Things didn't look good on Wednesday night after two of the initial three days of the regatta were cancelled due to bad conditions. Making matters worse was the fact the forecast for Thursday was for a second straight day of light, fickle breeze.

However, Mother Nature did an about face and brought a solid 12-knot northerly that enabled organizers with Premiere Racing to get in two races on Thursday. Things got even better on Friday with a northeasterly bringing 16-20 knot winds that allowed for three more races to be held.

"This was a classic Key West day. It was breeze on with warm weather and sunshine. You couldn't have asked for a better final day," Melges 24 winner Dave Ullman said.

Competition was also extremely close in Melges 32 class, which saw a significant increase in entries and caliber of competition at Acura Key West 2008. Star, skippered by Jeff Ecklund of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, finished fifth or better in six of seven races that counted in edging New Wave by two points and capturing the Midwinter Championship.

Dave Ullman put together a tremendous final day to fourth to first in Melges 24 class, largest of the regatta with 46 boats. The California sailmaker steered Pegasus 505 to a stellar line of 1-2-1 on Friday to finish three points ahead of week-long leader Blu Moon (Franco Rossini, Switzerland).

IRC 1 class was comprised of the 10 largest boats in the regatta and Meyers' new Judel/Vrolijk 66-footer proved the most consistent of them all. America's Cup veteran Hamish Pepper called tactics for Meyers, who won five of eight races in compiling a low score of 10 points � four better than runner-up Flash Glove, a TP52 owned by Colm Barrington of Ireland.
 

* It could hardly be closer. After eight races Jim Richardson's Barking Mad and Vincenzo Onorato's Mascalzone Latino were tied on points. Each had scored 29 points, but the final race win, his second victory in the 25-strong Farr 40 class, gave the overall victory to the class President, Richardson, over the reigning world champion, Onorato.

It may well have been the instruction Richardson's tactician gave him before the eighth and final race that inspired the Barking Mad skipper to complete his first-ever Acura Key West Race Week victory. "If you win this one, we will win," said Hutchinson, who had obviously properly completed his unofficial points score as Mascalzone Latino led Barking Mad by a single point.

Racing started an hour earlier than scheduled in order that three races could be completed and the awards ceremony take place ashore at 1800. It is only the second time that three races have been sailed in the day in the Conch Republic's annual regatta - the first time was on Tuesday! It was a masterstroke by Event Director Peter Craig and his team of race officials and with near-perfect conditions - 15-20 knots of north-easterly breeze - to give the competitors as much racing as possible. -- Bob Fisher

Top five

1. Barking Mad, 29 points
2. Mascalzone Latino, 29 points
3. Twins, 37 points
4. Nerone, 42 points
5. Fiamma, 57 points
6. Mean Machine, 61 points

Full results for all classes at www.premiere-racing.com