Fraglia Vela Riva is gearing up for the start of the new season

by Elena Giolai on 14 Feb 2014 The number of registrations are already starting to grow for the Garda Optimist Meeting which is now included in World Juvenile Sailing Week with Vela Garda Trentino and among the 120 days of regattas scheduled for 2014 are two very important World Championships - for the Byte and Melges 20 classes. Here's a taste of what's to come at Fraglia Vela Riva, 2014.

The winter months are always a busy time at Fraglia Vela Riva in preparation for the rich racing and instructional season ahead and for the second year running the Riva club has been placed on top of the world for organising the largest number of regattas on the ISAF calendar in one year. In 2013, it was first with 12 international events, followed by Societè des Regates Rochelaises di La Rochelle of France with nine events. Yacht Club Argentino di Buenos Aires, Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy of Great Britain and Coconut Grove Sailing Club of Miami, USA all tied in third place with eight events.

In the 2014 season, we look forward as always to International events of the highest calibre, whether for the very young sailor or professional and non-professional adults. The season opens with a bang with the International Garda Optimist Meeting. This event is a Guinness World Record by being the largest, single-class regatta in the world. On-line registration has been open for a while now and the first youngster to register was Tobias Hollenbach of Germany. Born in 2004, he will be amongst the youngest sailors in the Cadet category. We're once again hoping to reach 1000 registrations this year. This would confirm all our past achievements and so we ask everyone who is planning to attend this wonderful event to please register on-line in order to facilitate its organisation.

The World Byte Championships are particularly important as it will determine which crews will take part in the Juvenile Olympics in China this coming August. The World Byte Championships will take place immediately after the Garda Optimist Meeting as part of the juvenile events taking place during the Easter period and will be organised by the combined clubs of Upper Garda, Vela Garda Trentino for World Juvenile Sailing Week.

The World Byte Championships are scheduled for the 22nd - 27th April when the youngsters will be fighting it out for a coveted place in the Juvenile Olympics.

The World Melges 20 Championships is another prestigious event on the calendar from the 25th - 30th August. American John Taylor on Ninkasi is the current title holder which last year was held in Florida together with a strong American representation. The Italians will surely be looking for redemption this year with the Championships being held on home ground.

That's just a sample of the many high level regattas that are on Fraglia Vela Riva's 2014 calendar, details of which will be revealed in the coming weeks. The month of July, for example, is packed with regattas from beginning to end. There is of course ample space for the instructional and training programmes which enjoy the excellent wind conditions on Upper Garda. Fraglia Vela Riva is a club for all teams, from the very young to Olympic athletes, whatever their needs Fraglia Vela Riva is their logistical base for Fraglia Vela Riva Website