International Melges 32 Class Blog

Day four has opened with a half-hour on shore postponement. Now on the course waiting for the fog to burn off and oh… WE NEED SOME BREEZE!

Day four has opened with a half-hour on shore postponement. Now on the course waiting for the fog to burn off and -WE NEED SOME BREEZE!

Only one point separates the top two boats in the Melges 32 fleet racing Key West. Steve Howe’s Warpath sits atop the heap, Alex Jackson on Leenabarca in second and Doug Douglas’ Goombay Smash in third.

Two things happen today that just may turn the results table once more:

1.) Light air in the forecast. Almost always this can make or break a team that has succeeded thus far. Great minds are aboard the top three. Morgan Larson calls the shots on Warpath. Rob Greenhalgh will offer up his best direction on Leenabarca. Chris Larson will help Douglas work out how to play the shifts best. We’ll see who masters the breeze.

2.) If two races are completed today, a discard happens at six races.

Stay close to the class facebook pages for quick updates. Catch the action as the racing unfolds on SailingUpdates.com

http://sailingupdates.com/view/39/

Absolutely gorgeous weather on Day 2, sunshine, light to comfortable, powered up racing coming right up! 6-7 knots of breeze, 190 bearing, course 4, 1.7 nm

Stay close to http://sailingupdates.com/view/39/

Absolutely gorgeous weather on Day 2, sunshine, light to comfortable, powered up racing coming right up! 6-7 knots of breeze, 190 bearing, course 4, 1.7 nm

Stay close to http://sailingupdates.com/view/39/

It looks like a lively start for the impressive Melges 32 fleet in Key West with surfing conditions predicted for the opening rubber of the 5-day series, on the stunning racetrack off South Florida in the powder-blue, sun soaked water off the Florida Keys. Alex Jackson’s Melges 32, Leenabarca, has Robert Greenhalgh calling tactics. “It was good to get home and chill out over Christmas but I have to say it was nice to leave the freezing cold weather in the UK.” Commented Greenhalgh. “The first regatta of the year looks like a baptism of fire. The crew on Leenabarca looks good, with Kelvin Harrap and Andy Hemmings on the boat, we are aiming high. But this is a hot fleet and we won’t get it all our own way. The class at Key West has a highly competitive fleet of 21 entries from eight different countries. We are expecting some full-on action.” Alex Jackson’s Leenabarca will be lining up on the start for some electric racing, offshore on the Key West shelf. Races should be incredibly close, as the pocket rocket one-design class is bristling with talent. Besides Greenhalgh, Hemmings and Harrap, the fleet is packed with outstanding sailors from the Olympics, America’s Cup and match racing circuit including; Paul Goodison, Andy Beadsworth, Chris Larson, Peter Holmburg, Vasco Vascotti, Hamish Pepper, Gavin Brady, Tony Rey and Ed Baird. Tactical weather expert, Mike Broughton from Winning Wind predicts a week of changeable weather along the Florida Keys, with a cracking start to the regatta. “It looks like a lively start with a mini low pressure system 200 miles west of southern Florida, sweeping north east, bringing east south east winds of between 14 and 22 knots. This should provide planing conditions for the fleet, giving them some electric racing.” For updates and comment visit: www.robertgreenhalgh.com