38th Garda Lake Meeting Optimist postponed to June due to the global health emergency
by Fraglia Vela Riva 18 Mar 2020 00:28 AEDT
11-14 June 2020
38th edition of the Garda Lake Meeting Optimist postponed to June © Mauro Melandri / Zerogradinord
Due to the global pandemic COVID-19 that the Fraglia Vela Riva has decided to postpone the 38th edition of the Garda Lake Meeting Optimist, an event that, over the last years, has always brought on the Northern shore of Lake Garda at least a thousand young sailors from all over the world.
Originally scheduled between 8 and 12 of April, as every year overlapped with the Easter Holidays, thanks to the close collaboration between Fraglia Vela Riva and the Italian Sailing Federation, the 2020 edition of the event could be postponed to June 11-14.
The decision was taken taking following the provisions issued by the Italian government, the guidelines suggested by the WHO and the measures taken by almost all the Countries in which the participants of the event reside.
"The rapid evolution of the health crisis, the entry into force of the Decrees signed by the Italian Prime Minister and the consequent decisions taken by the Italian Olympic Committee soon made it clear that it was impossible to proceed safely with the regular running of the Garda Lake Optimist Meeting, this regardless of whether the emergency is resolved or not by Easter. The event involves thousands of young sailors, a large number of adults including parents and coaches and the priority for us is the protection of their health", explains Alfredo Vivaldelli, president of the Fraglia Vela Riva
"Consequently, together with the Italian Sailing Federation, which I thank very much for the effective collaboration, it was decided to look for a new date for the event. I would like to underline that we have never considered the possibility to cancel the 2020 edition: Lake Garda Optimist Meeting is globally recognized as one of the most important events in Italian sailing and knowing that it will return in June is something that helps us think positively and see the light at the end of the tunnel that we are all going through."