Melges Europe

The racing has concluded in Ft. Lauderdale at the 2009 Melges 32 Gold Cup Regatta with Rod Jabin on Ramrod from Annapolis, Md. as champion! Nice going Rod! In second overall is current U.S. National Champion Andy Lovell (New Orleans, La.) on Rougarou. Rounding out the top three is Joe Woods from Torquay, UK on Red.

Jabin challenges Lotz downwind, Ecklund Lotz Jabin Woods Carroll Hesse Pierini Pugh Kilroy Jackson Cirillo Lovell Kullman

Ecklund with a solid race… stillout front. Lotz in second followed by Jabin…

Ecklund Lotz Lovell

Course bearing 080, 1 mile

Meadows Hughes Lotz

Ready for some more fun downwind? WE ARE.. The sun is out folks, gorgeous weather, breeze on… Meadows is outfront!!! Hughes in second… Headed fir the finish…

Some sweet downwind rides, total carnage at the gate… Simpson’s Team Barbarians limps away from the scene, shredded spinnaker, broken spreader at minimum … Hughes pulles up for the lead, Ninkasi looking spectacular around in second… Meadows back in the hunt after a not so good first race…

Big waves upwind, still overcast with big breeze on conditions…

Here we go, 070 all clear with the exception of Pugh and Jackson...

Back upwind… Dark clouds looming above the course, breeze up to 8-10 knots., nice rolling seas… perfect for planing… DeVos Lovell Cirillo Jabin Hughes Tillinghast Woods

8-10 knots of breze at the moment, short courses… Lovell with a big lead downwind. Left is getting smoked. Taylor with a big gain. DeVos challenging for first… Lovell stalled DeVos Cirillo Lovell Jabin Taylor Tillinghast Lotz Woods Carroll Course change to 030…

Meadows and Lovell looking good, duel into the mark… Lovell DeVos Cirillo Jabin Dominguez Jesberg

Course bearing of 010, only one over early, otherwise all clear. Best pressure on left.

Due to the now light air and increasing chance for rain, the racing has been called for the day. The attempt will be for three races tomorrow. The final day of the event…

Jackson wins… Tillinghast and another boat in an collision right at a finish line… boats dodge to get around and across the finish line…

The breeze has lighten up, and it’s raining… Jackson Kilroy Meadows Ecklund DeVos Carroll Tillinghast Jabin Hughes Pugh Lotz Hesse Dominguez Lovell Taylor Pierini Woods Kullman Jesberg Simpson DeVos Cirillo

Left favored… Woods looks great… Ecklund too. Pugh looking good too playing the middle..

Woods Kullman Taylor Cirillo Jesberg Meadows

Breeze at about 10-12 with Kullman overtaking the Italian Cirillo… Simpson Lotz Woods

Coming into the mark, Woods looking good as does Dominguez and Cirillo… Lot of boats overstood…

Coming right up…

Overcast skies prevailing this morning as we head out to the course… Breeze on conditions are expected…13-18 knots with potentially gusts up to 20-22, maybe more… Standby for the start…

Today is one of the most exciting days of the Melges 32 Gold Cup in which ‘the kids’ get to go sailing with the worlds greatest! Here’s the line-up of who’s on which boat… 1.) Argo – Christopher Williford 2.) Heartbreaker – Duncan Willford 3.) Bronco – Eric Weis 4.) Cel...eritas – Audrey Wright 5.) Delta – Kai Freisike 6.) Roxanne – Nikki Medley 7.) Taboo – Robbie Allen 8.) Viva – Dominque Wright 9.) Team Barbarians – Haley Fox 10.)...

Today is Take A Junior Sailing Day at the 2009 Melges 32 Gold Cup Championship! The lovely Mirassa Lihan on Bob Hughes’ Hearbreaker provided this youthful feedback after day one… “After three long races, the Gold Cup still appears to be up for grabs.  In yesterday’s con...ditions, consistency was the name of the game for the day’s victor, Rougarou, scoring a 1, 3, and a 9 to start off the regatta....

Kilroy out front big, Simpson putting down tracks in hopes of catching up for the lead… Kilroy Cirillo

Kilroy with the early lead through the gate. Lanfranco Cirillo with the move of the day taking over second…

Downwind Kilroy is launched… well ahead of Meadows, Simpson, Lovell and Cirillo making a big move for the lead at the gate…