Melges 24 Europeans on Lake Garda, Italy Overall

by Fiona Brown 7 Sep 2001 17:26 BST

SEAN THE LUCKY SHEEP BRINGS CEDRIC POULIGNY SUCCESS IN TORBOLE

The Melges 24 Europeans drew to a close with a final seventh race in Torbole today. Racing started just before 9am in a brisk northerly breeze with most of the overall leaders opting for the left end of the line and the left hand side of the course.

Cedric Pouligny and Laurent Pages both got excellent starts and committed hard to the left while Jamie Lee opted for left middle. Of the main players only Mario Ziliano and Silvio Santoni opted for the right and a few smart lower ranked crews decided to go with the local knowledge. At the first weather mark Ziliano led followed by Kristoffer Spone, Jorgen Heje, Michael Henning, Umberto Roncari and Walter Pirinoli (helming for Jean Pierre Dick) with Alba Batzill sloting into 7th. Jamie Lea rounded in the high 20s with Flavio Favini, Pouligny and Pages all floundering in the 40s.

The leaders and the majority of the fleet remained on starboard after the hoist. Lea was the first to gybe away followed by Pouligny. By the bottom of the run Lea had pulled up to 10th and Pouligny and Pages had made it into the 20s rounding the mark side by side. At the front of the fleet Santoni led from Ziliani followed by Henning, Batzill and Heje with Carolina Toll sixth.

The fleet went right up the second beat and by the second top mark Ziliano had passed Santoni who rounded second but then broached to allow Henning through on the inside. Batzil remained fourth while Spone had pulled back to fifth ahead of Heje and Pirinoli. Lea dropped back to 11th with Pouligny, Flavini and Pages still stuck in the 20s.

The breeze began to drop off slightly during the second run and places continued to change back and forth all the way. Up the final beat Santoni and Toll went right away from the fleet initially before coming back into the leading pack of 8 boats two thirds of the way up. At the line Ziliani took the honours followed by Henning, Santoni, Batzil and Spone. Lea had managed to pull up to 8th with Toll immediately behind him.

Favini eventually finished in 16th with Pouligny 21st and 22nd. With the points so close it was all hands to the calculators to work out the standings. The race committee attempted to start the eights race but the northerly breeze was becoming light and unstable and after an initial recall the fleet was sent ashore to await further instructions.

Eventually at 2.30pm all further racing was cancelled and Cedric Pouligny could breath a sigh of relief that the European title was his by just 0.6 of a point - his lucky mascot Sean The Sheep (who sits on his tiller) was obviously working overtime today. Alba Batzill finished second overall with Laurent Pages third, Mario Ziliani fourth and Jamie Lea fifth.

Photos from Day 5: (click thumbnail for full picture) ©: Fiona Brown/IMCA

Overall Results: (7 races)

Pos	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts
1	FRA-383	SOROMAP / BIG SHIP	CEDRIC POULIGNY	5.7	10	10	0	12	85	27	64
2	GER-507	VITO	ALBA BATZILL	3	27	3	10	14	45	8	65
3	FRA-388	P&P NORTH SAILS LA ROCHEL	LAURENT PAGES	21	0	5.7	16	0	54	28	71
4	ITA-139	ALE ALI 3 ""ALA""	MARIO ZILIANI	16	22	0	21	85	13	0	72
5	GBR-437	BLACK SEAL	JAMIE LEA	20	15	21	8	13	3	14	73
6	ITA-490	HAGAR	SILVIO SANTONI	15	3	59	30	3	18	5.7	74.7
7	ITA-438	ALTEA	ANDREA RACCHELLI	25	5.7	24	15	8	5.7	21	79.4
8	SUI-483	MONARI FEDERZONI	FLAVIO FAVINI	10	8	30	3	16	85	22	89
9	NOR-249	FREUEN MAREN	KRISTOFFER SPONE	35	19	16	26	31	0	10	102
10	NOR-418	RETT RUNOT HJØRNET	HERMAN HORN JOHANNESSEN	85	31	19	17	10	8	25	110
11	ITA-421	CITTA' DI CESENATICO	EGIDIO BABBI	28	30	37	5.7	19	10	47	129.7
12	FRA-370	SNUGASABUG	THIERRY BERGER	31	21	8	14	32	49	26	132
13	FIN-236	SUUNTO	KENNETH THELEN	30	18	18	12	23	32	42	132.7
14	USA-353	MAD CAP	TOM FREYTAG	29	29	17	23	20	16	85	134
15	FRA-489	HUMAN CANNON BALL	WALTER PIRINOLI	85	17	20	27	17	44	12	136.7
16	FRA-369	GROUPE LACIEN BARRIERE	OLIVIER DUCELIER	26	20	13	24	26	30	37	139
17	GER-427	FRITZ	PHILIPP SCHOELLER	18	32	29	41	22	12	85	153.7
18	NOR-341	DOLLY	ERIK ARTHUR	8	37	14	31	29	64	44	163
19	GBR-340	WHITE RABBIT	MICHAEL HENNING	41	26	15	18	85	62	3	165
20	FRA-461	EURO VOILES	JACQUES DI RUSSO	33	16	47	22	15	41	39	166
21	GBR-405	THE MUTS NUTS	ROB SMITH	0	12	34	64	44	36	45	170.7
22	NOR-343	AL-CAP-ONE	PEER MOBERG	24	25	12	40	27	50	68	177.7
23	ITA-487	HEDIMEGICA	GIAMPIERO POGGI	52	42	32	38	21	31	31	195
24	MON-429	CHALOUPA II	ANTOINE FRICKEY	46	24	45	28	33	66	23	199
25	GBR-431	GILL	RIX STUART	85	43	31	13	24	37	56	204
26	FRA-502	MEDI-SPI / R-LEBRAS	ERIC RENAULT	37	22	42	37	34	60	34	206
27	GBR-359	MUSTGO	KEITH MUSTO	44	38	43	29	28	28	43	209
28	FRA-472	POKEMON	BRUNO JOURDREN	50	13	55	19	53	43	35	212
29	NOR-357	IL - X	CAROLINA TOLL	32	54	40	48	47	34	15	215
30	NOR-328	BREEZIN	THOMAS GUTTORMSEN	55	33	36	25	37	51	33	215
31	NOR-402	NEW DEAL	JORGEN G HEJE	13	56	52	33	51	85	13	217
32	GER-263	NO LIMITS	WOLFGANG WELZ	45	52	38	67	35	29	20	219
33	FRA-193	COTES D'ARMOR	PHILIPPE LEGROS	36	35	28	53	85	40	36	228
34	FRA-122	LAPIN - LAPIN	EWAN RIOU	62	39	77	52	41	26	16	236
35	FRA-329	FLOR DIRECT	ALAIN ROIG	12	40	54	44	85	23	64	236.7
36	NOR-266	KJEMPEKJELL	HALVOR SCHOYEN	85	55	25	42	49	17	51	238
37	FIN-214	MARINEL MASTERVOLT	KARI HEIKKILA	53	63	68	54	25	20	24	239
38	SWE-508	ROJNING & CO.	CLAES RÖJNING	42	36	57	43	42	21	61	241
39	FRA-413	MELG' HIC TAZ	GUILHELM BOYER	14	62	39	20	85	45	62	242
40	NOR-376	ERNST & YOUNG	BROR. A. BERGE	48	41	69	32	18	56	52	247
41	FRA-212	DEVISMUTUELLE.COM	THIERRY BOISBOUVIER	47	48	67	70	43	19	30	254
42	ITA-481	LIOCORNO MELSINEO	BRIGHENTI VALERIO	51	77	26	45	38	71	29	260
43	SWE-235	SEMCON	MAGNUS HANSSON	54	51	61	39	48	24	53	268
44	FRA-392	PERROS - GUIREC	JEAN MARIE LE CALVEZ	23	68	33	71	85	56	19	268.8
45	GBR-326	3 TO 6 HAPPY HOUR	SIMON HUGHES	40	76	49	61	39	48	32	269
46	GBR-410	FIVER	NEIL HARRISON	17	47	85	50	85	39	41	279
47	GBR-298	AUDI	NIGEL GROGAN	85	28	50	49	40	27	85	279
48	ITA-501	FOREVER G	CASADEI ROBERTO	67	23	85	51	85	38	17	281
49	USA-491	MAD HATTER	NICK HALMOS	63	73	44	57	5.7	85	40	281.7
50	FIN-289	MARINEL PATU	ANTTI NIINIRANTA	22	49	72	68	85	25	48	284
51	FRA-373	EXA INFORMATIQUE	OLIVIER ADE	38	61	46	59	85	22	59	285
52	SUI-336	OLP	MICHAEL GOOD	27	78	27	60	50	69	55	287
53	FRA-232	CARUSO	JEANS FRANCOIS CUTUGNO	71	34	76	47	56	15	71	293
54	FRA-264	C. PARISIENNE ASCENSEURS	THIERRY LACOUR	56	53	51	46	55	33	65	293
55	GBR-334	TEAM WOOLWICH	SIMON COLERIDGE	59	59	48	56	36	46	85	304
56	NOR-349	PARTY GIRL	JENS WATHNE	49	85	35	66	54	53	58	314
57	FRA-386	ANDASKA	THIERRY EUDE	85	60	23	36	85	52	63	319
58	ITA-138	CITTA' DI BOLOGNA	MASSIMILIANO SIRENA	34	45	66	35	85	73	67	320
59	GER-504	MISSIS BONES	ANDY VINCON	85	50	22	34	85	85	50	326
60	FIN-434	POHJOLA	TOMI HAKOLA	39	71	56	72	85	35	60	332
61	FRA-423	ZIG ZAG 15	HENRI SAMUEL	19	46	85	55	85	67	70	342
62	ITA-311	CORAZON / EURONICS	UMBERTO RONCARI	65	57	71	75	85	72	18	358
63	FRA-252	J GAULO	JEAN PAUL DOUCHY	60	74	63	65	85	47	54	362
64	NOR-145	0	THOMAS CHRISTENSEN	76	58	41	58	85	61	73	367
65	BEL-335	AQUAPSYCHO	MARC VAN DAMME	66	70	73	73	45	57	66	376
66	SWE-172	JACUZZI	BERGH TORSTEN	43	44	85	79	85	42	85	378
67	FRA-358	MAGIC SALSA	DANY MICHEL MARCADET	72	67	74	76	52	70	46	379
68	FRA-471	MU	KITO DE PAVANT	57	85	53	62	85	74	49	380
69	ITA-356	B.T. - CITTA' DI ROVERETO	CLAUDIO ARMANI	61	64	78	85	61	55	74	393
70	GER-320	GERONIMO	MICHAEL ZERR	58	79	58	74	85	63	66	397.2
71	GER-191	KH+P	GUENTER TZESCHLOCK	64	85	60	85	57	65	72	402
72	GBR-488	THE DRILL SQUAD	ROGER MARTEL	75	72	75	78	85	68	38	405
73	ITA-517	FREESPIRIT	MARCO GUERRA	73	65	62	69	85	85	57	411
74	GBR-394	THE BLACK PIG	JOEL MC DONALD	77	81	70	80	85	58	69	434
75	ITA-237	RAW	CLAUDIO DUTTO	74	69	65	63	85	85	85	440
76	GER-310	MACH 1	MARTIN RUFFEN	69	80	85	77	85	59	85	454
77	GBR-453	WKD BLUE	JOE WOODS	68	75	64	85	85	85	85	461
78	GBR-435	WILD THING	DAVID FRANKS	70	82	85	81	85	85	85	487