J/24 World Championships Overall
by Mark Jardine 8 Oct 1999 22:16 BST
GENOA, ITALY - Vasco Vascotto and his team from the Circulo della Vela Muggia are the 1999 J/24 World Champions.
The day only produced enough wind to hold one race which ensured that Vasco and crew could not lose as their worst result was a 5th and this kept them on lower points than the next team of Lorenzo Bressani who came second overall.
It was again an early start for the fleet as the race committee tried to hold as many races as possible, but the wind was not forthcoming. The first attempt for a race was held in a northerly that had to be abandoned after one lap when the wind disappeared and then filled in from the south.
When the course was reset there was several abortive attempts at starts with shifting winds & a general recall. The fleet finally went away successfully under the first black flag of the regatta where 10 boats were called out of the fleet at the windward mark.
At the end of a very light wind race Flavio Flavini continued the Italian domination of the top spot with his first win of the regatta to bring him up to sixth overall. Andrea Ribolli was second and Tim Healy was third to give top non-Italian sailor in 3rd overall.
Whiles't the wind was not always playing the game every day the race committee set excellent courses and made the most of the conditions. The Yacht Club Italiano were very hospitable to the very international fleet and the pasta and beer provided ashore were appreciated by all.
Overall Results (6 races, 1 discard):
1st ITA 456 Vasco Vascotto 13pts
2nd ITA 428 Lorenzo Bressani 18pts
3rd USA 5208 Tim Healy 27pts
4th ARG 4677 Juan Grimaldi 28pts
5th ITA 444 Roberto Martinez 32pts
6th ITA 453 Flavio Flavini 37pts
British Placings:
19th GBR 4215 Stuart Jardine 94pts
48th GBR 4243 Alistair Evans 212pts
51st GBR 4235 Duncan Peace 219pts
53rd GBR 4071 Callum Edge 222pts
54th GBR 4206 Daryl Conyers 239pts
67th GBR 4248 David Pearce 291pts