2015 Melges 24 World Championship – 95 teams are ready to race

by International Melges 24 Class Association on 30 Jun 2015 2015 Melges 24 World Championship – 95 Melges 24 teams have gathered in the Middelfart Marina in Denmark for the championship to be held from June 30 till July 5. The most important event of the year for the Melges 24 fleet is organized by Match Racing Denmark along with Middelfart Sailing Club in cooperation with International Melges 24 Class Association.

Eighteen nations are represented: Austria (three), Czech Republic (one), Denmark (17), Estonia (two), Finland (two), Great Britain (three), Germany (18), Hungary (two), Italy (five), Lichtenstein (one), Netherlands (five), Norway (18), Slovenia (one), Switzerland (four), Slovak Republic (one), Sweden (nine), Ukraine (two) and United States of America (one).

Following three days of registration and measurement to ensure all the boats and sails conform the strict Melges 24 class one-design rules, racing is scheduled to begin on Tuesday June 30 and run through to Sunday July 5.

The president of the International Melges 24 Class Association, Jens Wathne from Norway is happy to see such a great and competitive fleet in Denmark. 'It is great to be in Denmark and Middelfart with ninety-five boats from eighteen nations intending to take on fourteen races. We'll meet here some of the best sailors of the world on this great one design boat. The host is doing all he can to make the competitors enjoy Denmark and the fierce competition. See you on the water!'

The main organizer, Søren Laugesen is talking about the huge work what Match Racing Denmark has done for this event to be successful. 'The Marina has almost turned into a Venue for now. All our volunteers are working really hard to make sure that this will be the best-organized event that the Melges 24 class sailors have attended. Everything starts when the sailors arrive at the gate - hopefully they loved the designated parking spots for each team, took advantage of the extra lift in the parking area, and enjoyed the trip down to the crane with our little tractors. This clears the pier from parked vehicles, and gives everybody a great opportunity to go directly to the crane. The majority of the measurements went really well and the boats are ready to race.'

The principal race officer for the championship is Hank Stuart from the United States of America, who is the Championship Coordinator for the Melges 24 Class, a highly experienced race officer and very well known for the fleet.

Russell Green from New Zealand is the chairman of the seven-man international jury who will rule on any official protests during the regatta.

A maximum of 14 races will be sailed and the schedule allows for up to three races per day.

A minimum of five races are required to constitute a championship series. If six or more races are completed teams will be allowed to drop their worst result from their final points tally; when thirteen or more races have been completed, a boat's series score will be the total of her scores excluding her worst score.

The professional and Corinthian crews will race against each other in a single fleet for the overall Melges 24 World Championship title, with the Corinthian results being extracted to determine the winner of the Corinthian World Championship title. Fifty-six out of ninety-five teams will fight for the Corinthian (non-professionals allowed) World Champion Trophy which comes all the way long from Australia here.

The first day of the racing on Tuesday, June 30 will start with the Competitors Briefing at 9:00 am and the first warning signal of the day at will be given at 11:00 am.

The days of the event are:
Monday 29 of June: Practice race and the Opening Ceremony at the Hindsgavl Castle
Tuesday 30 of June to Sunday fifth of July: 2015 Melges 24 World Championship
Sunday 5 of July: Closing Ceremony