Melges 20 sailors enjoyed a lively first day at the 2019 Melges 20 World Championship in Miami, with Daniel Thielman’s Kuai (USA) and Cesar Gomes Neto’s Portobello (BRA) each winning a race.
This morning, sailors were greeted with fog and rain. After a period of postponement, the first race began at 1530 hours. With cloud cover persisting throughout the day, the breeze came in at 9-14 knots, with waves on Biscayne Bay.
With 10 races scheduled, it is still anyone’s game. However, Kuai, sailed by Rayleen Thielman, Jeremy Wilmot and Alec Anderson, had a strong start, earning second place in the first race and winning the second race.
Behind Thielman after the first day are Igor Rytov (Russian Bogatyrs), Robert Hughes (Heartbreaker), Cesar Gomes Neto (Portobello), and Robert Wilber (Cinghiale). Rhonda Joyce, an absolute staple and great supporter of the Melges 20 class, leads the Corinthian division. Along with Rob Wilber, Joyce sponsored the Opening Ceremony which included live music.
The Melges 20 Worlds is hosted by the Coconut Grove Sailing Club with support from Shake-A-Leg and Melges Performance Sailboats. Racing continues for the next three days.
Full results: https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=6048
