2014 Audi Melges 20 Miami Winter Regatta

Miami, FL (February 9, 2014) – The final day of racing at the 2014 Audi Melges 20 Miami Winter Regatta, hosted by Coconut Grove Sailing Club and supported by Melges USA, ended with no additional races being completed due to virtually no wind on Biscayne Bay. PRO Bruce Bingman, with the support of Coconut Grove’s race management team, ventured out onto the course with every intention of firing off at least one more race before the 1 o’clock cut-off. Once on station, it was clear that the wind was not going to cooperate as had hoped. At 12.15, November over Alpha was announced, officially signalling no more racing.

With no new races to add, results from Saturday stand as final.

Congratulations to Richard Davies on Section 16, as he along with tactician Charlie McKee and crew member Matt Pistay are the 2014 Audi Melges 20 Winter Regatta Champions. This is the first time Davies has ever taken home top honors at a major Melges 20 event. With this win, he climbs into the overall 2014 Miami Winter Series (MWS) ranking lead, two points ahead of Tony Tabb’s YOLO and Russ Lucas’ Shimmer. Bacardi Miami Sailing Week takes place on March 6-8, marking the last and final event of the MWS. The chase is on. View The Full 2014 Audi Melges 20 Miami Winter Series Ranking.

Michael Kiss’ Bacio claimed second overall. John Kilroy on Samba Pa Ti finished third, also taking home the Top Master trophy. Alessandro Rombelli’s STIG and Tabb’s YOLO rounded out the top five respectively.

More congratulations are in order for 2014 Audi Melges 20 Corinthian Winter Regatta Champion Frank McLaughlin aboard TBD. Aboard with McLaughlin were crew members John Ferguson and John Millen. This is the first major Corinthian title won by this brilliant Canadian team.

John Brown’s Blind Squirrel, sailed with Will and George Demand, finishing second overall Corinthian, completing their second consecutive Miami event as a full Corinthian team. With this result, they are now seated in first overall Corinthian in the 2014 Miami Winter Series ranking.

Rounding out the top three Corinthian division is yet another amazing group of Canadian sailors, Paul Currie and his ever persevering Wild Deuces team featured Justin Barnes and David Jarvis.

Additional trophies were awarded including Best Boat with Female Crew going to Kent Haegar on Mach Schnell who sailed with his daughter Annie and son Will; Best Boat with More Than One Female Crew went to Molly Lucas on Hoboken Eddie, Best Boat with Crew Under 21 went to Alex Post (20) on Vaya Con Dios, and Best Helm Under 21 was awarded to Clay Broussard (18) at the helm of his father’s Audi Melges 20 Velocity.

ENDLESS THANKS
The International Audi Melges 20 Class Association (IAM20CA) is forever grateful for the hardwork and dedication provided by Coconut Grove Sailing Club’s Race Management Team – headed up by none other than the phenomenal Ron Rostorfer. This team goes every extra mile to make each Audi Melges 20 event held in Miami the very best it can be, this event was no exception. We thank the countless volunteers and never ending support on so many levels.

Special thanks to PRO Bruce Bingman and team which included scorer Steve Washburn. The professionalism provided by these gentlemen and willingness to listen and deliver superior Melges racing is unparalleled.

And lastly, thanks to all the teams and competitors as it is without your love and passion for the sport of sailing, not to mention the Audi Melges 20, these events would not be possible. You make this fleet exceptional, extraordinary in so many ways — a truly special class community.

FULL RESULTS (FINAL – After three races)
1.) Richard Davies/Charlie McKee, Section 16; 2-6-3 = 11
2.) Michael Kiss/Jeremy Wilmot, Bacio; 4-5-2 = 11
3.) John Kilroy/Paul Goodison, Samba Pa Ti; 5-3-6 = 14
4.) Alessandro Rombelli/Terry Hutchinson, STIG; 6-8-1 = 15
5.) Tony Tabb/Michael Buckley, YOLO; 10-1-7 = 18
6.) Russ Lucas/Harry Melges III, Shimmer; 1-11-10 = 22
7.) Alexis Michas/Mark Mendleblatt, Midnight Blue; 7-2-13 = 22
8.) Cesar Gomes Neto, Portobello; 3-19-4 = 26
9.) Robert Hughes/Morgan Reeser, Heartbreaker; 8-14-5 = 26
10.) Tom Kassberg/Patrick Whitmarsh, Flygfisk; 16-4-9 = 27
View Full Results

FULL CORINTHIAN RESULTS (FINAL – After three races)
1.) Frank McLaughlin, CAN-254 = 62
2.) John Brown, Blind Squirrel = 72
3.) Paul Currie, Wild Deuces = 74
4.) Eric Wynsma, Superfly = 80
5.) Jim Pearson, Slippery = 85

Official 2014 Audi Melges 20 Miami Winter Series Event No. 2 Website
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