October 15, 2017 - Luino, Italy - After six events that moved all over Europe, from Portoroz to Riva del Garda, Marstrand, Helsinki, Medemblik and Luino, the 2017 edition of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series comes to an end with a total of ninety teams from eighteen nations that joined the circuit reserved to Melges 24 monotypes.
Miles Quinton's GILL RACE TEAM GBR694 with Geoff Carveth in helm is the winner of the 2017 edition of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series, replicating their success of 2015 - photo (c) IM24CA/ZGN
Having taken part to all the events of the season, not missing even one of the 51 sailed races, Miles Quinton's GILL RACE TEAM GBR694 with Geoff Carveth in helm is the winner of the 2017 edition of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series, replicating their success of 2015 and following in the golden book to Andrea Racchelli's ALTEA ITA722, winner of the circuit in 2016.
FGF SAILING TEAM HUN728 helmed by Robert Bakoczy, winner of the last two events of the 2017 series, including Lino Favini Cup that was concluded today in Luino - photo (c) IM24CA/ZGN
Second classified in the open division of the circuit is FGF SAILING TEAM HUN728, winner of the last two events of the series, among which Lino Favini Cup that was concluded today in Luino, followed by the Corinthian world champion team of TAKI 4 ITA778. The boat by Marco Zammarchi with Niccolò Bertola in helm is also the winner of 2017 Melges 24 European Sailing Series in the Corinthian division, with GILL RACE TEAM at its back and Ukrainian entry BARMALEY UKR661 in third position.
TAKI 4 ITA778, the boat by Marco Zammarchi with Niccolo Bertola in helm is the winner both of 2017 Melges 24 European Sailing Series and Lino Favini Cup in the Corinthian division - photo (c)IM24CA/ZGN
The last day of racing in Luino, event valid also as Lino Favini Cup, brought many changes in the overall ranking: provisional leaders aboard MAIDOLLIS ITA854 were forced to withdraw from the day of racing because of their tactician Enrico Fonda being ill, and other top-teams slipped from podium positions because of the big wind shift and shortening the race course that affected the first race of the day. With a 12th and a 1st, FGF SAILING TEAM managed to get on top of podium, being awarded with Lino Favini Cup Perpetual Trophy and were crowned also as the Melges 24 Swiss champions, followed by the consistent Danish entry SOFFE DEN782 of Kim Christensen that never scored anything worse than a 6th in the whole series. Bronze medal in Lino Favini Cup goes to TAKI 4 that is also winner in the Corinthian division.
The Corinthian podium was not much affected by the unpredictable races of today, with TAKI 4 being followed by GILL RACE TEAM and Michael Tarabochia's WHITE ROOM GER677 with Luis Tarabochia helming. Eddy Eich's MUSTO RACING GER803 helmed by Kicker Schäfer, third after the races of yesterday, closed the event slipping into seventh position.
The Melges 24 fleet now leaves Lake Maggiore, where the event was hosted by Associazione Velica Alto Verbano: after the winter break, the season will resume in 2018, dates and locations will be announced shortly.
