Miami Grand Prix 2010 – Miami – Prima giornata di regate a Miami, dove condizioni di vento teso (15-18 nodi con raffiche a 25) hanno permesso un avvio spettacolare del Miami Grand Prix 2010. Dave Brennan, presidente del Comitato di Regata, è riuscito a impegnare gli equipaggi in tre manche.
A partire forte è stato Nerone che, grazie alle chiamate di Vasco Vascotto, ha vinto due manche e ha subito preso la testa della classifica tra i Farr 40, staccando di tre punti i campioni del mondo di Barking Mad. Buona anche la performance di Fiamma, portata da Alessandro Barnaba al terzo posto, a una sola lunghezza dallo scafo di Jim Richardson, orfano del tattico Terry Hutchinson.
Sorpresa tra i Melges 32, dove i favoriti della vigilia, Red e i campioni iridati di Bliksem, in regata con una barca appena varata, hanno ceduto il passo ai poco più che debuttanti francesi di Teasing Machine. L’equipaggio di Jean Francoise Cruette ha vinto due prove e ha inflitto un distacco di nove punti agli avversari.
La serie di regate si concluderà domenica. Ogni classe dovrebbe disputare dieci prove.
Miami Grand Prix 2010
IRC (6 Boats)
1. Gold Digger II, J-44, James Bishop, 2-3-1, pt. 6
2. Vitesse, Swan 42, Jon Halbert, 5-2-2, pt. 9
3. Gumption, J-105, Kevin Grainger, 6-1-4, pt. 11
Farr 40 (10 Boats)
1. Nerone, Massimo Mezzaroma, 1-6-1, pt. 8
2. Barking Mad, James Richardson, 5-4-2, pt. 11
3. Fiamma, Allesandro Barnaba, 3-2-7, pt. 12
Melges 32 (23 Boats)
1. Teasing Machine, Jean Francois Cruette, 5-1-1, pt. 7
2. Red, Joe Woods, 2-10-4, pt. 16
3. Bliksem, Pieter Taselaar, 1-2-14, pt. 17
MIAMI GRAND PRIX 2010, FIRST DAY REPORT
[Premiere Racing Press Release] It was an action-packed and often-times thrilling afternoon off South Beach as strong and shifty winds challenged skippers and crews on the opening day of the 2010 Miami Grand Prix. Principal race officer Dave Brennan completed three races in northwest winds that averaged 15-18 knots but gusted to 25 at times.
Regular shifts ranging as significant as 40 degrees kept tacticians on their toes as staying on the proper side of the course proved crucial. “It was quite shifty and the positions changes were huge,” said Dick Neville, who is serving as Brennan’s right-hand man aboard the committee boat. “That being said, it was still a very good day for sailboat racing. We had plenty of wind and lots of excitement. It was a fun day on the water.”
Nerone tactician Vasco Vascotto was on his game Thursday and the Italian entry holds first place in Farr 40 class as a result. Nerone, the defending class champion here in Miami, hooked into a massive right-hand shift and took off from the rest of the 10-boat fleet in Race 1. However, Vascotto earned his money the rest of the day – making enough good calls to rally Nerone from last to sixth in Race 2 and from fifth to first in Race 3.
“Vasco, for sure, did a great job of picking the shifts, but the whole crew did a good job of maneuvering the boat. There was a lot of gybing today and ours were all perfect,” Nerone boat captain and crew member Massimo Bortoletto said. “It was a tough day, but all in all it was a good day because we are winning.”
Barking Mad, skippered by Jim Richardson of Newport, R.I., posted a solid line of 5-4-2 on Thursday and is second overall, three points behind the Italians. Former College of Charleston All-American Steve Hunt called tactics for Richardson, who captured the Farr 40 class at the 2008 Miami Grand Prix.
“It was a tricky day, a very tactical day and it was hard to get dialed in. Considering what could have happened, we are pretty pleased with our finishes. I felt we improved as a team as the day went along and our boat speed and boat-handling were excellent,” Hunt said.
There was a surprise leader in the talent-laden Melges 32 class following the first day. Frenchman Jean-Francois Cruette and his crew aboard Teasing Machine took first place in two of three races to post a low score of seven points – nine better than second-place Red (Joe Woods, Great Britain).
This is only the fifth Melges 32 regatta for Cruette, a La Rochelle resident who got his first taste of the class by chartering for Key West 2009. Cruette was so enamored of the sport-boat he bought one and Teasing Machine placed 13th at Key West 2010. Christian Ponthies is tactician for Cruette, the Melges 24 Corinthian world champion in 2006.
Bliksem, the defending class champion for the Miami Grand Prix, holds third place in the 23-boat class – just one point astern of Red. Skipper Pieter Taselaar, tactician Jeremy Wilmot and team grabbed the gun in Race 1 and placed second in Race 2, but were hurt by a 14th in Race 3.
Event director Peter Craig of Premiere Racing was pleased to get a nice jump-start on the projected 10-race series. Wind forecasts are favorable through the weekend and Dave Brennan’s race management team should have no trouble completing the full series.
Miami Grand Prix 2010
IRC (6 Boats)
1. Gold Digger II, J-44, James Bishop, 2-3-1, pt. 6
2. Vitesse, Swan 42, Jon Halbert, 5-2-2, pt. 9
3. Gumption, J-105, Kevin Grainger, 6-1-4, pt. 11
Farr 40 (10 Boats)
1. Nerone, Massimo Mezzaroma, 1-6-1, pt. 8
2. Barking Mad, James Richardson, 5-4-2, pt. 11
3. Fiamma, Allesandro Barnaba, 3-2-7, pt. 12
Melges 32 (23 Boats)
1. Teasing Machine, Jean Francois Cruette, 5-1-1, pt. 7
2. Red, Joe Woods, 2-10-4, pt. 16
3. Bliksem, Pieter Taselaar, 1-2-14, pt. 17
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