Gullisara Leads After Day 1 Of The Italian Melges 24 Open And Volvo Cup In Scarlino

Day one of the 2011 Italian Open Melges 24 Championship and Volvo Cup regatta brought warm sun, good winds and three good if demanding races. The day started with a short delay as the wind built and settled and the first race was run a little closer inshore. For races two and three the race committee of the Club Nautico Scarlino moved the course further out towards the island of Elba to find slightly stronger and less shifty winds. With a maximum wind strength of around 12 knots and plenty of shifts the crews were kept well and truly on their toes and the mark roundings were as tight as at any Melges 24 championship.

Race one went to Giuseppe Comerio's Gullisara with Carlo Fracassoli at the helm with Norway's Storm Capital Sailing helmed by Oyvind Peder Yahre second overall and first Corinthian. In third place was Gianni Catalogna's Saetta helmed by Alberto Bolzan.

Race two brought a photo-finish with Saetta winning by the narrowest margin from Storm Capital Racing with Franco Rossini's Blu Moon, helmed by Flavio Favini, right up with them in third. Gullisara had a more difficult race and finished ninth.

The final race of the day was perhaps the most challenging of the lot with several of the leading boats struggling as the wind became less stable and lighter again towards the end of the day. Ultimately victory went to Blu Moon with Gullisara second and Andrea Rachelli's Altea third. Seatta had to settle for 12th place and Storm Capital for 19th.

In the overall standings Gullisara leads after three races with 12 points, Seatta is second with 16 points and Blu Moon is third on 23 points. In fourth place overall and leading the Corinthian competition is the Storm Capital Racing on 26 points.

You can keep up with the latest news from the racecourse on the Volvo Cup Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Volvo-Cup/120083025396

Full Results are available at - http://www.lamarinadiscarlino.it/ita/Campionato_Nazionale_Melges_24_Volv...