2019 Melges 20 World League European Division at Riva del Garda - Overall
by Melges World League 15 Jul 2019 05:28 PDT
12-14 July 2019
Russian Bogatyrs winners - 2019 Melges 20 World League European Division © Melges World League / Barracuda Communication
The 2019 European series of the Melges 20 World League ended today with the completion of the last three races in Riva del Garda, stage in which two new chapters of the Melges 20 Class history have been written.
Igor Rytov's Russian Bogatyrs returns to take back the scepter of Champion of the European circuit (no team had ever managed to win this title twice), after the success of 2017, snatching it from the 2018 holder Brontolo Racing of Filippo Pacinotti who concludes the season in top five, fourth, just at the bottom of the podium. This result confirms the extraordinary shape of the crew of Rytov, one of the class' veterans, who adds with this result a further trophy to the countless already won in this Class. With this result, Russian Bogaryrs also consolidates its leadership in the World Class ranking that counts on nine more events to be held in the upcoming months worldwide.
The other record that comes from Riva del Garda is the one that belongs to Siderval, the Corinthian team of Marco Giannini, Elonora Colussi, Marco and Enzio Savoini, who won the stage dominating it from the first to the last day. A historic achievement because no Corinthian team in the fleet's long history had ever won the first place of a Melges 20 event. Siderval can rejoice not only for the highest step obtained in the event of Riva del Garda, but also for an extraordinary final silver at the shoulders of Russian Bogatyrs in the final classification of the European circuit. In the Melges 20 World League podium there is also the the Argentinian team of Boogie 2.0 by Pierluigi Giannattasio, third on the equals with Siderval.
Fourth place for Brontolo Racing and fifth for Pirogovo by Alexander Ezhkov.
The stage ranking sees on the podium, in second place, Russian Bogatyrs which thus concludes an amazing series made of two successes and two second places in the events of Villasimius (first), Puntaldia (second), Marina di Scalrino (first), while Brontolo Racing gets the third step with a great comeback after a weak start in day one.
Igor Rytov - "We are delighted to have succeeded in regaining the title achieved in 2017 thanks to a great consistency of performance which is our goal. We think that in a Class like this it is essential to be concrete when sailing, without taking too many risks because in the end it is the constancy that rewards the most. Now our goal is to keep the concentration and the level of performance achieved so far to go to Malcesine in September and defend the title at the Melges 20 European Championship. Meanwhile, however, we celebrate this great result that rewards the work and dedication of the whole team".
Igor Rytov, as the winner of the circuit, also received the prize offered by La Thuile-Valle d'Aosta where the owner will be a guest at the Montana Lodge hotel for an exclusive weekend of excellence in this superlative Italian area.
Marco Giannini - "We can hardly believe what we did here in Riva del Garda, which is the result of a work that has been going on for two seasons, with great passion for this sport and this class. We started the season in a very positive way and this immediately gave us a great boost and we are aware of being able to compete with extraordinarily strong teams composed of many sailing champions, from which we have always tried to learn. Today we are the Corinthians with the highest rank in an event and the second step in the Melges World League European Division fills us with pride and happiness ".
The Melges World League European Division has also awarded the best newcomer of the season, the Italian crew of Caipirinha Jr of Alessandro Agostinelli that closes its rookie season in 13th place in the general circuit ranking.
Arianna Forelli has won a Garmin Quatix 5 as the best Corinthian rookie of the season.
Fausto Surini of Boogie 2.0 was instead lucky-drawn as the winner of a stay in the boutique Hotel Rufugio Lilla in La Thuile.
The Melges 20 fleet is now aiming for a double appointment on Lake Garda, in Malcesine, for the weekend of the Russian Open Champinship (7-8 September) that precede the highly anticipated Melges 20 European Championship 2019 (10-14 September).
The Melges 20 World League is supported by Helly Hansen, North Sails, Tiirenia, Quantum Sails, Garmin Marine, La Thuile, Rocket Performance, Revi Trento Doc, Loison Pasticceri dal 1938, Rigoni di Asiago, Dai Dai, Norda, XPouf, Le Formiche di Fabio Vettori, boutique hotel Rifugio Azul (Minorca) and Rifugio hotel Lilla (La Thuile), One Ocean Foundation; the season is also supported by Team Partners UYN (thanks to Brontolo and G3Bau Sailing Team;) l'Enoteca and Camarca Caffè (thanks to Fra Martina Sailing Team).
The event in Riva del Garda is supported by Fraglia Vela Riva, Riva Bar, Catering Firenze, Agraria Riva del Garda, Angelini Vivai, Officina 33.
Full results available here.