The International Melges 24 European Championship is raced for the Giorgio Zuccoli Trophy.
The trophy is assigned to the International Melges 24 Class, but remains the property of the Zuccoli family. In agreement with the Committee of the International Melges 24 Class Association the Giorgio Zuccoli Trophy will be the perpetual trophy of the Melges 24 European Championship. For the first time the trophy was awarded at the 2001 Melges 24 European Championship held on Lake Garda, Torbole, Italy.
This trophy is named after the Italian sailmaker who became the first Melges 24 European Champion in 1996. When Giorgio Zuccoli gained his first Melges 24 World Champion title in 2000, he was severely ill with bone cancer. Sadly, the very popular athlete lost his hardest battle on 27 March 2001.
See the winners of the the Giorgio Zuccoli Trophy at the Hall of Fame and read more about the European Championships.