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2 October 2015, 02:39 pm
Three Up, Three Down - Three Different Winners At Melges 20 Worlds
Grinning Streak
Grinning Streak

2015 Audi Melges 20 World Championship
San Francisco, USA

Three spectacular races on Day Two of the 2015 Audi Melges 20 World Championship hosted by The San Francisco Yacht Club (SFYC) gave way to three different winners under classic San Francisco/Berkeley Circle conditions - sunshine, a moderate 15-20 knots of breeze and a smashing good ebb tide for extra fun.
It's safe to say that the San Francisco World Championship venue completely redeemed itself after yesterday's complete wash of racing.

John Kilroy's Samba Pa Ti came on strong in the first race of the day for the win. Kilroy, from the very get-go, got ahead of the 39-boat fleet and extended at each turn of the marks. His next best competition was Bob Hughes' Heartbreaker and Guido Miani's Out of Reach. Miani was tenacious as Hughes attempted to shut him out at the final weathermark successfully securing second place. Hughes was third. Julian Plante, the designated principle helmsman of Australian entry Guido Belgiorno-Nettis' Transfusion, grabbed an impressive fourth place finish. At the final offset, Plante rounded in the teens but somehow found a right-side flyer that cleverly zipped him to the front of the fleet. Cesar Gomes Neto's Portobello rounded out the top five.

Race Two went to twelve-year old Liam Kilroy on Wildman. After a thirteenth in Race One, the younger Kilroy sailed well, holding off reigning Melges 32 World Champion Alessandro Rombelli on STIG and Gomes Neto. A solid second-place finish for Gomes Neto allowed him to tie things up even with John Kilroy in the overall standings after two races. Rombelli was third. Drew Weirda's Merga had a great race finishing fourth ahead of Michael Illbruck's Pinta in fifth.

The last race of the day demanded every last drop of endurance and stamina from the teams. Winner Drew Freides aboard Pacific Yankee made it look easy. Staking his position early, out on the right, it was a wire-to-wire win.

"It really was a beautiful day. The conditions were perfect," said Freides post racing. "We've been out here practicing for the last five months, so our hard work paid off today."

Jim Wilson's Oleander got off the starting line well, finding himself battling in the top tier to take a very satisfying second place finish in Race Three. The senior Kilroy finished third, followed by Achille Onorato's Mascalzone Latino, Jr. and Miani finishing fourth and fifth respectively.

Going into the third day of racing, Kilroy leads with a substantial 10-point lead. Seven points separate the top-five runners. Notables include the one and only lady helm, Canadian Rhonda Joyce on Grinning Streak sitting pretty in the top ten.

TOP TEN RESULTS (Preliminary - After Three Races)
1.) John Kilroy, Samba Pa Ti; 1-6-3 = 10
2.) Liam Kilroy, Wildman; 13-1-6 = 20
3.) Alessandro Rombelli, STIG; 10-3-8 = 21
4.) Cesar Gomes Neto, Portobello; 5-2-16 = 23
5.) Achille Onorato, Mascalzone Latino Jr.; 6-13-4 = 23
6.) Drew Freides, Pacific Yankee; 18-8-1 = 27
7.) Guido Miani, Out of Reach; 2-22-5 = 29
8.) Jim Wilson, Oleander; 9-25-2 = 36
9.) Michael Illbruck, Pinta; 16-5-15 = 36
10.) Rhonda Joyce, Grinning Streak; 14-11-12 = 37

TOP THREE CORINTHIAN RESULTS (Preliminary - After Three Races)
1.) Paul Currie, Wild Deuces; 21-14-24 = 59
2.) Oleg Evdokimenko, Kotyara; 19-29-26 = 74
3.) Jay Golison, Midlife Crisis; 11-35-34 = 80

View the full results here
Joy Dunigan
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