost again on the second run and found himself back in tenth, eventually just pipping Sebastian Col on the finish line for eight. At the front of the fleet reigning Melges 24 European Champion Luca Santella, helming Giovani Maspero's Joe Fly Team, took the tape for only the second time this regatta winning the race by a over a minute. Brian Porter eventually took second after some fun and games with Dave Ullman. Don Jesberg was fourth while Sheldon Ecklund and local hero Seadon Wijsen struggled over fifth with Ecklund finally getting it. Rob Greenhalgh, helming for Paul Lovejoy, came in seventh just ahead of Melges.

Going into the final day Shark Kahn now leads on 17 points with Harry Melges just one point behind him. Brian Porter (42 points) and Luca Santella (47 points) are set for an equally tight battle for third place. Since Cedric Pouligny and Morgan Reeser swopped helm/tactician roles the P&P Team have seen an significant improvement in their fortunes and they are now lying fifth overall (65 points) ahead of Egidio Babbi (71 points), Rob Greenhalgh (72 points), Dave Ullman (74 points), Paul Brotherton (78 points) and Jamie Lea (84 points).

The leaders were not the only ones to have an eventful day. The most serious incident was a leeward mark collision in race eight between Keith Grzelak and Denise Surtees which left Grzelak with a large hole in the port quarter and Surtees with a broken pole. Fortunately Grzelak's crew were able to stuff the hole with a sail bag and keep the boat fully heeled to starboard for the tow home. Martin Wedge was the other high profile casualty when he lost his rig in race eight and found himself forming an interesting obstruction on the second down wind leg. Fortunately the St Francis Yacht Club safety team swung into immediate action in both cases escorting everyone safely to the dock.

Two final races are schedule for tomorrow, although the fact that racing is already postponed until noon and no races can be started after two pm will make for a tight programme.

Results after Day 4: (8 races, 1 discard)

Pos	Boat Name	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1	PEGASUS 24-1	Samuel "Shark" Kahn	5	3	1	2	3	2	1	16*	17
2	STAR	Harry Melges	1	1	2	4	1	1	11*	8	18
3	FULL THROTTLE	Brian Porter	8	8	12*	3	7	10	4	2	42
4	JOE FLY	Luca Santella	3	6	14*	1	14	9	13	1	47
5	P&P SAILING TEAM	Phillipe Ligot	22*	10	20	14	2	3	7	9	65
6	EBREX LOGISTIC	Babbi Egidio	10	13	3	22*	9	13	6	17	71
7	UNPROTECTED	Robert Greenhalgh	2	9	28*	7	18	4	25	7	72
8		Dave Ullman	19	7	13	5	11	16	24*	3	74
9		Ian Cleaver	18	69*	6	10	12	15	2	15	78
10	BLACK SEAL	Jamie Lea	17	18	29*	9	4	5	12	19	84
11	HOME SLICE	Seadon Wijsen	6	16	18	16	26*	14	9	6	85
12	BLU MOON	Flavio Favini	14	2	23	23	29*	8	5	12	87
13	MONSOON	Bruce Ayres	13	30*	5	8	21	28	10	11	96
14	PEGASUS 24-3	Philippe Kahn	7	5	17	13	22	11	29	35*	104
15	EGO	Don Jesberg	33	19	16	11	5	21	37*	4	109
16	BARBARIANS	Rob Smith	16	24*	15	19	20	20	8	13	111
17	TICKLER	Sheldon Ecklund	26	20	41*	20	6	18	17	5	112
18	WINDQUEST	John Bertrand	9	11	45*	18	13	17	26	20	114
19	GILL	Stuart Rix	12	4	22	28	8	12	44*	32	118
20	GROUPE LUNCIEN BARRIERE	Olivier Ponthieu	4	33	8	21	35*	26	30	10	132
21	ROCK N ROLL	Argyle Campbell	23	23	27	33*	16	7	28	14	138
22	WICKED FEET	Tom Freytag	34	22	35*	26	10	6	21	22	141
23	CAVALLINO	Lammens / Draganic	30	21	7	12	25	34*	31	21	147
24	WICHARD	Le Moign Damien	29	17	9	24	23	22	40*	24	148
25	BACKBREAKER	Kenneth Kaan	31	15	4	15	30	31	39*	23	149
26	SOUTHERN SPARS	James Spithill	21	14	26	30	33*	27	18	26	162
27	SABOTAGE	Jeff Thorpe	24	28	21	29	31*	19	22	25	168
28	HARD CORE	Charon Benoit	15	27	10	17	43*	32	42	31	174
29	MASUI M	Dietrich Scheder	37*	37	25	27	27	23	19	18	176
30	AVERAGE WHITE BOAT	Doug Weitz / Matt McQueen	11	27	38	6	24	69*	34	39	179
31	GRINDER	Jeff Littfin	28	31	31	42*	19	35	15	30	189
32	MINOR THREAT	Peter Dalton	25	32	33	32	27	30	52*	29	208
33	SURFEIT	Peter Vessella	49	69*	11	35	17	44	32	25	213
34		Martin Wedge	32	12	42	39	45	24	20	69*	214
35	STRYK	Kerry Poe	40	38	32	43*	34	37	3	33	217
36	SOFA KING FAST	Dennis Bassano	20	26	69*	44	15	25	45	47	222
37	RHINO	Sean Scarborough	38	39	52*	49	38	29	14	28	235
38	SMOKESHOW	Scott Dale	41	69*	43	40	28	41	16	34	243
39		Jeffrey Brizes	27	43	19	54*	41	48	41	36	255
40	TEAM MOSELEY	Rick Moseley	46	29	24	47	69*	36	46	27	255
41	FLYER 02	Chuck Holtzman	43	25	30	31	69*	49	35	44	257
42	SMOKIN	Kevin Clark	36	35	65*	25	37	42	59	40	274
43	TAPE THAT	Coco & Carlos Vroon	45	40	62*	41	36	38	36	38	274
44	BANDIT	Andy Mack	39	34	51	55*	32	51	33	37	277
45	SILVER	Joe Woods	47	69*	34	36	39	40	51	53	300
46	JOLLY TAR	Bill Wright	69*	41	39	46	49	33	47	46	301
47	SITTING DUCK	Claes Rojining	42	36	53*	48	40	52	48	41	307
48	GO DOGS GO	Pepe Parsons	54	54	55*	53	47	39	23	50	320
49	ABRACADABRA III	Dennis Surtees	35	42	49	37	53	47	63	69*	326
50	NIKITA	Krak Arntson	62*	48	40	38	58	57	43	45	329
51	ENIGMA	Hubert Guy	44	51	54	45	44	50	56*	42	330
52	LIGHT BRIGADE	Warren Davidson	48	46	61	34	51	69*	55	43	338
53	TWISTED MISTER	Keith Grzelak	57	44	36	51	52	55	66*	52	347
54	PERSONAL PUFF	Dan Hauserman	55	55	37	50	56*	54	53	51	355
55	DANGEROUS WHEN WET	Chris Winnard	52	47	58	58	46	69*	54	55	370
56	SEA YA	Patricio Sly	69*	69D	57	59	48	46	38	57	374
57	CARPE CERVISIAM	Dean Daniels	69*	53	50	56	61	43	61	54	378
58	GOOSE N'DUCK	Paul Bennett	63	56	64	64	69*	56	27	56	386
59	BONES	Robert Harff	69*	52	56	69D	54	45	62	48	386
60	BLINGBLING	Evan Jahn	53	69*	46	61	64	69	50	49	392
61	TIKANGA	Charles Guildner	59	58	48	69*	50	60	49	69	393
62	PUTTANESCA	Marv Toland	64*	57	60	52	55	53	57	59	393
63	DONT BE NO DREAD	Rob Arrand	65	69*	44	57	59	59	58	52	394
64	VA VA VOOM	Nigel Donnelly	60	45	69*	62	57	62	64	60	410
65	TROPHY WIFE	Glenn Klute	61	49	63*	63	62	61	60	63	419
66	USA 183	Doug Du Bois	56	69*	47	60	60	69	69	61	422
67	ATOMIC DOG	Team Atomic Dog	51	59	66	69*	63	58	67	58	422
68	ROCKET WIDGET	Darrel Lager	58	50	59	69*	69	63	65	62	426