PARTNER & PARTNER WINS SIXTH MELGES TORBOLE REGATTA

IMCA Class Secretary Gunter Tzeschlock reports from Torbole Melges Week.

The second event of the European Ranking has been sailed on the Lake Garda and was organised by the Circolo Vela Torbole. The club is well known among the Melges sailors at least since the 2000 Europeans.

Lake Garda confirmed once more its reputation to be an excellent race area caused by the thermical winds which enables racing at its best – the organising club just had to ad an excellent race committee and the result was terrific sailing.

24 teams from 5 nations picked up their sailing instructions. To include this event again into the European Ranking improved the no. of competitors compared to the year before, but anyway: more boats would have been better.

Beside two boats from the French Class (FRA/SUI) 10 boats from the German Class Association (GER/SUI/AUT) joined our friends from Italy

01.05.: 3 races could be completed in winds with approx. 15 knots from the South and partly covered sky and in the evening the French “Partner & Partner – Team” was leading the scoreboard.

02.05.:4 races were sailed in winds from 15 up to 22 knots and showed terrific Melges24 action on Lake Garda, downwind-rides with 16-18 knots boat speed and close manoeuvres on the marks were Melges24 - sailing at it’s best. Highlight of the day was the first victory of the new Devoti-boat, owned by Franco Maria Rao and helmed by local Silvio Santoni, in race No. 5. The new boat demonstrated its competitiveness and really looks very nice. After 8 races the boys from “Partner & Partner” were still the leading team but with only a small gap to Alba Batzill (Vito), Valerio Luca (Alina) and Silvio Santoni.

03.05.: 3 races were sailed in lighter conditions with wind-speeds of 7 – 12 knots and winds form the North which is against all rules for afternoon sailing on Lake Garda, but the race committee was prepared to change the course within short time and so the teams could relax a little from Friday’s action. No changes on the results: Still in front the “P & P” – team but now with equal points to “VITO – GER 507” and just 2 points ahead former Mumm 30 champion Valerio Luca on “Alina – ITA 409”. So tough racing for the final day was expected.

04.05.: The 2 final races on Sunday had to decide on the overall winner of the 6th Melges24 Week and the sailing conditions were excellent again – the reliable wind from the south called “Ora” started a little later than normal and the start had to be delayed for 2 hours – but it was worth for waiting this short period because wind-speeds up to 20 knots enabled tough racing. Philippe Ligot from FRA 475 “Partner & Partner” was able to win the first race of the day but in the last race he scored a 6th place – Luca Valerio form the “Alina – ITA 409” team showed excellent performance with 2nd and 3rd place and closed the gap to FRA 475. The “Vito” – crew finished with 7th and 4th place and picked up more points than expected.

Back in the harbour all the boats were craned out within 90 minutes and the teams were ready to join the price giving ceremony in typical Italian style, the Top 3 finisher were:

1. FRA 475 - “Partner & Partner” - Philippe Ligot - 26,00 points
2. ITA 409 - “Alina” - Valerio Luca - 26,00 points
3. GER 507 - “Vito” - Alba Batzill - 28,00 points

All competitors will remember well this outstanding event and thank warmly the organisers of “Circolo Vela Torbole” as well as the Italian Melges 24 Fleet.