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2010 Marinepool Melges 24 World Championship
http://worlds2010.fi/ - Übersicht
Tallinn, Estonia - 24 June 2010-
76 Teams Already Confirmed As Entry Deadline Approaches For 2010
Marinepool Melges 24 World Championship
Tallinn, August 2010
http://worlds2010.fi/
The opportunity to compete for the 2010 Marinepool
Melges 24 World Championship title at the 1980 Moscow Olympic regatta venue in Tallinn,
Estonia has drawn entries from across Europe and even as far afield as Japan.
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Foto: http://worlds2010.fi/
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With several days still to go until the final entry closing date on 30th
June, entries have already been received from seventy-six teams representing no
less than sixteen nations.
Melges 24 championships always attract a
heady mix of the best amateur sailors competing alongside some of the world's
most accomplished sailing superstars and this year's event is certainly no
different. The list of professionals who will be racing in Tallinn in August
includes past Melges 24 World and European champions as well as Olympic and
America's Cup sailors. In turn, the Corinthian Division, which will make up
around forty percent of the overall entry, includes some the most talented
amateur sailors on the planet. The amateur and professional crews will race
together as one fleet for the overall Melges 24 World Championship, with the
points for the Corinthian division (which precludes any ISAF Category 3
sailors) also being scored separately towards the 2010 Melges 24 Corinthian
World Championship title.
Competition in the Corinthian Division looks
likely to be particularly hot this year, with many of the teams competing
having previously demonstrated their ability to get in amongst the pro teams at
the head of the overall fleet. None more so than Norway's Storm Capital Sail
Racing Team helmed by Oyvind Jahre who won both the Corinthian World title in
2008 and the Corinthian European crown in 2009. From the host nation Tonu
Toniste steering Lenny and Tiit Vihul at the helm of Rock City will each be
looking to put their local knowledge to good use and are likely to be strong
contenders. The Corinthian Division also includes seasoned campaigners like
Michael Good's Swiss entry ZeroEight, Italy's Mario Ziliani helming Fish Dog
and Sonke Boy steering the Swiss boat Music 55, all of which will fancy their
chances of a Corinthian podium position. Finland's Kristian Raij aboard Lumi
has also proved to be a potent force so far this season and will be keen to
convert this potential into a meaningful Corinthian result in Tallinn.
Whilst it is the Finns who boast the largest
entry at this point with thirteen boats, the eleven boat Italian squad perhaps
represents some of the strongest challenges for the overall title. Arguably the
team with the best pedigree is the 2008 World and 2009 European champions UKA
UKA Racing, which will be steered as usual by serial one-design champion
Lorenzo Bressani. Beyond UKA UKA Racing however, there is considerable depth in
the Italian line up, including class stalwart Riccardo Simoneschi on AUDI, newly
crowned Italian National Champion Niccolo Bianchi helming Saetta and the well
proven Alberto Bolzan steering Hurricane - Murphy and Nye. Additionally, class
veteran Andrea Racchelli at the helm of Altea, who has been turning in his best
ever season this year, is also likely to be a major contender in Tallinn.
The six-strong Norwegian contingent includes
Olympic Star class campaigner Eivind Melleby helming Full Medal Jacket, who at
his first attempt finished in third place at the 2009 Melges 24 World Championship
in Annapolis. Melleby is reported to have been training hard for this year's
championship and can certainly be considered as a likely front-runner. Surely
travelling the furthest to compete is Japanese 470 Olympian and match racer
Tetsuya Matsunaga, who will be helming Three Bond. Matsunaga is no stranger to
European Melges 24 racing however, having competed at the 2008 European
Championship in Hyeres and been a regular on the Italian Volvo Cup circuit this
year.
The familiar Swiss entry Blu Moon will once again be helmed by Italian
sailing legend Flavio Favini. A multiple world champion and America's Cup hero,
Favini has been on top form leading up to this year's championship and will be
attempting to reprise his 2001 World Championship win in Key West.
With this already impressive line-up and
further entries confidently expected before the final deadline, the 2010
Marinepool Melges 24 World Championship has the makings of a true classic.
Certainly a Melges 24 fleet of this calibre competing at a wonderful venue like
Tallinn is a mouth watering prospect, and the organisers are justifiably
confident of some scintillating action once racing begins.
Alongside an outstanding racing programme the
organisers are also planning a fantastic après sailing schedule featuring some
of Estonia's best know musicians and performers including Dave Benton, the 2001
winner of the Eurovision Song Contest; DJ Hannes Kalamäe; mulit-award winning singer
Sofia Rubina; the
amazing Anneliis Kits
who will perform with Soulful Connections; Violina, the long legged, beautiful
and incredibly talented pop/rock fusion violin trio; and vocalist James Werts
from the USA who will join saxophonist Danel Aljo and DJ Hannes Kalamäe for an evening
of classic disco.
Every
day after racing the biggest and oldest brewery in Estonia, A. Le Coq, will offer
free beer to all the competitors. Party venues will include Kalev Yacht Club,
Reval Café, Museum Lounge
and the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds. Estonian hospitality and love of a good party
is the stuff of legend and
it is clear that the hosts of the 2010 Marinepool Melges 24 World Championship
intend to live up to that reputation.
The warm up event for the Worlds will be the
2010 Estonian and Finnish Championship, which will take place from Friday 30
July to Sunday 1 August and the 2010 Marinepool Melges 24 World Championship
will take place from 4-12 August with championship racing scheduled from Sunday
7 to Thursday 12 August. Competitors are reminded that the final closing date for
entries is
Wednesday 30 June 2010.
Notice of Race, Online Entry, logistical information and
all the latest updates are available from the 2010 Marinepool Melges 24 World Championship
Event Website
and via the event's Facebook Group .
The 2010 Melges 24 World Championship is sponsored by:-
title Sponsor & Official Clothing Partner - Marinepool
For more information please contact:
Fiona Brown
International Melges 24 Class Association | 3 Palmers Road | Emsworth | Hampshire | PO10 7DL | United Kingdom
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