29er Eurocup - Record-breaking edition with 120 participants
by Fraglia Vela Riva on 27 Oct 2017
2017 29er Eurocup in Riva del Garda Elena Giolai/Fraglia Vela Riva
Great excitement for a record-breaking edition of the 29er Eurocup, international event organized by Fraglia Vela Riva valid as tenth and last leg of the 2017 European Cup, that will end the sporting season of the hosting club.
The races start on Thursday 26th October and are scheduled every day until Sunday with regattas also very early in the mornings in order to benefit from the North wind, which is usually very strong in this period of the year.
Exceptional figures on Garda Trentino for this event with about 120 enrolled teams, which peaked not only the participation ever registered in Riva del Garda, but also of all European legs (102 boats took part in the second Eurocup in France in April). It is also the most participated 29er regatta ever organized in Italy. Beyond the record figures for this constantly growing class, which is also considered the “after-Optimist”, the technical level is high thanks to the presence of the French Revil-Guevel Youth World silver medallists (the bronze medallist overall), and of the Swedish Nordenram-Pantzare, who placed second at the European Championships (the locals Zampiccoli-Chistè won the title).
The 29er, born as youth skiff in the Italian Sailing Federation preparatory for the Olympic 49er/Nacra, has evolved both in Italy and abroad. This has been really clear in every leg of the Eurocup organized by Fraglia Vela Riva since 2007, when only 35 boat took part in the regatta, and the 2009 World Championships organized once again by Fraglia Vela Riva fueled the growth of the class reaching this year the participation of more than 100 boats. The increase in participation brought also a lowering in the age of sailors. In fact, many of them come directly from the Optimist (14-15 year olds) or from the O’pen Bic or the double RS Feva.
No less than 19 countries will be represented in Riva del Garda, among which Brazil, the USA, Germany, Norway; the Netherlands, Great Britain, Spain, Sweden, Hungary, Russia, and the fast French fleet. The event start of Thursday from 1:00 pm with up to four races per day with a maximum of 14 races.
Start list and web page of the regatta available here
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