July 25, 2010 (Malcesine, Italy) – Despite an early 9:30 start, only one race would be possible on the final day of the inaugural Audi Melges 20 Gold Cup. With the overall victory in the balance, and tight grouping among numerous boats further down the standings, it would be an exciting one.

“Our plan was to take the right side of the first beat, but certainly not the way we did it!” said Reggini tactician Branko Brcin, referring to the 10-boat pileup at the final start that left Reggini at a standstill immediately after the start. “Fortunately, the right turned out to be the place to be,” said Brcin. Their epic recovery began with a near-perfect windward leg, and by the top mark, they passed most the fleet, rounding in 10th place.

Value Team helmsman Francesco Scarselli had a much better start, though tactician Chicco Fonda chose the left side of the first leg – a choice which would prove disastrous. “I thought there was something over there, and on the first leg, I was wrong,” he said. By the top mark, Value Team had fallen back to 17th position. “We kept it positive and had an incredible downwind run, and by the bottom, we’d caught Farneti,” said owner Benedetto Giallongo. Fonda wanted to cross behind Farneti and continue to the right side of the lake, though Scarselli instead chose to gybe close to Reggini, who took advantage of the situation and forced Value Team into a foul. “We had an unfortunate misunderstanding on our boat, and the resulting penalty turn meant that we had to once again come back from a big deficit,” said Fonda. In the end, despite a brilliant second beat Value Team didn’t have enough race course to catch and pass Farneti.

Principal Race Officer Fabio Barrasso sent the teams to shore after patiently waiting for the wind to stabilize, though it never would. Sailors filled the Fraglia Vela Malcesine restaurant, patiently waiting for an Ora wind that would arrive far later than usual, and too late for the event’s rules. “With a strong North-flowing current and a very weak and spotty wind from the North, I could not find a way to set a fair course, before the wind shut off,” said Barrasso, who hoisted the signal abandoning racing promptly at 1430 to the crowd’s cheers. The sailors then turned their attention on the winning crew, gently urging them into the chilly waters of Lake Garda in celebration. “We’re very happy for Francesco and Andrea,” said Giallongo as he watched the traditional dousing. “They worked very hard, they deserve their win, and we look forward to a rematch in Rimini.” After 23 races in the 2010 Audi Sailing Series, Giallongo leads Farneti/Musone by just 9 points going into the final event. “We’re going home, and we can’t wait to sail the last event there,” said Farneti. When asked whether the venue would provide an advantage for his team over Giallongo and Domenici, he said nothing – but he smiled.

A long delay to resolve a protest gave sailors time to haul and pack up their Audi Melges 20s and enjoy the hospitality of the FVM’s staff, and by 5 PM, the protest was decided against Luca Domenici and Team Notaro, who were disqualified from the final race for a mark rounding incident, dropping them one position to fourth place overall, and allowing Sei Tu 20 a chance to sneak into fifth place on countback, tied on points with America’s Michael Kiss. “Disappointed? No way!” said Kiss after being incorrectly awarded a trophy that he knew he’d just missed out on. “I bought a boat for Italy because I love everything about this place, even if it means I don’t take home any silverware.”

Sei Tu 20 tactician Flavio Favini seemed far more happy to have sailed with son Luca than he was with any trophy, as his high-profile racing career rarely allows such a treat. “I love sailing with my dad,” Luca said.

GRATITUDE ALL AROUND

The International Audi Melges 20 Class offers deep thanks to the Fraglia Vela Malcesine and all its volunteers and staff, Audi and all the event sponsors, and the international media for its attendance and strong interest. “We are gracious to have such good support from so many sources, but especially, our owners and crews,” said International Class Vice Chairman (Europe) Giallongo. “We also invite everyone to visit the Melges Europe Facebook Page to see the hundreds of photos posted there, and we encourage all our sailors and their friends to tag the pictures so everyone can see them.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Three more impeccable events are forthcoming for the Audi Melges 20 – 2010 U.S. Nationals Championship (August 27-29 in Macatawa, Mich.), the final Audi Sailing Series Circuit event in Rimini (September 11-12). The fleet will also participate at Oktoberfest on September 24-26 on Lake Starnberg, Germany.

Top Ten Results (After 8 Races)
1.) Francesco Farneti, Reggini Sailing Team; 3-2-1-4-8-[11]-2-4 = 24
2.) Benedetto Giallongo, Value Team; 1-1-[8]-2-1-8-8-7 = 28
3.) Marco Perazzo/Renato Vallivero, Turnover; 10-4-2-9-7-2-5-8 = 37
4.) Luca Domenici, Notaro Team; 5-8-4-1-16-4-4-[DSQ] = 42
5.) Marco Morina, Sei Tu 20; 2-6-[12]-10-3-1-10-9 = 48
6.) Michael Kiss, Bacio; 6-[23]-DNF-3-2-9-3-2 = 48
7.) Federico Strocchi, Cheyenne; 8-[16]-9-7-6-13-7-1 = 51
8.) Stefano di Properizio, HULK; 4-3-14-6-12-[15]-9-3 = 51
9.) Fausto Rubbini, Thule; 13-5-3-19-[23]-6-6-6 = 58
10.) Ivan Venturi/Luca Modena, Luca; 14-10-[17]-17-13-3-1-(DNC) = 75

Full Results
Official Audi Melges 20 Gold Cup Event Website
Full Entry List

View Photo Gallery – Meredith Block
View Photo Gallery – Andy Burdick
View Photo Gallery – Renato Tebaldi
View Photo Gallery – Fabrizio Prandini
View Photo Gallery – Carlo Borlenghi

2010 Audi Melges 20 Sailing Series Results (After 4 Events)
1.) Benedetto Giallongo, Value Team; 77 pts.
2.) Francesco Farnetti, Reggini Sailing Team; 86 pts.
3.) Luca Domenici, Notaro Team; 100 pts.
4.) Renato Vallivero, Turnover; 71 pts.
5.) Stefano di Properzio, HULK; 121 pts.

Il successo per Reggini Sailing Team arriva dopo una sofferta e rocambolesca ottava prova (l’unica disputata quest’oggi) iniziata nel peggiore dei modi per Francesco Farneti, dopo tre tentativi di partenza andati a vuoto, a causa dell’inevitabile nervosismo della flotta nella giornata conclusiva di questa tirata sfida mondiale.

Quattro i team che si giocano il titolo e tra questi Reggini Sailing Team, ossia il leader provvisorio, che combina un disastro in partenza inchiodato nel traffico di tutti coloro che scelgono di partire in barca giuria.

Value Team opta per una partenza totalmente libero a centro linea per portarsi a sinistra mentre tutti i propri avversari si spingono con determinazione verso il lato destro sottocosta.

Al passaggio alla boa di bolina (doppiata per primo da Cheyenne di Federico Strocchi con Gabrio Zandona che si aggiudichera la prova), Notaro Team di Luca Domenici (con Roberto Benamati) il terzo della classifica generale fino a quel momento sfila davanti ai diretti avversari per il titolo. Reggini Sailing Team risorge clamorosamente dopo una sola bolina grazie ad una velocita superiore rispetto a tutti, seguito da Turnover timonato da Marco Perazzo (affiancato da Daniele Cassinari) e con Value Team (tattico Enrico Fonda), unico a sbucare da centro lago, relegato pesantemente nelle retrovie.

Il rientro di Value Team proveniente solitario da centro lago nel lato di poppa ha dell’incredibile tanto che in prossimita del cancello si assiste ad un incrocio fino a pochi minuti prima inimmaginabile tra Reggini Sailing Team e l’equipaggio di Benedetto Giallongo. In questo istante si gioca il titolo di migliore al mondo nella flotta Audi Melges 20.

Value Team non accetta di sfilare a poppa dell’avversario optando per una strambata sulle sue vele. Reggini Sailing Team sembra subire il fatidico sorpasso che avrebbe potuto chiudere i giochi a favore dell’equipaggio di Benedetto Giallongo. Branko Bricin fiuta pero la giusta mossa tattica ossia portare la propria imbarcazione ad orzare da sottovento verso Value Team che, troppo vicino all’avversario, cade nella trappola non riuscendo a rispondere e subendo inevitabilmente il contatto: penalita per Value Team che sembra dire addio al titolo.

La partita pero non e ancora chiusa e pare riaprirsi allo stesso modo nella seconda discesa verso il traguardo; ancora una volta Reggini Sailing Team cerca la maggior pressione verso terra mentre Value Team, che puo e deve rischiare tutto, si spinge solitario ancora a centro lago. Value Team sembra ancora una volta potersi riportare sotto ma il vento in calo favorisce la difesa di Reggini Sailing Team. Sul traguardo Francesco Farneti e quinto ma soprattutto e davanti al diretto avversario (ottavo). Notaro Team chiude quarto, risultato che lo porterebbe sul terzo gradino del podio che tuttavia deve cedere a Turnover a seguito di una protesta inoltrata ai propri danni e vinta da 3Menda di Federico Albano.

Sei Tu 20 di Marco Morina con Flavio Favini al fianco completa il quintetto dei migliori al mondo della flotta Audi Melges 20.

Classifica generale finale Audi Melges 20 Gold Cup 2010 dopo 8 prove ed uno scarto:

1. REGGINI SAILING TEAM (Farneti / Brcin) 3,2,1,4,8,(11),2,4: pt. 24
2. VALUE TEAM (Giallongo / Fonda) 1,1,(8),2,1,8,8,7: pt. 28
3. TURNOVER (Perazzo / D.Cassinari) 5,8,4,1,(16),4,4,8: pt. 37
4. NOTARO TEAM (Domenici / Benamati) 5,8,4,1,15,4,4,(dsq): pt. 41
5. SEI TU 20 (Morina / Favini) 9,6,(12),10,3,1,10,9: pt. 48
6. BACIO (Kiss / Rast) 6,23,(dnf),3,2,9,3,2: pt. 48
7. CHEYENNE (Strocchi / Zandonà) 8,(16),9,7,6,13,7,1: pt. 51
8. HULK (Di Properzio / N.Wilmot) 4,3,14,6,12,(15),9,3: pt. 51
9. THULE (Rubbini / Ivaldi) 13,5,3,19,(23),6,6,6: pt. 58
10. LUCA (Venturini / Meoni) 14,10,17,17,13,3,1,(dnc): pt. 75

Full Results
Official Audi Melges 20 Gold Cup Event Website
Full Entry List

© JOY | IM20CA

Value Team will now become the second boat of the young and successful Piazzetta Italia Sailing Team. After the first year full of success with the Audi Melges 20, the Roman team will now compete in the 2010 Volvo Cup.

This new boat, introduced by Captain Giallongo, is not a one design keel, but a D-One. The D-One is a revolutionary product, created by Luca Devoti, which will participate in the Volvo Cup this year.

Captain Giallongo has told us with great enthusiasm, “This is not a step backwards, even if the boat is smaller than the Audi Melges 20, but a step forward in innovative sailing, expanding our horizons. We are a small team with a large scope, with our experience in the Laser 4000 and support of our club in Bracciano, Planet Sail.” Giallongo adds that he will not be at the helm of the boat, because he has already committed as a helmsman for the Audi Melges 20, but Stefano De Cata, his good friend and director of Sportivo del Team, will be the ideal candidate to quietly suprise the Volvo Cup.

“Our program may appear disjointed,” De Cata says, “but we have chosen the D-One because it follows our philosophy, just as the Audi Melges 20 does, to have a fun boat, that gives a new understanding of sailing. No one here is professional. We all take time away from our personal lives to race. It has been exactly one year that we have been working on this project. Just as we were beginning with the Audi Melges 20, we saw the first design and were immediately in love. The fact that the boat was designed by Morrison and Devoti was a guarantee to us.” De Cata continues, “Captain Giallongo sent me to test the boat last September in Castiglione della Pescaia and I immediately fell in love. For us the acquisition of the D-One is an intermediate step and is necessary for the evolution of the team. In the future, there will be many surprises and you’ll see our boats in various classes and maybe in the near future we will add a ‘big sister’ to our stable.”

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