J24 Blog

[Source: yachtsandyachting.com]

Chris McLaughlin with Immarsat Hedgehog Reports

Canadian Rossi Milev takes over the lead as Hillman moves up

Day two of the J24 World Championship in Cannigione, Sardinia saw two more races and new faces moving up the board. The day belonged to American sailor, Mark Hillman and crew, sailing Wip, and scoring two firsts with Rossi Milev of Canada, steering for Bob Turner and his British boat, Serco Headcase, scoring two seconds. Milev has been very consistent and holds the overall lead.

Race 3 was sailed in winds around 10 mph and an opening beat of 1.6 miles. Leaders pushed both sides of the course, but it was Hillman who got to the left first and managed to take the lead by the weather mark, followed by Milev, Massimo Fillipo of Italy, and Ian Southworth.

The run continued its previous days challenges, with those who pressed to either shoreline being rewarded with additional puffs of breeze, while boats in the middle got less initial pressure. In a trend for the day, puffs would pass crews by, or disappear a matter of feet on either side of them.

One left handed gust brought five boats, led by Stefan Karsunke of Germany, sailing Max Bahr and Mike Ingham of USA back into fourth and fifth places, whilst Southworth fell to fourteenth place. At the leeward mark the Race Officer shortened the next beat, with places remaining unchanged until the run. Once again local puffs were the dominant factor with the fleet as Hillman and Milev extended their lead. The pack closed up and places changed again. Southworth found breeze this time and moved through to overtake boats, including Andrea Casale of Italy and finish just feet behind Santa Cruz of Brazil to record an eight place. The first ten were Hillman, Milev, Fillipo, Karsunke, Ingham, Santa Cruz, Southworth, Peer Kock of Germany and Andrea Casale.

Race Four had an increasing breeze, at times to around 15 mph, with the weather mark moved five degrees further right and a 1.6 mile beat. Hillman won the start and .pushed forward in a repeat of the morning to the left side of the course. Second into the left shore were local sailors, Aurelio Bini in Sardares and Di Fraia, in Slam, followed by Paul Toms of Ireland in Joya and Ian Southworth on Inmarsat Hedgehog. Lucy McGregor, and her team are getting to grips with the boat and rounded just behind, along with Milev in.

With limited place changing on the run, the race officer moved the weather mark another five degrees to the right. Hillman, Bini and Southworth took the left – hand leeward mark and pushed right, while Di Fraia, Toms, McGregor and Milev headed left. Crossing to the left, Hillman and Bini held a comfortable margin and Southworth passed Di Fraia and Toms. But once again, Milev showed his teams grasp of the local conditions to work the left and slip passed Southworth and at the finish line to take second from Bini.

The top ten were: Hillman, Milev, Bini, Southworth,Di Fraia,Toms, Santa Cruz, Fabio Nocera of Italy, Casale and Wilcox ofGermany.

The series leader is Canadian Milev, helming for World Class Chairman, Bob Turner of Great Britain. Their boat, Headcase, is the only J24 to have won two World Championships, with Ken Read at the helm. Perhap this will be a third?

A discard comes into play after Race five of the ten race series and another light airs day is anticipated for Day three.