FOR DIGITAL RELEASE - (Monday, March 11, 2019) - The exhilarating speed and excitement of the Melges 24 was embodied this past weekend by 2019 Melges 24 Bacardi Cup Invitational Champion Andrea Pozzi at the helm of Bombarda. Joined by tactician Matteo Ivaldi and crew members Carlo Zermini, Nicholas del Ferro and Stefano Ciampalini, this was Pozzi’s second appearance on the 2018/19 Winter Series circuit. After eight races, a string of single-digit results helped them overtake early event leader, second runner-up and former Melges 24 World Champion (2013) Brian Porter sailing Full Throttle by just one point.

2018/19 Melges 24 Bacardi Winter Series Champion Bruce Ayres at the helm of Monsoon with Mike Buckley as tactician, George Peet, Jeff Reynolds and Chelsea Simms as crew, earned a third place finish, a good enough result to take home the overall Winter Series title.

Rounding out the top five positions was Travis Weisleder’s Lucky Dog/Gill Race Team in fourth, followed by Kevin Welch’s MiKEY driven by Jeff Madrigali in fifth place.

The Bacardi Cup Invitational Regatta amassed 25 teams with representation from seven nations.

Topping the Corinthian Bacardi Cup Melges 24 racing division was Norway’s Jan Frederik Dyvi (8th overall), with newly crowned 2019 Corinthian Bacardi Winter Series Champion Megan Ratliff finishing second (13th overall), followed by Michael Lenkeit on Rapscallion in third (14th overall).

The Bacardi Cup Invitational may have brought the Winter Series to a close, but simultaneously it opened the 2019 U.S. Melges 24 National Ranking Series (USM24NRS). With one event in the record books, Pozzi takes the early National Ranking Series lead, and all eyes turn to the next racing destination — Event No. 2, Sperry Charleston Race Week. Just shy of one month to go, the fleet has already accrued 34 entries with more to come.

For a complete list of events included on the 2019 U.S. Melges 24 National Ranking, visit usmelges24.com/nationalranking.

2019 MELGES 24 BACARDI CUP INVITATIONAL REGATTA
OPEN - TOP FIVE RESULTS (FINAL - After 8 races)
1.) (ITA) Andrea Pozzi, Bombarda; 4-3-2-1-4-5-2-[6] = 21
2.) (USA) Brian Porter, Full Throttle; 1-1-1-7-2-[11]-8-2 = 22
3.) (USA) Bruce Ayres, Monsoon; 2-2-[11]-2-8-1-1-7 = 23
4.) (USA) Travis Weisleder, Lucky Dog/Gill Race Team; 3-9-4-3-1-3-6-5 = 25
5.) (USA) Kevin Welch/Jeff Madrigali, MiKEY; 5-4-5-6-5-[18]-4-1 = 30

CORINTHIAN - TOP FIVE RESULTS (FINAL - After 8 races)
1.) (NOR) Jan Frederik Dyvi, NOR 732; 56 pts.
2.) (USA) Megan Ratliff, Decorum; 92 pts.
3.) (USA) Michael Lenkeit, Rapscallion; 95 pts.
4.) (USA) Roger Counihan, Jaws; 102 pts.
5.) (GBR) Stuart Simpson, Team Barbarians; 118 pts.
View Full 2019 Bacardi Cup Regatta Results

2018/19 MELGES 24 BACARDI WINTER SERIES
OPEN - TOP FIVE RESULTS (FINAL - After 3 events)
1.) (USA) Bruce Ayres, Monsoon - 60 pts.
2.) (USA) Brian Porter, Full Throttle - 53 pts.
3.) (USA) Kevin Welch, MiKEY - 51 pts.
4.) (USA) John Brown, Blind Squirrel - 46 pts.
5.) (CAN) Richard Reid, Zingara - 45 pts.

CORINTHIAN - TOP FIVE RESULTS (FINAL - After 3 events)
1.) (USA) Megan Ratliff, Decorum - 42 pts.
2.) (USA) Roger Counihan, Jaws - 25 pts.
3.) (GBR) Stuart Simpson, Team Barbarians - 22 pts.
4.) (NED) Carlo Vroon, Gelikt - 19 pts.
5.) (USA) William Van Cleef, Flying Jenny - 16 pts.
View Full 2018/19 Melges 24 Bacardi Winter Series Results (FINAL - After 3 events)

View 2019 U.S. Melges 24 National Ranking Results (Preliminary - After 1 event)