| KEY WEST, FL. USA-(18-1-2005) Day two was a carbon copy of Monday's exciting Melges 24 racing action! The teams were greeted with 20 to 25 knots of wind, beautiful blue skies and plenty of sunshine as they kicked off the second day of racing - looking forward to two races.
The first start was launched just after eleven o'clock with the entire fleet getting off well including Bill Hardesty at the helm for Philippe Kahn on `USA-575 Pegasus 575`, Mark Manfield in the drivers seat for the Gill Team `GBR-592`, Gabrio Zandona at the helm for Giovanni Maspero on `ITA-550 Joe Fly`. With winds out of the North, Mansfield and Zandona set the pace for the entire race. The two came charging into the first mark, with Gill just managing to grab the top spot. James Spithill `USA-593` rounded third with John Jennings at the helm for Bob Dockery `USA-549` fourth and Adrian Peach, organizer for the 2005 Europeans on board with Bailey White at the helm for Mike Krantz on `USA-565 Lamorak` in fifth.
At the offset mark the leaders headed for the right side of the course, then back to the center with Gill still leading the race. After gaining some ground on Gill downwind, Zandona really poured on the heat shifting his Melges 24 into high gear making a strong upwind run. Gabrio jettisoned past Gill, with Spithill coming from behind finally overtaking Mansfield for the win. Spithill took second and Gill in third.
The second race of the day was equally exciting setting off around one o'clock, course length of 1.5 nm with a bearing of 020 degrees. The start was clean with the exception of one individual recall. Hardesty, Ingemar Sundstedt `SWE-552 Team SBAB`, Dave Ullman `USA-505`, Geoffrey Pierini `USA-551 Wolf Pac`, J.C. Raby `USA-47 No Decorum` and Mansfield all got really great starts off the line. Coming up the first windward mark, Hardesty blasted to the front of the fleet. He was back up front delivering another command performance rounding first, with Spithill second and Ullman in third. The Pegasus team raged on downwind with tremendous speed rounding the first leeward mark, Spithill in second and Zandona sliding into third just ahead of Brian Porter `USA-600 Full Throttle` rounding fourth. As the teams headed back upwind the winds seemed to settle somewhat but not for long. Into the second windward mark the leaders kept their positions with the exception of Morgan Reeser at the helm for Neil Sullivan `USA-566 M-Fatic` slipping into the fourth spot leaving Porter to settle for fifth. As the wind noticeably picked up again Hardesty held onto his lead until the finish with Spithill landing second and Zandona took third.
Still leading the KWRW after two days and two bullets Hardesty commented, `We are feeling pretty comfortable with the stronger winds. We are a little bit nervous that things might change - that the winds might change to lighter conditions. We hope the rest of the week goes well.`
Going into tomorrow's races the winds should be settling down a little. They are expected to be somewhat moderate in comparison to today and Monday but definitely comfortable, definitely awesome Melges 24 planning conditions!
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