Official Melges 24 Blog

It was a frustrating final day for the Melges 24 competitors at the SNIM regatta in Marseille, France as they took on heavy swells, left by overnight gales, and light airs as the promised good winds failed to materialise. 

One final race (number ten in the series) was completed and for overnight leader Maxim Paul, sailing FRA389 Marsail, it was all about consolidation as he sailed an excellent race to finish second on the water and claim the overall title.  Going into the day second placed Andrea Racchelli, sailing ITA735 Altea, who was just one point behind Paul, had looked to be still in with an excellent chance of overall victory.  Sadly that hope was dashed when he was declared OCS and he had to be content with an honourable second overall, just two points behind Paul.

Fourth in the race and third overall went to Paolo Brescia, sailing ITA585, while French Class President Denis Infant took third in the race to finish fourth overall.

Top performance of the day went to Estonian Olympic medallist Tonu Toniste, sailing EST780 Lenny, who won the race in style and moved up to fifth place overall. 

FULL RESULTS

PHOTO GALLERIES

Day three for the Melges 24 Class at the 2009 SNIM regatta in Marseille, France, initially brought rain and an unusual East North East wind (usually the precursor of snow).  The first two races of the day (numbers six and seven of the series) saw overnight second place Maxim Paul, sailing FRA389 Marsail, put in a sella performance to take two wins and the overall lead from Andrea Racchelli, sailing ITA735 Altea, who had to be content with a 3rd and 4th (his worst result of the regatta so far). 

As the race committee was setting up for race eight the sudden arrival of the Mistral obliged the committeeto re-examine its plans and to move Melges 24 course into the shelter of Point Rouge for the two last races of the day. Although Maxim Paul couldn’t quite repeat his performance from the morning a 4th and a 2nd were just sufficient to retain the overall lead on 12 points.  For Andrea Racchelli it was time to dig deep and prove why the Altea team is such a regular face at the front of the Melges 24 fleet and with a 2nd followed by a win they succeeded in keeping themselves firmly in contention and just one point behind Maxim Paul as they go into the final day.

One of the most consistent performers of the day was Italy’s Paolo Brescia, sailing ITA585, who put in an impressive 2, 3, 1, 3 scoreline on the day and took advantage of the double discard which now comes into play to throw out a DNF and an OCS and move up into third place overall on 21 points.  French Class President Denis Infant, sailing FRA639 Eurovoiles, had a mediocre day scoring 5, 9, 7, 6 but having discarded the 9 and 7 he remains in fourth place overall on 30 points.  Fellow Frenchman Ronan Dreano, sailing FRA193 Cotes d’Armor, who had been lying in third place overnight, also had a disapointing day finishing 6, 7, 5 and 9 and now share 30 points overall with Infant but takes fifth place on countback.

“We left with an east wind which turned in the second race to the north-north-west, with much irregularity in both force and direction. It was very technical, not easy to read, it was necessary to remain very concentrated”, summarized Vanessa Paul from the leading team after racing.

The weather forecast for Monday’s final day of racing promises sun with a good Mistral. The day is due to begin with a wind from the North-western sector from force 2 to 4 and 5 locally in the West from Marseilles and increasng after midday making for ideal conditions to close the regatta.

FULL RESULTS

The second day of racing at the Easter SNIM Regatta in Marseille brought strong south easterly winds from 25-35 knots making for a day of spectacular Melges 24 racing with two further races being completed before the Race Committee was forced to send the boats home as the wind increased further.  “The first race was started in an average of 28 knots of wind, under heavy conditions” explains Corinne Aubert, PRO for the Melges 24s. “We ran two very beautiful starts. At the time of the second start, we had more lenient conditions, but then the wind began to increase again. There were 30 knots and we decided to shorten the course and finish the race.”

Despite the incredibly challenging conditions Italy’s Andrea Racchelli. sailing ITA735 Altea, continued to shine winning the first race of the day and taking third on the second race.  Added to his three second places from day one he now leads the regatta on 7 points, just two points ahead of Maxime Paul, sailing FRA389 Marsail, with fellow Frenchman Ronan Dreano, sailing FRA193 Cotes D’Armor in third place on 12 points. 

With two further days of racing still to come the regatta remains wide open and competitors are hoping for better conditions on Sunday and Monday.

FULL RESULTS

Day one of the SNIM Regatta in Marseille, France (the first event in the 2009 Melges 24 European Ranking) provided competitors with three excellent but very tough races completed in bright sunshine and good winds.

At the end of the first day Italy’s Andrea Racchelli sailing ITA735 Altea leads the fifteen strong fleet from France’s Maxim Paul sailing FRA389 Marsail with French Melges 24 Class Chairman Denis Infant sailing FRA639 Eurovoile in third place.

FULL RESULTS