(4 July 2018 / Porto Cervo, Italy) - It has been only one year since the world debut of the Melges 40 in Porto Cervo, Italy at Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS), and the occasion was celebrated with Alessandro Rombelli's STIG proclaiming victory as the event winner, and season dominator of the 2017 Grand Prix circuit.
Now
upon its return, after proving it is the best performing one-design
sailboat ever made by Melges, it arrives on a special stage linking it
to the names and values of One Ocean Foundation and Charta Smeralda.
Both invoke the environmental protection of the seas with a code of
ethics and behaviours strongly supported by YCCS, and of which the
Melges 40 Class and Melges Europe were immediate patrons.
The
One Ocean Melges 40 Grand Prix will commence on Thursday, July 5. With
the first warning, ten races are scheduled to unfold over four days -
stick trials and short coastal races will take place in one of the most
naturally scenic and spectacular places in the world.
The virtual pole position at the the One Ocean Melges 40 Grand Prix belongs to the Swedish entry of Richard Goransson and his INGA FROM SWEDEN
team with kiwi tactician Cameron Appleton. They are perceived as the
most fit crew so far this season with double successes at the Spring
Series in Palma de Mallorca, Spain and the opening event of PalmaVela
last May.
Rombelli
returns with Francesco Bruni in the cockpit, and ultimately has the
honor and burden of defending his win twelve months ago - reproposing
his candidacy as the team to beat on the Melges 40 Grand Prix circuit.
The
blue colors at the only Italian event of the 2018 Melges 40 Grand Prix
season will be flown by the 'rookie' Andrea Lacorte aboard VITAMINA CETILAR
alongside tactician Gabriele Benussi. It was in PalmaVela that they
managed to break the ice, getting up to speed at record pace, aiming for
maximum results.
The One Ocean Melges 40 Grand Prix is also proud to present SIKON
of Japan's Yukihiro Ishida with Manu Weiller as tactician. They've
proven before that they have the ability to persevere and win, as it was
at their Class debut in Palma for the final stage event of 2017.
And lastly, but most certainly not least is Valentin Zavadnikov's DYNAMIQ SYNERGY
representing Monaco and flanked by none other than New Zealand's Kelvin
Harrap. They will be chasing his first win on the Melges 40 Grand Prix.
On
the eve of competition, the Melges 40 Class has successfully reached
the docks of YCCS. Teams are busy making their final preparations,
working out and finding the best shape and set-up for the start of the
highly anticipated One Ocean Melges 40 Grand Prix.
The Melges 40 Grand Prix circuit counts on the support of Helly Hansen, Garmin Marine, and Melges Europe.
Melges
40 Grand Prix has signed and adopts the code of ethics of the Charta
Smeralda strongly promoting the values of One Ocean Foundation. During
the event, YCCS will make dispensers of natural and sparkling
mineralized fresh water available to regatta attendees in an effort to
reduce the consumption and use of plastic packaging.
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