Larchmont Melges 32’s Shine in Cagliari, Italy
July 17-19, 2009
Cagliari, Italy
Two LYC boats, Pieter Taselaar’s Bliksem and Jason Carroll’s Argo, placed first and third respectively in a talented 23-boat fleet at the Melges 32 circuit regatta held in Cagliari, Italy on the island of Sardinia, July 17-19.
Argo and Bliksem crews hike hard in the mistral.
Bliksem led after the first day of racing - blazing boat speed and rock solid tactics helping her to the top of the heap. After an opening third, the Argo team posted an eighth leaving them in fourth place after day one. The major player in day two of the regatta was the “mistral”, an extremely brisk wind that funnels down the Pyrenees Mountains into the Mediterranean Sea. After sending the fleet out for a try, the race committee capitulated as the wind speed was solidly over 30 knots with some vicious gusts.
Day three of the regatta saw the mistral still in force with 25 knots, but with a bit less intensity than day two. Bliksem notched a first in the first heat of the day after passing two boats on the first run and extending for a comfortable win. Race two was Argo’s turn as she posted a third place finish after surviving the wild final run, which saw numerous wipeouts, a dismasting and eye popping boat speeds for those teams that remained in control. The wind was at its peak for the final race of the series which saw Bliksem retire with a broken spreader bar and Argo sail into third overall on the strength of a fifth place finish. Bliksem was able to discard her score in the final race to win the regatta.
Sometimes you get the mistral, sometimes the mistral gets you. Regatta winners Bliksem broaching in race five before retiring.
Argo had a strong LYC presence with Jason Carroll, John & Molly Baxter, Chad Corning, Daniel Litchfield and summer sailing member Patrick Mauro aboard. Next up for the 32’s are the world championships in Porto Cervo, Italy in September.
Taselaar accepts his first place trophy in Cagliari.
Jason Carroll and the Argonauts with their third place trophy.
