Melges 24 European Championship 2011 online entry open

by International Melges 24 Class Association on 13 Apr 2011 Böklunder Melges 24 European Championship 2011 will run from 22 to 28 July 2011 and will be hosted by
Aarhus Sailing Club, Denmark. Registration will open on the morning of Friday 22 July. There will be practice racing on Saturday 23 July and Championship racing will run from Sunday 24 to Thursday 28 July inclusive.

Aarhus Sailing Club and the International Melges 24 Class Association announce the publication of the Notice of Race. The championships are supported by Sailing Aarhus and the Aarhus Sailing Academy. Online Registration for the regatta is now open at the event website where full logistical and supporting information can also be found.

Aarhus's location on the north-east coast of Denmark and its excellent logistical links make it the perfect meeting point for crews from across Europe and Scandinavia and as a result an excellent turnout is anticipated with over 70 boats from as far afield as Japan due on the start line. Defending their current European Championship titles will be Overall European Champions UKA Racing Team and Corinthian European Champions Storm Capital Racing Team who will head up a stellar cast of international sailors.

Looking forward to the event Danish Melges 24 Association Chairman René Bruun commented - 'The Melges 24 Class in Denmark is now growing very fast as people have learned that the Melges 24 is THE ultimate sports boat if you want fast and fun sailing with top competition. Today we have 16 boats registered in Denmark, but we anticipate that this number will grow beyond 20 to 25 this year as we take advantage of the presence of the 2011 Böklunder Europeans. Aarhus is without doubt a world class location and we are looking forward to welcoming teams from across the globe for the Europeans.'

The Bay of Aarhus is acknowledged as one of the World's great sailing venues. Regardless of wind direction and wind force, the Bay of Aarhus is always protected from the most extreme weather conditions. The bay itself is approximately 150 square kilometers and the commercial traffic is concentrated in the south end of the Bay which gives plenty of room for leisure sailing and multiple possibilities for race management with minimal current and traffic.

Established in 1897, Aarhus Sailing Club is one of five sailing clubs in Aarhus that together form the non-profit sail event organization Sailing Aarhus. The clubs have a long and outstanding track record of hosting international regattas. The first international regatta ever held in Denmark - in August 1866 - was actually hosted on the waters of the Bay of Aarhus, as was one of the biggest regattas ever held in Denmark, the 2008 ISAF Youth World Sailing Championship. In addition to the 2011 Melges 24 Europeans, in 2011 Aarhus will also be hosting the X-35 World Championship (Marselisborg Sailing Club) and the A-Class Catamaran World Championship (Kaløvig Sailing Club).

Denmark is a nation where sailing is a sport worshipped by tens of thousands and a hugely important part of Danish outdoor life. Sailing is as much a way of life in Denmark as a sport, and Denmark has a long tradition in sailing and competing. The sport combines two great Danish loves - one is the actual sailing and the other is the social life ashore - both being equally important.

A city with everything you could dream of, Aarhus is Denmark's second largest city with a population of well over 300,000 inhabitants. The history of the city goes back more than a thousand years since the first Viking settlement. Today there is an energetic pulse in the vibrant city of Aarhus. With a student population of more than 40,000, Aarhus has its sight firmly set on the future, whilst at the same time keeping the past very much alive, with the oldest quarters of the city being some of the most atmospheric, bustling and trend-setting. Enjoy yourself shopping, relaxing at one of the city's many cafés, or strolling in the woods or along the sandy beaches.

Aarhus Sailing Club and the International Melges 24 Class would like to thank event title sponsor Böklunder for their most generous support of the 2011 Böklunder Melges 24 European Championship. Böklunder is the producer of a delicious range of meat and sausage Event website