Please select your home edition
Edition
North Sails Loft 57 Podcast

2017 Melges 24 European Sailing Series - Ready to rock in Riva

by Melges 24 on 18 May 2017
Bruce Ayres' Monsoon USA851 at the Miami Worlds 2016. Pierrick Contin www.pierrickcontin.com
Melges 24 fleet comes back to the Wind Factory, where on Friday the second event of 2017 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, also valid as Melges 24 Italian Tour and Italian Open Nationals is going to begin and to be held over the weekend of May 19-21.

After the success of the first event of the season, held in Portoroz from April 21st to 23rd, a copious international fleet will race in the clear waters of Garda Lake: forty one entries, in representation of thirteen nations, will be hosted by Fraglia della Vela Riva in association with the Italian Melges 24 Class Association and International Melges 24 Class Association in the upcoming weekend, that shows all the prerequisites for some exciting sailing.

In this highly competitive fleet there will be many familiar and well known faces that marked the history of Melges 24 Class: the winner of the event of Portoroz and current holder of the 2016 Melges 24 European Sailing Series title, Andrea Racchelli, will be present aboard Claudio Ceradini's Altea (ITA722), while Carlo Fracassoli, World Champion in 2012 and World' second 2016, will be at the helm of Gianluca Perego's Maidollis (ITA854).



Strong competition is expected also in the Corinthian division, where the winners of the recent Miami Melges 24 World Championship will be racing, on board of the Italian entry, Marco Zammarchi's Taki 4 (ITA778), helmed by Niccolò Bertola. The Olympian sailor and Melges 24 Corinthian World Champion Tõnu Tõniste on Lenny (EST790) won't be missing, either.



From U.S. Melges 24 fleet two teams - Bruce Ayres' Monsoon USA851 and Travis Weisleder's Lucky Dog / Gill Race Team USA848 are in Europe, both from the Top Ten of the 2016 Worlds (fourth and ninth respectively), and will learn the European fleet to be well prepared for the 2017 Melges 24 main title event in Helsinki, Finland.



Andrea Racchelli, the President of the Melges 24 Italian Class is happy to welcome Melges 24 fleet in Riva del Garda. 'From the very beginning of Melges 24 life we strongly believed that the northern part of Lake Garda was the ideal area for our awesome boat. The history has proved we were right. More than 40 boats entered the regatta in Riva del Garda where Fraglia della Vela Yacht Club, which has been hosting this prestigious regatta for several years, is ready to arrange another great event for Melges 24 sailors. This is not only a spot event, but the start of a long run which will take the Melges 24 movement to a new renaissance in this part of Europe. New structures, events and technical supports will bring everyone to have a great time enjoying our warm country and good sailing, focusing on the next top event, the European Championship in Riva del Garda in August 2018.'



There will be one more official preparation event as part of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series - Swedish and Nordic Championship in Marstrand - after Riva del Garda and before the World Championship. The Worlds 2017 will be this year hosted in Europe, in the Nordic Waters of Helsinki: more than 70 boats are expected in that occasion, and some of them have decided to join already the European fleet, also from overseas, to be in top shape for the most important event of the season.

First warning signal for the second event of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2017 is scheduled for Friday, May 19th, at 12.00. A maximum of nine races - three per day - will be sailed and a discard will be computed after race number five.



Schedule of the Event

Thursday May 18:
- 09:00-17:30 Registrations, weighing, measurements checks.

Friday May 19:
- 08:00-10:00 Registration, weighing, measurements checks
- 10:30 Opening Ceremony-Skippers Meeting
- 12:00 First Warning Signal and Races

Saturday May 20:
- Races

Sunday May 21:
- Races and Prize giving

Entry List:

Id Name Helmsman Class Actions
13900 AUT-609 Christian Piringer Melges 24
13881 AUT-643 Helmut Gottwald Melges 24
13842 AUT-681 Franz Urlesberger Melges 24
13854 AUT-716 Michael Schineis Melges 24
13819 AUT-752 Norbert Voith Melges 24
13892 CZE-834 Martin Knetig Melges 24
13814 DEN-837 Bo Boje Pedersen Melges 24
13873 EST-646 Tonis Haavel Melges 24
13827 EST-790 Tonu Toniste Melges 24
13767 FIN-529 Jan Mattsson Melges 24
13840 GBR-557 David Rowen Melges 24
13769 GBR-645 David Pinner Melges 24
13886 GBR-694 Geoff Carveth Melges 24
13849 GBR-822 Richard THompson Melges 24
13807 GER-504 Sebastian Gastl Melges 24
13834 GER-569 Conrad Brinkmann Melges 24
13716 GER-582 Laila Engler Melges 24
13780 GER-673 Peter Karrié Melges 24
13839 GER-677 Michael Tarabochia Melges 24
13763 GER-766 Juergen Fuchs Melges 24
13809 GER-803 Kicker Schäfer Melges 24
13920 HUN-589 Attila Bujaky Melges 24
13829 HUN-728 Robert Bakoczy Melges 24
13924 HUN-728 Robert Bakoczy Melges 24
13851 HUN-759 Ákos Csoltó Melges 24
13896 ITA-139 Sergio Caramel Melges 24
13786 ITA-228 Davide Rapotez Melges 24
13831 ITA-383 Ernesto Brianza Melges 24
13895 ITA-636 ANGELO DI TERLIZZI Melges 24
13905 ITA-689 Luca Bettiati Melges 24
13880 ITA-693 Mauro Verri Melges 24
13782 ITA-722 Andrea Racchelli Melges 24
13908 ITA-753 Alex Peresson Melges 24
13830 ITA-778 Niccolò Bertola Melges 24
13845 ITA-854 Carlo Fracassoli Melges 24
13824 SLO-391 Marko Potisek Melges 24
13914 SLO-726 Jure Jerkovic Melges 24
13877 SUI-821 Jörg Hotz Melges 24
13898 UKR-661 Vasyl Gureyev Melges 24
13885 UKR-819 Oleg Dyvinets Melges 24
13700 USA-848 Travis Weisleder Melges 24
13806 USA-851 Bruce Ayres Melges 24
RS Sailing 2021 - FOOTERAllen Dynamic 40 FooterRooster 2025

Related Articles

Bulwarks and Bulldust – Show 3 Season 3
Australian Sailing's new CEO, Mal Page OAM, sits in the Captain's Chair to detail his vision... Episode Three - In the Captain's Chair this week is Australian Sailing's new CEO, Mal Page OAM. Watch as we discover his vision for his new role, enduring passion for the sport, desire to still go racing, and the pathways into the sport.
Posted today at 10:58 pm
2.4mR Worlds at Lake Garda, Italy Day 1
A gentle Ora breeze builds throughout the afternoon for the 56 sailors The Inclusive 2.4mR World Championship 2025 officially began today in the waters of Lake Garda, hosted by Fraglia Vela Malcesine.
Posted today at 8:13 pm
Marine Auctions: October Online Auctions
The bidding will open on Friday 24th October The bidding in the October Online Auction is set to open on Friday 24th October and will close Thursday 30th October 2025.
Posted today at 5:01 pm
Sailing for Scholars Gala and Regatta Fundraiser
Hudson River Community Sailing to Host 16th Annual Event between October 14-19 Hudson River Community Sailing (HRCS), a leading nonprofit youth development and community sailing organization, will host its 16th annual Sailing for Scholars Gala and Regatta in New York City from October 14-19.
Posted today at 2:49 pm
Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta Preview
Returning to Larchmont with record participation from 49 schools This weekend, October 11-12, the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta (IOR) returns to Larchmont Yacht Club, co-hosted by the Storm Trysail Club.
Posted today at 2:13 pm
Strong NZ team named for Youth Worlds
13 sailors have been announced as the NZL Sailing Foundation Youth team 2025 Worlds 13 sailors have been announced as the NZL Sailing Foundation Youth team for the 2025 World Sailing Youth World championships, in Vilamoura, Portugal, this December
Posted today at 7:41 am
SailMedia Livestream
Taking Sydney Harbour 18ft skiff racing to the world The Australian 18 Footers League's 2025-26 season gets under way next Sunday (12 October) when the League will conduct Race 1 of the 2025 SIXT Spring Championship, for the Major Arthur Frizelle Trophy, on Sydney Harbour.
Posted today at 6:55 am
49er & 49erFX and Nacra 17 Worlds Day 2
Sick Performance by Norway in the FX Norway has taken the top spot in the women's skiff at the end of day two of the 49er FX World Championships. Pia Dahl Andersen and Nora Edland have taken a two-point lead from the Spanish team who were on top at the start of the day.
Posted today at 5:51 am
Armstrong riders connect with SailGP sailors
Some of the world's best female foilers spent a few unforgettable days together in Tarifa and Cadiz From winging in Tarifa to F50 racing in Cádiz, some of the world's best female foilers came together as Armstrong riders and SailGP sailors spent a few unforgettable days learning from each other and witnessing foiling at its highest level.
Posted today at 1:11 am
Introducing Henri-Lloyd's Bergen Range
High performance technical mid-layers, manufactured from Ghost Nets and Recycled Plastic Bottles Henri-Lloyd's new Autumn/Winter 2025 collection features the Bergen Hooded Jacket and Bergen Gilet, the first in their range to be manufactured using performance fabrics alongside fibres and insulation derived from ghost nets and recycled plastic bottles.
Posted on 8 Oct