2019 Melges 24 European Sailing Series will continue on Garda Lake in Malcesine
by IM24CA 2 May 2019 22:40 PDT
3-5 May 2019
Inaugural event of the 2019 Melges 24 European Sailing Series in Portoroz, Slovenia © Andrea Carloni / IM24CA / ZGN
Everything's ready in Malcesine for the start of the second event of the 2019 Melges 24 European Sailing Series, regatta also valid as first act of the Italian Melges 24 Tour that will take the fleet in a great circuit of regattas all over Italy and that will lead the participants to the top-event of the season in Sardinia, the Melges 24 World Championship of Villasimius in October.
Races in Malcesine are expected to start on Friday the 3rd of May, with 40 boats from 12 countries, including one team from the US, on the starting line. Malcesine will be the stadium hosting tight races among the top-teams of the fleet: among the entries, we find in fact the Estonian team Lenny of Tõnu Tõniste, winner of the inaugural act of the 2019 Melges 24 European Sailing Series in Portoroz; the runner-ups of Portoroz Arkanoè by Montura with Sergio Caramel at the helm; the reigning World Champions on board Altea led by Andrea Racchelli, and the multi-World Champions and current European Champions on board of Maidollis helmed by Carlo Fracassoli.
To be mentioned also the two-time Corinthian World Champions of Taki 4 with Niccolo Bertola at the helm and the great return of Andrea Pozzi's Bombarda, at his first participation in a European event after the warm-up winter series of regattas in Miami.
Gianni Testa, Chairman of Fraglia Vela Malcesine, commented: "I'm honored to host Melges24 sailors to Fraglia Vela Malcesine. Our club staff and structures will be at their complete disposal ashore and on the water. We are sure they will appreciate the friendly atmosphere and the professional organization our club is going to provide."
The weather forecasts for the upcoming weekend seem challenging, with a low-pressure zone over Garda Lake for the whole period: the first start scheduled for 1pm of May 3rd, and the fleet will be able to complete a maximum of three races per day, for a total of nine in the series.
The regatta will be hosted by the Fraglia Vela Malcesine and Italian Melges 24 Class Association, in the cooperation of the International Melges 24 Class Association.
See the current entry list
More information about the event and series available at melges24.com/europeansailingseries