GBR’s Double Leading in Melges 24 Class On The First Day Of The Dutch Open Championships
September 19, Medemblik, Holland – The first day of the Dutch Open Championships 2014, which is considered as the final stage of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2014, welcomed the fleet of 19 boats from eight countries: Great Britain, Germany, Hungary, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Ukraine and Italy. The Melges 24 event is framed in the Dutch Open Championship, an event that involves a substantial number of classes, including one design boats and dinghies, and with them a few hundred sailors.
The Melges 24 fleet met the heavy fog here in Medemblik while going on the water around midday. The visibility was really poor and the racing was postponed until the fog was gone and there was enough visibility. At the same time the wind was getting lighter also and the first race started with around 6-7 knots wind which lasted until the end of this race. Melges 24 class shared the race course with J22 fleet.
The first race was controlled by two boats from Great Britain – David Rowen’s Imagine GBR 557 and Geoff Carveth’s Gill Race Team GBR 694. In the same order they came over the finishing line followed by GER 355 helmed by Nils Hollenbeck. The local boat Kesbeke/Sika helmed by Ronald Veraar was finishing as the fourth in front of another local boat NED 550 helmed by Mark Van Gelderen as fifth. Riccardo Simoneschi’s Audi tron ITA 840 finished this first race on the sixth position.
The second race was started right the way, but the wind seemed to be dying and getting very light. The race committee decided to abandon this race hoisting “November over Alfa” while two leading boats – Audi tron ITA 840 and FGF Sailing Team HUN 209 with Robert Bakoczy in helm - were heading to the second upwind mark and the boats were sent to the shore.
Racing in Medemblik will resume on Saturday at 13 o’clock local time. There are a maximum of eight races scheduled, with a discard provided after completion of the fifth race.
Results of the top 10 boats:
1 GBR 557 David ROWEN
2 GBR 694 Geoff CARVETH
3 GER 355 Nils HOLLENBECK
4 NED 827 Ronald VERAAR
5 NED 550 Mark VAN GELDEREN
6 ITA 840 RICCARDO SIMONESCHI
7 HUN 209 Róbert BAKÓCZY
8 NED 645 John DEN ENGELSMAN
9 GBR 715 David PINNER
10 NED 205 Marco SCHOLTEN
Photos by Piret Salmistu
High resolution images are available to accredited media.
For further information please E-mail Piret Salmistu
The current standings of the Melges 24 European Sailing series after 4 events
More about Melges 24 European Sailing Series
