Melges 32s invade Loano for 2015 Audi-Tron Sailing Series

by Melges 32 on 17 Apr 2015 Now that Act 1 for the Melges 24 and the Audi Melges 20 are complete - it is time for the Melges 32s to take the stage in Loano. Starting tomorrow (Friday) and running through until Sunday, eighteen teams will battle to secure the title of 'First of the Kings' at the 2015 Audi-Tron Sailing Series. Every team has a path of determination set for the World Championship scheduled to take place in Trapani on 24-30 August.

The same high-profile players that attended the World Championship in Miami last December have now migrated to Italy. Between the buoys presented by Yacht Club Marina di Loano, hosted by B.Plan Sports and Events in collaboration with Melges Europe, the challenge will exalt thanks to the talents of 1992 Barcelona Olympic Medallist Jordi Calafat and America's Cup veteran Flavio Favini both aboard 2014 World Championship runner-up Edoardo Lupi and Massimo Pessina's Torpyone. Luna Rossa's Francesco Bruni will call the shots aboard fourth overall at the last Worlds - Alessandro Rombelli's STIG. American legend John Kostecki, who touts victory at the Olympic, Volvo Ocean Race and America's Cup levels will serve as tactician for Richard Goransson's Inga From Sweden.

The A-list goes on - Vasco Vascotto on Roberto Tomasini Grinover's Robertissima, Nico Celon on Fritz Homann's Wilma, Andy Horton calls tactics for Valentin Zavadnikov's Synergy GT, Gabriele Benussi as tactician aboard Roberto Mazzucato's Margherita, Cameron Appleton on Alec Cutler's Hedgehog, Diego Cayolla on Edoardo Pavesio's Fra Martina and Tommaso Chieffi will serve alongside of Mauro Mocchegiani on Audi E-Tron.

'In all honesty, I was pleasantly impressed by the response from so many teams. We did not expect such a massive presence at this first event. I am really happy, because of the larger-than-expected fleet, and the technical level displayed here is really amazing. We have all the right ingredients to write new pages in the history of sailing,' says Riccardo Simoneschi, who not only leads the BPSE team, but is also the Melges 24 First of Kings and serves as the afterguard on Mocchegiani's Audi E-Tron entry.

A maximum of eight races are schedule over the course of three days with a discard in effect after six completed.

In addition to main sponsor Audi, the Audi-Tron Sailing Series is supported by official sponsors Kuehne+Nagel, Technical Partners Torqeedo, Caffe Vergnano, Bavaria, Usail, Nuova Jolly and The Suite Club.