Kiss Puts 3 Bullets In 2010 Audi Melges 20 Nationals To Lead

August 27, 2010 (Holland, MI) - Michael Kiss on Bacio delivered an astounding performance today at the 2010 Audi Melges 20 U.S. National Championship, hosted by the Macatawa Bay Yacht Club. Three races were held under picture perfect conditions with Kiss submitting in a 1-1-1 score line to lead the fleet. John Arendshorst on Blink is second and Simon Strauss on Simplicity is third overall.

The Race Committee, lead by the cool, calm and collected hand of PRO Shannon Bush, were challenged with a difficult combination of current, breeze and big wave action as they tried to set the line for the first race. The championship finally got underway after four starts. "It was challenging. It took a little bit to get everything ironed out, but after that, it all worked really well." said Bush. "We expect the same conditions for tomorrow."

Breeze on conditions, 15-17 knots out of the 185-195 degree corridor, sunshine and large seas produced conditions in which Kiss simply dominated. Onboard with him is his son, fifteen-year old Mitchell Kiss (who also came in third at the 2010 Men’s Radial Worlds) and Chris Rast. "I had to pinch myself this was so much fun today. The start on the first race was not the perfect start, but it was enough to put us ahead. We were just trying to get off that starting line in a good position." commented Kiss. He not only won the first two races by sizable margins, he took the third race win as well.

Race three put George Gamble on A Little Wicked in the limelight at the top mark, with Kiss rounding second. The two split the difference downwind, Kiss to the right and Gamble left. "We were rocking downwind." said Kiss. "There were some gigantic waves that we caught. It was such a blast." At the gate, Kiss overtook the lead from Gamble for his third win of the day.

Trailing Kiss, in second overall, is Arendshorst who absorbed a 3-3-3 result for the first day of racing. "The whole idea is fun, and this fleet does fun better than any other fleet. People are so cordial on- and off-the-course, yet still very, seriously competitive. The fun-factor is the whole thing. Very serious racing, but very serious fun."

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