Larson, Clarke mesh for Melges advantage

Skipper Chris Larson and tactician Richard Clarke had a grand total of three days sailing time together prior to the Sheehy Lexus of Annapolis Melges 24 World Championships.

It certainly did not take the two veteran professionals long to get comfortable with one another. Larson started well and Clarke made all the right calls on the race course as their West Marine Rigging/New England Ropes team took the early lead in the 51-boat regatta.

Larson, a Florida native who has lived in Annapolis since shortly after graduating the College of Charleston in 1988, steered the local boat to a fifth and a second in two races for a low score of seven points - two better than the Swiss entry Blu Moon, skippered by Flavio Favini.

"We had a really good day from the standpoint of executing the game-plan," Larson said. "We got off the line in good shape, which is something I had not been doing well in previous regattas. Richard and I clicked immediately and he did a very good job of getting us around the race course."

Clarke, a Canadian who has competed in three Olympics, served as tactician for Samuel "Shark" Kahn when he captured the Melges 24 World Championship in 2003. He was a member of the German-based illbruck Challenge crew that won the 2005-2006 Volvo Ocean Race.

"It's a pleasure to work with a helmsman the caliber of Chris Larson. I certainly don't need to tell him what to do as far as boat-handling," Clarke said. "Chris has given me some latitude with regard to rig setup and tune. I think today's results show that we're headed in the right direction."

Two other Canadians - Curtis Florence (bow) and Mike Wolfs (trimmer) - complete the crew aboard West Marine Rigging/New England Ropes, which won the Sail22 Tuning Regatta that was held as a warm-up to the worlds two weekends ago off Annapolis.

Defending world champ UKA UKA Racing had a tough opening day with skipper Lorenzo Bressani posting a 26th in the opening race en route to finishing the day 16th overall.

Principal race officer Jeff Borland and his Eastport Yacht Club race committee started the action on time yesterday morning thanks to 11-14-knot northeasterly winds. The breeze backed to the north a bit and dropped to 10-12 knots by the start of the second race. However, organizers were reading just six knots of wind by the time the trailing boats finished in the afternoon and decided not to attempt a third start.

Gullisara, an Italian entry skippered by Carlo Fracassoli, won Race 2 and holds third place - one point ahead of the WTF team skippered by Alan Field of California. Quantum Racing, an Annapolis-based entry led by helmsman Terry Hutchinson and tactician Scott Nixon, came out of the gates in impressive fashion by winning Race 1, but followed with a disappointing 38th in Race 2 and stands 19th overall.

Severn Sailing Association member Othmar von Blumencron holds fourth place in the Corinthian class for amateur skippers.

Melges 24 World Championship

1, West Marine Rigging/New England Ropes, Chris Larson, Annapolis, 5-2=7

2, Blu Moon, Flavio Favini, Switzerland, 3-6=9

3, Gullisara, Carlo Fracassoli, Italy, 9-1=10

4, WTF, Alan Field, Los Angeles, 4-7=11

5, Full Medal Jacket, Eivind Melleby, Norway, 8-4=12

America's Cup: The most contentious America's Cup ever got nastier last night when San Francisco's Golden Gate Yacht Club took legal action to try to remove Swiss yacht club Societe Nautique de Geneve as trustee.

Golden Gate filed a breach of fiduciary duty complaint with the New York State Supreme Court asking that SNG be replaced by a "faithful trustee" while still allowing the Swiss to participate in the 33rd America's Cup as defender.