Mataran 24 unstoppable in Dubrovnik CRO Melges 24 Cup, Tutta Forza winner among Corinthians
February 20, 2023 - Dubrovnik, Croatia - After Karlo Kuret and Luka Šangulin, Ante Botica is the third helmsman to win the Dubrovnik CRO Melges 24 Cup, a season opener for the third year of the CRO Melges Cup series.
The current European (Corinthian) and Croatian champions, the Mataran 24 crew of Ante Botica from Trogir, celebrated the opening of the most prestigious Croatian sailing series - the CRO Melges 24 Cup, which is sailed in partnership with Angelina Yacht Charter, Sailing Point, North Sails, One Sails, digital studio Akvarij, digital agency Raiser and regate.com.hr.
Second place in the overall ranking was won by Universitas Nova with Ivan Kljaković Gašpić, while the third was Luka Šangulin's Panjić with Tomislav Bašić at the helm. Saturday was spent without sailing because of the rain and lack of wind, Sunday in Dubrovnik brought in a great sailing show.
Three completed races in a light southerly wind brought a lot of excitement to the fleet. The reigning champion of the CRO Melges 24 Cup, Ivan Kljaković Gašpić, celebrated in the first race, but then Mataran 24 secured the first place on the podium with two bullets. The premiere of the new boat was a complete hit.
"We were not satisfied with the third place in the first sailing, so we adjusted the boat additionally, which turned out to be a winning combination. In the next two races, we started well and controlled the situation from the very beginning," said Ante Botica, the helmsman of Mataran 24.
In the Corinthian competition, Tutta Forza won ahead of Palmina and Iggy. The young crew from Zadar will certainly continue to grow in the rest of the season because Dubrovnik was their first regatta in which they sailed together as a crew.
"We trained for Dubrovnik for a month and a half. We were a little worse in the third race, but we are very happy with this result,” said Tutta Forza helmsman Marin Jakovčev.
There was a special joy in the camp of Palmina, a regular crew in all CRO Melges 24 Cup regattas, which won second place among the Corinthians.
“Dubrovnik is normally one of our favorite places on the calendar, and now we will surely remember it even more because we were here on the podium for the first time,“ said Palmina member Ivan Budišin.
JK Orsan once again proved to be a great host for the best Croatian sailors who always come here with special gusto and joy.
"This regatta is one big festival of sailing, and JK Orsan is happily organizing the Dubrovnik CRO Melges 24 Cup for the third year in a row," emphasized Ivo Kvestić from the local crew - Lero.
Prizes for the best were provided by North Sails, while Tutta Forza won a prize sponsored by Sailing Point Hrvatska in the lottery.
Photo gallery by regate.com.hr
The CRO Melges 24 Cup 2023 continues in Biograd on March 11 and 12, hosted by JK Briva.
CRO Melges 24 partners: Angelina Yacht Charter, Sailing Point Hrvatska, North Sails, One Sails, digital studio Akvarij, regate.com.hr and Raiser digital agency.
