It’s abig party in Riva del Garda for the Melges class: the first to take to the water, from today until Sunday, July 6, will be the Melges 24s, a class that is confirmed as the international benchmark for one-design sailing enthusiasts. There will, in fact, be more than 40 crews on the starting line of the International Melges 24 Week, the fourth Act of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series from as many as 11 nations (Austria, Finland, Hungary, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Holland, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Slovakia and Ukraine). Next It will be the turn of the Melges 20s and 32s.
THE (WELCOME) RETURN OF FAVINI
Of particular note is the return of Flavio Favini to the helm of Blu Moon after a serious accident a few months ago. As always in Melges 24s crews of professionals and amateurs will race together but with dedicated rankings, as part of a successful formula that knows no time and makes the Melges 24 the quintessential evergreen among international one-designs with a spread that has exceeded 800 in 20 years.
THEN IT WILL BE THE TURN OF THE MELGES 20S….
On the weekend of July 12 and 13 will be the Audi Melges 20 that will enliven the waters of upper Garda for the fourth leg of the Audi tron Sailing Series, the last official regatta on the same course that from August 25-30 will host the 2014 edition of the ISAF World Class Championship, the first organized in Europe and therefore in Italy. Again, a large fleet is expected to be even more competitive and eager to measure themselves on the water given the next highlight of the year in August.
…AND AI 32
From July 17 to 20, Riva del Garda and Fraglia Vela Riva will host the Melges 32s for the continental challenge to win the title of Melges 32 European Champion, an event that is also the penultimate leg of the Audi tron Sailing Series circuit.
THE PRESIDENT’S OPINION
Federico Michetti, President of Melges Europe, is focused on supervising the organization entrusted to the Melges Europe staff: “The organizational effort to realize this series of major events on Lake Garda is important and challenging. Thanks to the support and cooperation of BPSE, Audi and Fraglia Vela Riva, we are confident that we can meet the expectations of the more than 100 crews of our classes who will participate in the regattas. Garda also represents excellence in tourist and sports hospitality thanks to weather conditions that never betray expectations,” Over the course of these three consecutive weekends of regattas, more than 700 sailors are expected on the docks of Fraglia Vela Riva del Garda, among whom there will be no shortage of the biggest names in world sailing.
