2018 Melges 24 European Championship - A North-Western Storm Stops the Game in Riva del Garda

August 9, 2018 - Riva del Garda, Italy - Very atypical conditions today in the Wind Factory of Garda Lake. For the penultimate day of racing of the Melges 24 European Championship, the Race Committee chaired by PRO Hank Stuart called the fleet out on the water perfectly on time at 1pm. All at a sudden, while they were setting the race course, the weather conditions over the Western shore of the Lake changed dramatically and a strong wind called Ponale, from the North West, started to blow with gusts over 30 knots.
 
War Canoe USA841 - Pierrick ContinMike Goldfarb's War Canoe USA841 having fun while waiting Ora wind to fill in on Garda Lake. Photo (c) Pierrick Contin 
 
The Race Committee secured the fleet on the Eastern shore of the Lake and, after having waited for the stormy wind to decrease and stabilize for over two hours, hoisted the AP over Alfa flag, heading back to the moorings of Fraglia Vela Riva followed by the 72 participant crews, assisted by the ribs of the organizing authority. Only some brave crews dared to challenge the strong Ponale wind and sailed for some minutes at amazing speeds [see the attached video of the reigning World Champions on board Altea with Andrea Racchelli in helm training downwind and reaching the amazing speed of 20.8 knots].
 
Altea ITA722 - Pierrick ContinThe reigning World Champions on board Altea with Andrea Racchelli in helm training downwind and reaching the amazing speed of 20.8 knots. Photo (c) Pierrick Contin
 
No races sailed today then and no news on the overall ranking that, as after the races of yesterday, sees Maidollis leading the pack with 15 points, followed by Caipirinha Jr with 32 and Lucky Dog / Gill Race Team with the same score. Taki 4 keeps controlling the Corinthian ranking, followed by Lenny and Gill Race Team.
 
After the day out on the water, the crews could enjoy a pizza party offered by Fraglia Vela Riva and were encouraged to sign the Charta Smeralda, a document promoted by Yacht Club Costa Smeralda for the protection of the Oceans. Peter Havn from the Danish crew of Top Gun was also the lucky winner of a Garmin Quatix watch. 
 
Garmin Quatix - Pierrick ContinPeter Havn from the Danish crew of Top Gun was the lucky winner of a Garmin Quatix watch. Photo (c) Pierrick Contin
 
The appointment is set for tomorrow at 11.00 am and three more races can be sailed, with latest warning signal to be given within 3.00 pm, to determine the 2018 Melges 24 European Champion.
 
It will be possible to follow the final day racing via live streaming powered by Zerogradinord on the Facebook page of the International Melges 24 Class Association.

TOP 10 current ranking after seven races:
  1. MAIDOLLIS ITA854 Carlo Fracassoli, Enrico Fonda, Gianluca Perego, Stefano Lagi, Matteo Ramian 1-1-(7)-4-7-1-1 15 p
  2. CAIPIRINHA JR ITA633 Matteo Ivaldi, Gabriele Benussi, Francesco Rubagotti, Vittorio Zaoli, Camilla Bert 5-(20)-8-1-1-3-14 32 p 
  3. LUCKY DOG / GILL RACE TEAMUSA749 Travis Weisleder, Mike Buckley, George Peet, John Bowden, Megan Ratliff 2-2-(12)-11-5-4-8 32 p 
  4. WAR CANOE USA841 Mike Goldfarb, Morten Henriksen, David Brink, Salvador Sanchez Rodriguez, Jonny Goldsberry (21)-5-6-7-2-8-12 40 p 
  5. TAKI 4 ITA778 COR Niccolo Bertola, Giacomo Fossati, Giovanni Bannetta, Marco Zammarchi, Lorenzo Piccioni 7-7-9-3-11-(DSQ)-3 40 p 
  6. ALTEA ITA722 Andrea Racchelli,Gaudenzio Bonini, Alberto Verna, Michele Gregoratto, Federico Zampiccoli 9-(16)-2-16-4-13-6 50 p 
  7. ARKANOE by MONTURA ITA809 Sergio Caramel, Karlo Hmeljak, Riccardo Gomiero, Nicholas Dal Ferro, Margherita Zanuso 8-9-1-2-12-23-(34) 55 p 
  8. LENNY  EST790 COR Tõnu Tõniste, Toomas Tõniste, Tammo Otsasoo, Maiki Saaring, Henri Tauts (27)-11-13-10-6-11-4 55 p 
  9. STRIBOG RUS817 Leonid Altukhov, Sergei Chevtsov, Aleksandr Andrianov, Maksim Kuzmin, Roman Konstantinov (73 BFD)-13-5-9-16-6-9 58 p 
  10. FGF SAILING TEAM HUN728 Robert Bakoczy, Domonkos Rozsnyay, Levente Takacsy, Bence Buza, Baldizsar Buza 14-3-17-(20)-3-17-15 69 p

Regatta photos by (c) Pierrick Contin - contin.fr 
Videos and interviews by Zerogradinord


Live tracking via KWINDOO - KWINDOO gives you a whole new experience for both racers and viewers.
 
Event Press Officers - Mauro Melandri and Silvia Gallegati - Zerogradinord 
Event photographer - Pierrick Contin, contin.fr
Event Media Coordinator - Piret Salmistu, IM24CA 
Schedule of the Event:
August 3-5 - Registration and Measurement 
August 5 - Practice Race and Opening Ceremonies with Skippers' Briefing 
August 6-10 - Racing the Melges 24 European Championship 
August 10 - Prizegiving and Closing Ceremonies


 
Event's and IM24CA media:
Event website - www.melges24europeans.com 
Event in Facebook  
IM24CA Facebook for the most recent news.    
IM24CA photogalleries in Flickr - search for "Melges Championships"   
IM24CA Twitter - Melges_24  
IM24CA Instagram - worldofmelges24   
IM24CA Website  - melges24.com  
 
For further information on the event, please contact:
Giuseppe De Mattia
Regatta Chair
Fraglia Vela Riva
Tel.: +39 348 818 3158
Email: rm@fragliavelariva.it

Luca Babini 
Melges 24 Italian Class Association Secretary
Tel.: +39 329 719 3519 
 
Benedek Fluck
IM24CA Championship Coordinator Europe
Email: benedek.fluck@gmail.com
 
Piret Salmistu 
IM24CA Administrator & Media Coordinator
Tel.: +372 507 7217
 
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Melges 24 Europeans OA