Alec Cutler and crew of Hedgehog made a solid start at the opening regatta of the 2015 Audi-Tron Sailing Series in Loano, Italy yesterday.

The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club skipper thrived in the light and shifty breezes to stake an early claim for bragging rights among a star-studded racing fleet boasting America’s Cup and Olympic calibre sailors.

At the completion of three races in the one-design Melges 32 Cutler sits in third among the 18-boat leader board, six-points off the lead boat.

The former J-22 world champion posted finishes of eighth, fifth and fourth and was encouraged by the day’s performance.

“So far so good,” Cutler said. “Nice to not sail our drop race today in light, choppy and very shifty conditions.”

The local skipper is competing in Italy with a well drilled crew that includes Cameron Appleton, a 2000 America’s Cup winner and European, US National and World Champion in the Melges 32, and Mike Wolfs, an Olympic medallist and Melges 24 world champion. Appleton, who competed against Cutler at the 2005 King Edward VII Gold Cup in Hamilton Harbor, is calling the shots aboard Hedgehog as the team’s tactician.

“The whole crew worked hard to keep up with the gear changes and heel angle,” Cutler said. “It looks like similar conditions tomorrow [Saturday] before the promise of big breeze on Sunday.”

Margherita, helmed by skipper Roberto Mazzucato, topped the leader board by four points over second placed boat Stig whose tactician Francesco Bruni beat Olympic great Sir Ben Ainslie in the final of the 2013 Gold Cup.

Bruni is among the sailors competing in Italy boasting America’s Cup experience which also includes John Kostecki and Flavio Favini.

Dubbed the “First of the Kings”, the ongoing regatta is being hosted by the Yacht Club Marina di Loano and will feature a maximum of eight races over the course of three days.

Following today’s race schedule, teams will be allowed to discard their worst score.