The Melges 32 world championships last month in Newport, USA, put on a great display of how North Sails remain at the leading edge of one-design sail making. Nine out of the top ten carried North Sails including the winner, Samba Pa Ti.
The event, hosted by the New York Yacht Club, demonstrated how the 33-strong fleet and tight racing is arguably one-design sailing at its best – with the overall winner Samba boasting a full set of custom designed North sails, made here in the New Zealand loft.
One-design manager Derek Scott has built a reputation for building top-of-the-range sails for one-design customers both in New Zealand and internationally, and says part of the beauty of one-design racing is the need for consistently slick crew work and flawless boat handling, and boat speed.
“When all the boats are the same, a key element is boat speed. Good boat speed can make you look famous. Samba Pa Ti’s result is very pleasing for us and adds to other successful one-design results we have had this year, from RC44’s, TP52’s, right through to Optimists.”
The Melges 32 fleet is a highly competitive one, and the racing in New York was intense. As Samba skipper John Kilroy puts it himself, “it’s hard to win and really easy for a good team to do poorly. It’s a real tribute to this class and to the competition that you can never take anything for granted.”
Kilroy was joined onboard by tactician Paul Goodison and crew Federico Michetti, Harry Megles III, Luca Faraelli, Martino Tortarolo, Justin Smart and Marco Carpinello.
North Sails would like to congratulate Kilroy and his team on their victory.
TOP TEN RESULTS (Final)
1.) John Kilroy, Jr./Paul Goodison, Samba Pa Ti
2.) Alec Culter/Richard Clarke, Hedgehog
3.) Steve Howe/Morgan Larson, Warpath
4.) Benjamin Schwartz/Chris Rast, Pisces
5.) Pieter Taselaar/Nick Thompson, Bliksem
6.) William Douglass/Chris Larson, Goombay Smash
7.) Vincenzo Onorato/Nathan Wilmot, Mascalzone Latino
8.) Andrea Pozzi/Gabriele Benussi, Bombarda
9.) Edoardo Lupi/Branko Brcin, Torpyone
10.) Roberto Tomassini Grinover/Vasco Vascotto, Robertissima
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