Trofeo Roberto Trombini -News

* James Spithill (Luna Rossa) is winner of the 10th Roberto Trombini Challenge Trophy
* He beat Roy Heiner in the finals 3-1. Williams at third place beating Nordbjerg 3-2
* News for 2005 form Progetto Vela

Great day for the finals of the tenth Roberto Trombini Challenge Trophy at Marina di Ravenna, an international match race event organized by Progetto Vela together with Circolo Velico Ravennate and International Yacht Club Marinara. Ideal conditions with winds of 10-12 knots for the semi-finals and finals, the spectacular races were seen by a large crowd of enthusiasts gathered on the grandstand and spectators in a dozen or so boats.
The winner of the tenth edition is Australian Champion James Spithill, newcomer to the Luna Rossa Challenge. Spithill won a hard fought battle for first place against Dutchman Roy Heiner (3-1) who won the first race of the finals with his all-Italian crew Claudio Celon, Manuel Modena and Raimondo Tonelli. Spithill won the second race making the score 1-1. The third match was full of excitement. Spithill passed the finishing line with 2 lengths advantage.
Spithill is the third skipper to have won the trophy twice (2002 and 2004) together with Magnus Holmberg 1997-98 and Peter Holmberg 2000-2001).
The final for third place was won by Ian Williams 2-1 against Lars Nordbjerg, three hard fought matches with a lot of protests and at least three close contacts.

Earlier in the day the semi-finals were raced. Spithill beat Lars Nordbjerg 3-1 whilst there was a real battle between Ian Williams and Roy Heiner who won only by a few metres at the play off.

After the match races the boats (Tom 28 designed by Giovanni Ceccarelli) were used for the traditional fleet race sailed by skippers, sponsors, gusts and yachtsmen from Ravenna. The prize-giving took place on the pier where there plaques with the names of the winners are cemented into the wall. A special commemorative stamp has been issued to mark the decennial edition of the event.

Great satisfaction for Andrea Trombini, President of Progetto Vela (organizers of the Challenge Trophy) who announced plans for other means to promote this sport
on the Ravenna coast. “We plan to promote the match race even more and we are thinking about organizing other regattas at international level.”

1. James Spithill (AUS)
2. Roy Heiner (NED)
3. Ian Williams (GBR)
4. Lars Nordbjerg (DEN)
5. Michael Dunstan (AUS)
6. Flavio Favini (ITA)
7. Bjorn Hansen (SWE)
8. Matteo Simoncelli (ITA)
9. Paul Campbell James (GBR)
10. Sebastien Col (FRA)
11. Eugeny Neugodnikov (RUS)
12. Peter Wibroe (DEN)

SEMI-FINALS SATURDAY 3/7
James Spithill (AUS) beat Matteo Simoncelli (ITA) 3-2
Lars Norbjaerg (DEN) beat Michael Dunstan (AUS) 3-2
Roy Heiner (NED) beat Bjorn Hansen (SWE) 3-2
Ian Williams (GBR) beat Flavio Favini (ITA) 3-1

Progetto Vela - Via Gamba 3, 48100 Ravenna, Tel 0544 465556, fax 0544 463157
Comunicazione/Communication - Fabio Colivicchi +39 335 5730 361 – fabcol@tin.it

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