2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series – Pozzi and Racchelli Keeping Their Top Positions, Quinton Third In Kiel

June 25, 2016 – Kiel, Germany – Third day of the 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series third event at Kiel Week gave additional three races to the series today. The conditions in Kiel have not been easy for the sailors as yesterday only one race was possible to execute. Two teams have been keeping their positions since the beginning of the event – Andrea Pozzi’s Bombarda ITA841 and Andrea Racchelli’s Altea ITA735, both from Italy. Miles Quinton’s Gill Race Team GBR694 from Great Britain made it to the third position after seven races sailed with one discard coming into effect today.

Andrea Pozzi's Bombarda ITA841 and Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team at Kiel Week 2

Andrea Pozzi's Bombarda ITA841, Andrea Racchelli's Altea ITA735 and Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team GBR694 at Kiel Week 2016  -  Fotografie C.B. / © www.segel-bilder.de

Yesterday was sort of a Crazy’ Shifty Kiel Day and not easy. Shifts in wind direction were big and unexpected in the warm, close and humid weather. It was a very light, shifty tricky day and Melges 24 fleet got only one race done. Andrea Pozzi’s Bombarda took another bullet from this single race done securing his lead with seven points in total followed by Andrea Racchelli's Altea with fourteen points finishing as eighth. Finishing third yesterday David Rowen's Imagine was holding its third position with sixteen points in total. 

Third racing day in Kiel was all but easy again. Conditions were most difficult for the first race of the day when the wind was lightest and the building, moving rain clouds were dragging the 7-9kt breeze around creating some big shifts in direction. That, once again, set the tone of the day. 

Andrea Pozzi's Bombarda ITA841 in Malcesine, May 2016 - photo (c) FVM/Fabrizio P

Andrea Pozzi's Bombarda ITA841 in Malcesine, May 2016 - photo (c) FVM/Fabrizio Prandini

Andrea Racchelli's Altea ITA735 in Malcesine, May 2016Andrea Racchelli's Altea ITA735 in Malcesine, May 2016 - photo (c) FVM/Fabrizio Prandini

Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team GBR694 on Lake Attersee, June 2016 - photo Piret

Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team GBR694 on Lake Attersee, June 2016 - photo Piret Salmistu

Micahel Tarabochia's White Room on Lake Attersee, June 2016 - photo Piret Salmis

Micahel Tarabochia's White Room GER677 on Lake Attersee, June 2016 - photo Piret Salmistu

Melges 24 fleet got three races done allowing now one discard of the worse results from seven races sailed in total. Current leader Andrea Pozzi's Bombarda continues its lead as the worse race today  9th was discarded, adding again one bullet and fifth finish to the series of 13 points in total by now. The battle with Andrea Racchelli's Altea continues as Racchelli took also one bullet, fourth and sixth places today decreasing the gap with leader to four points. Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team was showing their strength getting also a bullet from the first race of the day followed by sixth and third finishes, jumping with the total of 23 points to the third position in overall. With a consistent series of 2-9-2 today the best German boat is Michael Tarabochia's White Room with Luis Tarabochia helming jumping to the fourth position with 27 points in total. 

The final racing day in Kiel is Sunday.

Results of Top 6 (7 races sailed/1 discard):

1. Andrea Pozzi / Stefano Ciampalini, Giulio Desiderato, Carlo Zermini, Nicolas Dal Ferro (ITA,2/3/1/1(9)1/5)  - 13 pts; 
2. Andrea Racchelli / Gaudenzio Bonini, Michele Gregoratto, Anne-soizik Bertin, Fabian Gielen (ITA,3/1/2(8)6/4/1) – 17 pts; 
3. Miles Quinton / Catherine Alton, Adam Brushett, Roger Gilbert, Craig Burlton (GBR,5/5/3(10)1/6/3) – 23 pts; 
4. Luis Tarabochia / Marco Tarabochia, Michael Tarabochia, Felix Röder, Sebastian Bühler (Tutzingen,4/6/4(12)2/9/2) – 27 pts; 
5. David Rowen / Jamie Lea, Alva Madermott, Nigel Yourh, Sebastian Raphael (Hamburg,1/4/8/3/8/5(11)) – 29 pts; 
6. Stefan Gründler / Bea Bordolo, Kai Harder, Christian Range, Fritjof Richter (Ammersbek,7/2/7/6(13)7/9) – 38 pts

Full results

The third event of the 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series is hosted by the Kieler Yacht-Club, Norddeutscher Regatta Verein, Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee, Hamburger Segel-Club in cooperation with the International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA) and German Melges 24 Class Association. 

After the Kiel Week in Germany the fourth event will bring the Melges 24 fleet to the very attractive venue in Riva del Garda, Italy in July; the most significant Melges 24 event of the season which is also the fifth event of the series, will be held in September in Hyeres, France where the European Champions will be awarded; the series will conclude with the sixth event in Luino, Italy in October. 

Results, photos and news are linked to melges24.com/europeansailingseries and can be found also at Manage2sail.com

Follow also IM24CA Facebook for the most recent news  
IM24CA photogalleries in Flickr 
Website of the Kiel Week  

For further information on the event please contact:

Felix Weidling 
Kieler Yacht-Club e.V.
Race Secretary
Kiellinie 70, 24105 Kiel 
fw@kyc.de 
phone: +49 4318 5023 

Piret Salmistu 
IM24CA Administrator and Media Coordinator  
piret@melges24.com 
Skype piret.salmistu 
+372 507 7217