STAR claims opening event

Jeff Ecklund wins Audi Melges 20 Miami Winter Series opener

On close, competitive Biscayne Bay, the first event in the 2010 Audi Melges 20 Miami Winter Series concluded with Fort Lauderdale's Jeff Ecklund on STAR, and crew members Bora Gulari and George ‘Bear’ Peet as champions.

Trying to fill Ecklund’s superstar-size, top-notch helmsman shoes was substitute-helm, good friend and fellow Lauderdale Yacht Club member Tom Lihan. Ecklund won the event on count back after Saturday’s solid performance. Tied for first in points, occupying second place overall is Eric Wynsma on Superfly and in third was fleet newcomer Robert Wilber on Cinghaile.

Two more races were held with the breeze ever so slightly shifting for the first start of the day. Under blue skies, plentiful sunshine and light, but decent breeze two general recalls resulted in resetting the line for a course 4. Once off the line it was Jim Hilgard on Crystal Spirit and Wynsma fighting for the mark, dueling to the gate, back around and to the finish. Wynsma clinched the win by a foot. Dave Hammett on Simplified Sophistication rebounded after a tough Saturday only to burst on the Sunday scene with at third place finish for race one.

The last race of the day and final in the race series brought on more of the light and tricky stuff. Wynsma came on strong again, but just could not pull off the better than needed score to beat the STAR team. Wilber poured on the speed putting him well ahead of the fleet for the win. Wynsma took second. Hammett, again found himself in third.

The second event in this Audi Melges 20 series will take place once again out of Coconut Grove on 19-21 February.

More photos on the following pages...

Results:

Pos	Yacht Name	Owner/Skipper	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Tot
1	STAR	Jeff Ecklund	1	1	1	1	6	6	10
2	SuperFly	Eric Wynsma	2	3	4	2	1	2	10
3	Cinghiale	Robert Wilber	7	2	9	6	5	1	21
4	Fu	Marc Hollerbach	6	4	2	4	7	8	23
5	M&M Sailing Team	Mary Anne Ward	8	5	5	5	4	4	23
6	Crystal Spirit	Jim Hilgard	9	6	7	7	2	5	27
7	CAN 142	Peter Kozicz	5	7	3	3	9	10	27
8	Lift Ticket	Joe Williams	4	8	6	9	8	7	33
9	Bohica	Erwyn Naidoo	10	9	8	8	12	13	47
10	Simplified Sophistication	David Hammett	14/DNF	14/DNC	14/DNC	14/DNC	3	3	48
11	Bacio	Michael Kiss	3	14/DNS	14/DNC	14/DNC	10	9	50
12	Vaya Con Dios	Erik Post	11	11	10	10	13	11	53
13	Blink	John Arendshorst	12	10	11	11	11	12	55