Magic Marine Melges 24 European Championship 2013

Medemblik, 17.-22.August 2013 - Übersicht Europa Corinthians Prepare For Battle As Teams Arrive In Medemblik Medemblik, Netherlands - 14 August 2013 - Melges 24 teams from across Europe are gathering at the International Sailing Centre Medemblik this week in preparation for the Magic Marine Melges 24 European Championship 2013. Registration opens on Thursday and 72 teams are expected to compete in an extremely closely fought competition for the right to claim the title of Melges 24 European Champion. Without doubt one of the most engaging challenges of the Magic Marine Melges 24 European Championship will be the fight for the Corinthian title. 42 teams, more than half of the total entries, will be racing in the all amateur division and it is also important is to underline that the entry list includes 13 nations. The word Corinthian isn't a synonymous with a less competitive fleet: the Corinthian entry list includes a number of crews who, for various reasons, have written important pages in the history of sailing and of the International Melges 24 Class Association. Last but not least, the Corinthian teams will achieve a double success because the fleet sails as one so the Corinthians will be scored in the open division as well as in the Corinthians, which is valid as a competition in itself. Now that Peder Jahre's Storm Capital Sail Racing has opted to sail only in the open division after a great series of Corinthian successes, the best know Corinthian is Lenny. Owned by two-time Olympic medalist Tonu Toniste (silver in Seoul 1988 and bronze in Barcelona 1992 in the 470 class), this Estonian crew has achieved a good number of brilliant results. It won the Worlds in Hyeres 2006 and the Europeans in Neaustadt 2007 and Aarhus 2011. Can they make it a Europeans hat-trick and claim a third title in Medemblik? So they are the reigning champions, but they will have to guard against attack from their fellow countrymen aboard Rock City, owned by Tiit Vihul, another long-time owner in the International Melges 24 Class Association. Rock City can always be relied upon to put in an outstanding performance so perhaps their time has come this year?

Fotos: http://melges24europeans13.com/