2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series New Melges 24 European champions EFG (SUI) and Gill Race Team (GBR) on top of the current rankings

September 23, 2016 - IM24CA - Two weeks after announcing new Melges 24 European champions in Hyères, France the same teams are leading current rankings of the 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series - Christopher Rast's EFG (SUI) in overall and Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team (GBR) in Corinthian division. The final stage of the 2016 series - Lino Favini Cup in Luino on October 7-9 will present the winners and next holders of the valuable perpetual trophies.  

Melges 24 EFG SUI684Christopher Rast's EFG SUI684 - photo Pierrick Contin, pierrickcontin.fr

Melges 24 Gill Race Team GBR694Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team GBR694 with Geoff Carveth in helm - photo Pierrick Contin, pierrickcontin.fr 

Five events have been completed from the 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series so far: first in Portoroz, Slovenia in April, second on Lake Attersee, Austria in June; third in Kiel, Germany in June; fourth in Riva del Garda, Italy in July and the most important competition of the European sailing season - Marinepool Melges 24 European Championship in Hyères two weeks ago.

83 teams including 62 Corinthian teams from 19 nations have been taking part from the ranking events. Six of them are keeping their flags high taking part from each event so far: Chris Rast's EFG Bank (SUI), Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team (GBR), David Rowen's Imagine (GBR), Michael Tarabochia's White Room (GER), Jörg Hotz' Andele (SUI) and Oleg Dyvinets' Marusia (UKR). The current standings of the series include forty sailed races and six discards as the total of the series. 

In overall ranking the list and order of the top six boats hasn't changed since the previous standings. Christopher Rast secured his position as the leader of the ranking with claiming European title and legendary Giorgio Zuccoli's trophy in Hyères. However, with a great performance at the Marinepool Melges 24 Europeans in France, from the 9th rank to the 7th and from the 10th to the 8th rank, have been jumping respectively FGF Sailing Team (HUN) and Bombarda (ITA).

Melges 24 Altea ITA735Andrea Racchelli's Altea ITA735 - photo Pierrick Contin, pierrickcontin.fr

Melges 24 Imagine GBR557David Rowen's Imagine GBR557 - photo Pierrick Contin, pierrickcontin.fr

In OVERALL ranking top 5 boats are (83 boats ranked from 19 nations):

1. EFG SUI684 - Chris Rast/Flavio Favini/Luka Rodion - 154 pts
2. GILL RACE TEAM GBR694 - Miles Quinton/Geoff Carveth - 199 pts
3. ALTEA ITA735 - Andrea Racchelli - 203 pts
4. IMAGINE GBR557 - David Rowen - 310 pts
5. WHITE ROOM GER677 - Michael Tarabochia/Luis Tarabochia/Sebastian Bühler - 341 pts
Full Overall ranking  

In Corinthian division (professionals not allowed) the best five teams have remained the same comparing to the ranking in July, but the order has changed. Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team (GBR) with Geoff Carveth in helm, climbed to the top of the ranking thanks to the Corinthian victory at the Marinepool Melges 24 Europeans. Gill Race Teams holds currently also the perpetual trophy of the series for winning the 2015 series in overall ranking. Now they are on the way to grab another trophy. Twelve points behind is Michael Tarabochia's White Room (GER) who led the ranking after four events and was the sixth-best Corinthian team at the Europeans. Eelco Blok's Team Kesbeke/SIKA/Gill (NED) with Ronald Veraar in helm climbed from the 4th rank to the 3rd being the fifth-best Corinthian team at the Europeans. Newcomers in Top 10 are Michael Schineis' Pure (AUT) and Niccolo Bertola's Taki 4 (ITA) respectively on the 9th and 10th positions. 

In CORINTHIAN division top 5 boats are (62 teams ranked from 16 nations): 

1. GILL RACE TEAM GBR694 - Miles Quinton/Geoff Carveth - 150 pts
2. WHITE ROOM GER677 - Michael Tarabochia/Luis Tarabochia/Sebastian Bühler - 162 pts
3. TEAM KESBEKE/SIKA/GILL NED827 - Eelco Blok/Ronald Veraar - 371 pts
4. MARUSIA UKR819 - Oleg Dyvinets - 409 pts
5.CINGHI-AILE SUI382 - Michael Good - 560 pts
Full ranking for Corinthian division  

Melges 24 White Room GER677Michael Tarabochia's White Room GER677 with Luis Tarabochia in helm - photo Pierrick Contin, pierrickcontin.fr

Melges 24 Team Kesbeke/SIKA/Gill NED827Eelco Blok's Team Kesbeke/SIKA/Gill NED827 with Ronald Veraar helming - photo Pierrick Contin, pierrickcontin.fr

Melges 24 Marusia UKR819Oleg Dyvinets' Marusia UKR819 - photo Pierrick Contin, pierrickcontin.fr

Melges 24 Cinghi-Aile SUI382Michael Good's Cinghi-Aile SUI382 - photo Pierrick Contin, pierrickcontin.fr

2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series will come to an end in Luino, Italy in October with the 13th edition of the Lino Favini Cup, considered also as the Melges 24 Swiss Open Championship 2016 and 4th Act of Melges 24 Italian Series 2016. Last year 24 teams from 9 nations - Great Britain, Germany, Denmark, Hungary, Austria, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Ukraine and Italy enjoyed sailing on the Lake Maggiore in October.

At stake will be the trophy dedicated to father of Flavio Favini, who himself is 2007 and 2013 Melges 24 European and 2014 Melges 24 World Champion. Flavio is delighted to welcome International Melges 24 fleet in Luino:
"Same as last year we are proud of hosting the Swiss Nationals, which for us is a great achievement because we believe that our Melges 24 friends feel our club as home and our lake as their home waters. For the second time we will also host the final event of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series, and the final prize giving. For us this will be a strong reason to try and do our very best in organizing the 2016 event and to confirm Luino as the favorite end of season regatta for the Melges 24 International class. Our sponsors and the Luino municipality will help us again and more but what we will really need is you and your team on our side and here in Luino, October 7th ready to start and to have a good time with us. Good luck for your sailing," have said Flavio Favini.

The Notice of Race of the Luino event has been published and the entry system is open to register here http://melges24.com/europeansailingseries 

However quite many boats from Europe are already on their way to be shipped to the 2016 Melges 24 World Championship to be held in Miami on November 26 until December 3, International Melges 24 Class Association together with AVAV - Associazione Velica Alto Verbano Luino and Melges 24 Italian Class Association are looking forward to the great number of entries in Luino to have a Finale Grande for the Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2016. Perpetual trophies of the series, in hold of 2015 winners Gill Race Team GBR694 and Marusia UKR819, will be given to the hold of the 2016 series' winners there. 

Results, photos and news of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series can be found melges24.com/europeansailingseries 

For further information about the Melges 24 European Sailing Series please contact:  
Piret Salmistu
IM24CA Administrator and Media Coordinator  
piret@melges24.com 
Skype piret.salmistu
372 507 7217

Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2016 Luino