Ilhabela (Brazil) – Uruguayan boat Memo Memulini was crowned champion of the 33ª. edition of the 2006 Ilhabela Sailing Week. Ricardo Fabini’s victory was the first one by a non-Brazilian boat in the history of the competition. Argentinean Matador finished second overall after battling for the title until the last race.

“We had ups and downs during the whole week but we still sailed among the leaders. We got podium finishes in every race and this was the difference for the victory”, skipper Ricardo Fabini said. Memo Memulini won two races, was second in the last one and got other two third places.

The only boat who challenged the dominance of the 2005 IMS World Champions was Argentinean Matador, a BC 46 that won the Rolex South Atlantic Circuit in the beginning of the year. Skippered by Alberto Roemmers, Matador suffered a collision in the second race and returned to shore with a big hole in the bow. Within 24 hours they repaired the damaged, came back for the third race and won it. “We didn’t find any structural damage so it was just a matter of covering the hole. But we still faced a marathon to do the repairs and get back to the competition”, explained Argentinean trimmer Martin Blanco.

In the last day, Matador still had a chance to get the victory away from Memo Memulini’s hand. To get the title, the Argentineans had to win the last race, while the Uruguayans couldn’t get the second place. “We sailed close to Matador for the whole race, trying to cover them and avoid them to get any kind of advantage. Had they won, we would be second and still get the title. But we had a really great race and finished ahead of them”, said Brazilian Nelson Ilha, guest tactician onboard Memo Memulini.

First Brazilian in the overall standings was third placed Oi/Nokia/Sorsa III. The crew had already secured the third place overall and sailed today with a slim chance to snap the second place from the Argentineans. “We tried to induce Matador to errors, but they had a great race”, skipper Celso Quintella said. “To be the first Brazilian boat overall is a pretty good result. We are still adapting the boat to the crew and to the IMS measurements and still managed a podium position”, said Sorsa’s trimmer Joca Signorini, crewmember of Brasil 1 in the last Volvo Ocean Race.

The biggest surprise of the last day was Brazilian Olympic veteran Eduardo Souza Ramos and his new boat Mitsubishi/Gol. Eight times Ilhabela champion, Souza Ramos won the last race after finishing among the last boats in the first four regattas. “The boat is new and we are still making some adjustments. The crew’s performance got better during the competition and Today (Sunday) we sailed without the responsibility of fighting for the title”, he said.

IMS South American Championship

Ilhabela Sailing Week also counted as the last stage for the South American IMS Championship. Matador won the continental title with a first place in Punta del Este, Uruguay, and a second place here, finishing with 18 points. Memo Memulini finished second with 20,8 points and Brazilian Cristabella, eight placed in Ilhabela, finished third (40 points).

Results

IMS 500
5ª. race
1. Mitsubishi/Gol (BRA) – 1:51’28”
2. Memo Memulini (URU) – 2’28”
3. Matador (ARG) – 2’34”
4. Skin/Áries IV (BRA) – 2’58”
5. Touché (BRA) – 3’58”

Overall standings
1. Memo Memulini (URU) – 7 points
2. Matador (ARG) – 10
3. Oi/Nokia/Sorsa III (BRA) – 12
4. Touche (BRA) – 17
5. Skin/Áries IV (BRA) – 20
6. Mitsubishi/Gol (BRA) – 21
7. Maximus (BRA) – 21
8. Cristabella (BRA) – 23
9. Asa Alumínio (BRA) - 24

The 33ª. Semana de Vela de Ilhabela is organized by the Yacht Club de Ilhabela (YCI) and Impact Sports and sponsored and supported by Mitsubishi Motors, Semp Toshiba, Yacaminn, Medley, Runner, Trio, UOL, Revista Velejar, Rádio Eldorado, Nautos, North Sails, Brancante, Associação Brasileira de Veleiros de Oceano (ABVO), PIC Pindá Iate Clube, Federação Brasileira de Vela e Motor, Prefeitura Municipal de Ilhabela, Marinha do Brasil and Mar Brasil.

ZDL – Bruno Doro e Doro Jr.
33a. Semana Internacional de Vela de Ilhabela
Website: www.svilhabela.com.br
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