Acura Miami Grand Prix - Day 1
by Jeanne Kleene 6 Mar 2009 07:15 GMT
5-8 March 2009
Tight competition and great breeze
The 2009 Acura Miami Grand Prix kicked off in perfect style. An international fleet of 42 boats from 7 countries and 14 states completed three races in outstanding conditions in the waters off South Beach.
Pieter Taselaar’s Melges 32 Bliksem and Niklas Zennstrom’s TP52 RAN each
jumped out ahead in their respective classes, winning all three races.
The Italian Farr 40 Nerone also has a solid 6 point lead after winning
the first 2 races followed by a second.
“It was a really good day for us, with two firsts and a second, how can
you do any better than that?” said skipper Massimo Mezzaroma. “We are
very happy with the results. The crew worked really well downwind
together.”
Sitting second behind Nerone is Barking Mad, skippered by former World
Champion and last year’s Acura Grand Prix winner Jim Richardson of
Newport, RI. Barking Mad is followed closely by Giovanni Maspero’s Joe
Fly.
In the 19-boat Melges 32 class, Bliksem made a statement taking three
bullets on this first day of racing.
“Our starts today were better than they normally are. At the gun we
were sailing at full speed and we had more options.” said owner Pieter
Taselaar.
In second place with 9 points is Jim Swartz’s Q (Edgartown, MA),
followed closely by John Kilroy’s Samba Pa Ti (San Francisco, CA). Mike
Carroll’s New Wave had an uncharacteristic off day and saw her 24 point
lead for the Acura Grand Prix Championship Trophy shrink to a mere 7
points over Joe Woods’ Red who finished fourth for the day. The Grand
Prix Trophy goes to the winner, based on lowest cumulative points, for
the Melges 32 Gold Cup, Key West and Miami.
In a strong UK showing, IRC 1, comprised of 4 TP52’s, is led by Niklas
Zennstrom’s RAN from Hamble, GBR with Charles Dunstone’s Rio of Cowes,
GBR in second. The Russian entry Synergy, owned by Sergey Pichugin, is
close behind, just one point out of second.
There is tight racing in IRC 2 as well. Jim Bishop’s J44 Gold Digger out
of Jamestown, RI and Philippe Paturel’s Archambault 40 Ciao of Halifax,
Nova Scotia are tied for first with 6 points. Daniel Woolery’s King 40
Soozal lies in third, one point back.
Principal Race Officer Dave Brennan, coming off a successful stint as
PRO for the Etchells Jaguar Series, and his highly-respected team of
race officials, gave the competitors what they came for…a fantastic day
of racing in ideal southern Florida conditions.
“What a great start to the week,” commented Event Director Peter Craig,
“With the breeze at 15-20 knots, temperatures touching on 70 degrees and
three exciting races, it was a great way to get the racing started off
South Beach.”
Action in the four-day event continues on Friday with organizers
planning to conduct two races. The 10-race series, being held on a
course set just off the north end of Key Biscayne, concludes on Sunday.
Results after Day 1: (provisional, 3 races)
Farr 40 (12 entries)
1, Nerone, Massimo Mezzaroma, Punta Ala, Italy, 1-1-2=4pts
2, Barking Mad, James Richardson, Newport, R.I., 6-3-1=10pts
3, Joe Fly, Giovanni Maspero, Como, Italy, 2-5-4=11pts
Melges 32 (19 entries)
1, Bliksem, Pieter Taselaar, St Inigoes, M.D., 1-1-1=3pts
2, Q, Jim Swartz, Edgartown, M.A., 4-2-3avg=9pts
3, Samba Pa Ti, John Kilroy, San Francisco, C.A., 2-6-3=11pts
IRC 1 (4 entries)
1, RAN, Niklas Zennstrom, Hamble, GBR, 1-1-1=3pts
2, Rio, Charles Dunstone, Cowes, GBR, 2-2-3=7pts
3, Synergy, Sergey Pichugin, Moscow, RUS, 3-3-2=8pts
IRC 2 (7 entries)
1, Gold Digger, J/44, James Bishop, Jamestown, R.I., 3-2-1=6pts
2, Ciao, AC 40, Philippe Paturel, Halifax, CAN, 1-3-2=6pts
3, Soozal, King 40, Daniel Woolery, Pt Richmond, C.A., 2-1-4=7pts
Full results at www.premiere-racing.com