RSGYC Member Comes 3rd in the Melges Worlds 2011
23 May
After three weeks of sailing and tough competition only two races stood between Ireland and the podium. But after 10 hard races the Irish/Australian Melges 24 crew sailing 'Embarr' knew it was going to take a big effort to get in the medals. They were fourth overall and eight points adrift of the podium. But they had finished third overall in the pre-world champs the previous week and led the worlds at one stage this week so they knew they could do it. And they did.
Here's Spi-Trimmer Maurice O'Connell's Blog from Corpus Christi Bay, Texas written just before last night's prizegiving!
"Going into today we knew that only a superhuman performance today would give us a chance of making the podium. We were eight points adrift of 3rd overall with 2nd overall another two ahead of that.
Our bodies were tired, battered and bruised after 10 hard fought races so far and we knew that we had to dig in hard for the final two.
Race 11: We won the leeward end of the start again and rounded the top mark 2nd after former World Champions "Blu Moon" from Switzerland. We chased them hard and split from them at the gate. At the next top mark after all four of us vomited going upwind from the strain on the stomach muscles from hiking (not for the first time in the regatta) we just rounded in first place, half a length ahead of "Full Throttle". We blasted down the run and held them off to take our first win of the event and edged closer to the podium.
Race 12: We were two points off third overall and only another big performance would do it. We had a great start, this time at the weather end, but just quite couldn't get to the favoured side of the beat quick enough and we rounded the top mark 8th. Jaysus, we make it hard for ourselves! Once again a massive physical efforts and some skilled tactical calls from Nathan and David put us in a great position coming into the finish, one big wave and a huge ease on the kite sheet got us across the lien in third place, giving us the bronze medal by one point!
Heading off to the prizegiving now - thanks for all the messages of support folks!"
The Irish bronze medal crew are: Bow: Maeve Judge, Howth YC (they needed a sub 50kg person to make up the weight limit and Maeve is a triathlete and top dinghy crew so she fitted the bill perfectly) Pit & Owner: Conor Clarke, Royal Irish YC and Royal Jamaica YC. Spi trim: Maurice O'Connell, RSGYC and RCYC. Jib trim/tactician: David Hughes, San Diego (a top US pro sailor / coach) and Helm: Nathan Wilmot (the 470 Gold Medallist and triple 470 World Champion)
Top Ten Overall
1. ITA817 - Uka Uka Racing - Lorenzo Bressani - 6,2,1,2,1,1,1,1,1,5,3,(33/DNS) - 24
2. USA749 - Full Throttle - Brian Porter - (16),9,2,1,7,4,6,4,4,4,2,4 - 47
3. IRL607 - Embarr - Nathan Wilmot - 2,5,5,11,9,2,8,3,5,(26),1,3 - 54
4. BER655 - hedgehog - Alec Cutler 9,8,3,7,4,5,4,2,(11),1,7,5 - 55
5. USA812 - Brick House 812 - Kristen Lane - 8,1,10,3,3,7,5,7,(14),7,6,1 - 58
6. SUI596 - Blu Moon - Flavio Favini - 3,6,8,5,5,3,10,(11),8,3,4,7 - 62
7. ITA819 - AUDI - Riccardo Simoneschi - 7,(12),4,9,12,10,2,12,3,8,5,6 - 78
8. USA811 - WTF - Alan Field - 1,11,11,8,2,9,9,(14),13,6,12,10 - 92
9. ITA735 - Altea - Andrea Rachelli - 4,7,7,4,10,13,7,(15),10,12,9,9 - 92
10. USA820 - New England Ropes/West Marine - Bora Gulari - 15,10,12,6,8,(18),11,6,2,2,10,13 - 95
Article adapted from article on Afloat.ie
