THE MELGES WORLD LEAGUE RETURNS TO SARDINIA: FOR THE FIRST TIME, RACES WILL BE HELD IN PUNTALDIA
Puntaldia (Olbia), 16 May 2019 - The 2019 European Tour of the Melges World League continues and, for the first time in its history, lands on the Sardinian race course of Marina di Puntaldia, a resort in the North-Easterly coast of Sardinia, few kilometers south of Olbia.
In the two upcoming weekends (17th - 19th May and 24th - 26th May) the champions of the Melges 32 and Melges 20 fleet will compete in the second round of the continental series after the seasonal debut on the other Sardinian race course of Villasimius.
The winners of the first act of the 2019 season were Donino, the team by the Argentinian owner Luigi Giannattasio in the Melges 32 class, and the Russian crew of Russian Bogatyrs by Igor Rytov among the Melges 20.
As it always happens in the Melges events, the level of the crews competing in this second act of the Melges World League, also in search for precious points of the international ranking, will be extremely high.
On the water we’ll see the Russian team of Tavatuy by Pavel Kuznetsov, winner of the 2018 Melges World League, the Italian Giogi by Matteo Balestrero, reigning World Champion since 2018; there will be also other highly decorated teams such as Mascalzone Latino by Vincenzo Onorato, former European champion and winner of a Melges 32 circuit, Torpyone (current European champion) of Edoardo Lupi and Massimo Pessina, G.spot by Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (already winner in the Melges World League in 2017), just to name a few.
Marie-Hélène Polo, Managing Director of Marina di Puntaldia - “Marina di Puntaldia is proud to be able to host international regattas such as the Melges World League. Organizing an event that is going to spread over a double weekend is a good way to introduce the world of competitive sailing to the quality of our regatta field, inserted in one of the most spectacular and unique scenarios in Sardinia. Marina di Puntaldia is a reality established in the nautical tourism sector with its own facilities and that today wants to expand its offer also to the world of racing and competitive sailing. The event, organized in synergy with Melges Europe, will bring hundreds of sailors and guests from all over the world to Sardinia and Puntaldia, confirming our island as a destination strongly dedicated to sport and sailing. We are confident Puntaldia will be able to offer great sailing conditions and pleasant ashore hospitality, exactly as other destinations already known and always among the locations of the most important sailing events worldwide”.
Luisa Bambozzi, CEO of Melges Europe - “Melges Europe is always looking for new and high-profile destinations for the Melges World League, able to guarantee the participants high standards of excellence in terms of structures and hospitality. Marina di Puntaldia, with which we have been collaborating for months in preparation to the second European leg of the Melges World League, immediately demonstrated its strong desire to host our regattas, guaranteeing a more than warm welcome and a perfect organizational machine. So, let's welcome Puntaldia in the world of Melges World League regattas, confident that the 2019 events will be a success on which we will be able to build new future collaborations. We are excited to let our sailors discover this Italian corner of paradise.”
Melges World League European Divisiion is 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 and One Ocean. Melges World League European Division also counts on the team partners support by UYN (thanks to Brontolo and G3Bau Sailing Team) and l'Enoteca (thanks to Fra Martina Sailing Team).
Melges Europe e Melges World League strongly support One Ocean Foundation and Charta Smeralda.
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