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2012 Melges 24 North American Championship Lake Garda, Italy from 27 July to 4 August
www.melges24.com - Übersicht
27 July 2012
2012 Melges 24 World Championship
A Record Fleet For Final Countdown
Torbole, Italy - 27 July 2012 - The countdown for the start of the Melges 24 World
Championship is quickly approaching zero. There are still few hours to go before
the impressive organisational machine set up by Circolo Vela Torbole and the International
Melges 24 Class Association will launch one of the most anticipated events of international
sailing. To appreciate this, just give a look to the numbers: 130 boats entered
- an absolute record for the Melges 24 Class - coming from 22 countries and 4 continents,
650 sailors who will eat 50 kilograms of pasta and drink at least 250 litres of
beer each day.
An event that, despite the combination with the Olympics, has captured the attention
of enthusiasts and professionals. The secrets of this success are not so secret:
Torbole is a guarantee for the wind and sailing in the waters of Lake Garda has
always its charm: the conditions are never the same and the shifts are constants
and sometime huge. Only the strongest can predict something about the weather situation,
and in Torbole, there are many strong sailor.
Due to the great success of the Torbole event, the Race Committee, chaired by Hank
Stuart, was forced to create four groups, distinguished by different colours, which,
between July 30th and August 1st, will compete in two race course before being divided
between Gold and Silver Fleets ready for the conclusive races, planned between August
2nd and 4th, when the new World Champion will be crowned.
A world title that will mark the difference between those who reach to Olympus and
those who must still work hard. Although a bit of luck, or misfortune, is always
taken into account.
The final rankings will take account of the twelve races scheduled and the discard
of the worst result since the end of the sixth race.
For the Worlds, one of the favourites is the Little Wing crew of the helmsman Enrico
Zennaro and of the Slovenian tactician Branko Burcin. Not to forget the winner of
2012 Volvo Cup, Blu Moon: Franco Rossini's Melges 24, that, despite the Swiss flag,
has an Italian heart with Flavio Favini on the helm, will try to recover the title
won first by Flavio Favini in 2001. Another well-known name is Carlo Fracassoli
who, after winning the European Champion in Aarhus, will attempt the leap on the
world with Gullisara. On Giogi Matteo Balestrero recruited the 2006 World Champion
Nicola Celon. And pay great attention to Saetta, with the Olympic medallist Nathan
Wilmot calling tactics and Alberto Bolzan at the helm.
Talking about non local, among the favourites we can place AEZ of German America's
Cup helm Markus Wieser who chose the strong French sailor Sebastien Col as a coach
and Pascal Rambeau, Bronze medallist with the Star in Athens 2004, as tactician;
and Mamma Aiuto with part of the crew coming fresh from their good performance
at the recent Melges 32 European. Also looking for success is American Bora Gulari
with his West Marine Rigging New England Ropes.
Pending the preparation of the sound signals in the first trial - scheduled for
Monday at 12 - crews and organisers will be able to test their equipment and race
course during the two days of pre-World racing, during which they will play a maximum
of four races.
And we must not forget the opening ceremony, scheduled for tomorrow evening.
Events like the 2012 Melges 24 World Championship are not possible without the most
generous support of the event sponsors led by the Municipality of Comune di Nago
Torbole
and including the Regional Authority of Trentino, TrentoDole
How to follow the Melges 24 World Championship 2012
Event Website - www.melges24worldchampionship.com [http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001u8JtnY4UwLjRtlB91chx4dOrT9HSeMLV7GojNE6_F1tbKd5JJSK55NAZXUuyIcokJQv7HStETnvNDJegkFRA6fLISKktbOLiYbAhb_MPw6_sD58G9B6f4gk1IXhE6fV8Xdi0qQg-x48=]
International Melges 24 Class Website - www.melges24.com
Images - official photographer Pierrick Contin - www.pierrickcontin.fr
Updated on daily basis will be also the IMCA's YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/IM24CA
on which will be posted the daily highlights and the interviews made by Zerogradinord
in charge of the media content of the event.
The event will also be followed via Facebook ( www.facebook.com/World.of.Melges24
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