2019 Melges 20 European Championship - Overall
by Melges World League 14 Sep 2019 23:00 PDT
11-14 September 2019
The title of Melges 20 European Champion 2019 goes to Italy and to Brontolo Racing crew by Filippo Pacinotti (together with the Spanish tactician Manuel Weiller, Federico Michetti and Andrea Pacinotti). A result achieved with full merit and with a race to spare after a tough battle with the defending Champion (and number 1 in the World Ranking), Igor Rytov's Russian Bogatyrs: the Russian team gains the silver medal of this intense Championship that came to an end today on the race course of Malcesine.
The victory of Brontolo Racing puts the seal on a week almost perfect in terms of performances by the Italian team, where the partial results have always been of very high level: always in the top ten, three bullets and a ninth place as worst result.
The final day was expected to be of high intensity and so it was since today's first race, with a very heavy first place obtained by Russian Bogatyrs that had no other objective than trying to grab the leader, Brontolo. However, Pacinotti's team once again held up the pressure perfectly by not letting themselves be intimidated and closing the race in fifth place, a position that was useful to "minimize" the slash of Russian Bogatyrs. The turning point, definitively happened in the ninth and penultimate race of the program (bullet for the Monegasque Raya of Matteo Marenghi Vaselli) in which Brontolo pushed to the maximum since the start, putting in difficulty Igor Rytov, who was unable to go beyond the ninth place.
The combination of these partials leaves no doubt, Brontolo Racing is mathematically Champion and can thus raise his arms to the sky with a race to spare.
The tenth and final regatta (which bears the signature of Camay by Lauro Bonora) only serves to seal the podium of the final standings with Russian Bogatyrs in second and the other Italian team, Caipirinha by Alessandro Agostinelli, on the lowest step. The top five of this European is completed by Russotrans by Yuri Morozov and by Argentinian Boogie 2.0 by Pierluigi Giannattasio.
Italy also gains the European title in the Corinthian division with Marco Giannini's Siderval, which makes this gold medal its crown to a perfect season in which it also won the continental Melges World League circuit.
Filippo Pacinotti - "It was a perfect race for us and this result represents an immense joy that rewards the work of many years in the Melges fleets, first with the 32 and then, for two seasons so far, with the Melges 20. A joy that has a special flavor because shared with my son Andrea who raced for the whole season by my side and with two champions and special friends like Federico Michetti and Manuel Weiller. The title comes after two intense and very positive Melges 20 seasons for us, with the Melges World League European Division title and Worlds silver won last year. Today we have completed a path with the victory that I want to dedicate equally to my family and to all those who have raced with Brontolo over the last 10 years, always leaving behind experience and teachings; on this foundation it was possible to build the success achieved today. "
All the Melges World League european events are 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) e Rifugio hotel Lilla (La Thuile) and One Ocean; the events can also count on the support offered by Team Partners UYN (thanks to Brontolo and G3Bau Sailing Team), l'Enoteca e Camarca Caffè (thanks to Fra Martina Sailing Team).
The events in Malcesine are supported by Fraglia Vela Malcesine, Comune di Malcesine, Falconeri, Funivia Malcesine Monte Baldo, Speck Stube, Cassa Rurale Alto Garda, Frantoi Redoro.
Melges Europe e Melges World League strongly support and share the message by One Ocean Foundation and Charta Smeralda.
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