Melges 24 World Championship at Middelfart, Denmark - Overall
by International Melges 24 Class Association 5 Jul 2015 21:38 BST
30 June - 5 July 2015
Chris Rast's EFG and Tõnu Tõniste's Lenny are the new Melges 24 World Champions
No racing in Middelfart today due to the lack of wind. It means that the Melges 24 World Championship ended up with twelve races and one discard, rewarding Chris Rast's EFG SUI684 as a new holder of the Melges Performance Sailboats Challenge Trophy and Tõnu Tõniste's Lenny EST790 as a holder for the Henri Samuel Trophy.
"It was an amazing week here in Middelfart with such a great fleet in a relaxing place. I'm obviously really happy about our title: we had some good start and I sailed with a really solid crew, emerging around the half of the series. I want to thank all the opponents that challenged us with a great sportsmanship. Melges 24 class is really the place where is nice to stay," Chris Rast told at the end of the prize giving, held inside the Middelfart Marina. "I also want to thank Franco Rossini's Blu Moon that brought me in to this incredible class ten years ago. I felt in love with this boat which has a design that is still competitive and modern after twenty one years. And to be here celebrating the Worlds' victory, sounds unforgettable."
Rast sailed really well and starting from the second day of the event he built his victory thanks to the three bullets in a row on the same day. Andrea Rachelli's Altea ITA735 and Bora Gulari's Air Force One USA820 surrendered in front of the powerful Swiss entry that closed the event here in Middelfart with more than fifty points' margin ahead of the rest of the fleet, while Riccardo Simoneschi's Audi tron ITA840 and Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team GBR694 completed top five.
Together with a Swiss flag over Middelfart is waving also the Estonian one thanks to Tõnu Tõniste who, along with EST790 Lenny's crew took the victory in Corinthian division with a nineteen points' margin over Kicker Schäfer's Musto Racing GER803 ending on the second level of the podium and Øyvind Jahre's Storm Capital Sail Racing NOR751 as the third.
"We had a really high level competition here in Middelfart in the very tricky conditions over the week. We would have liked to have one strong winds' day here, but it did not happen. The battle for the title of the Corinthian division was really interesting until the end as the top podium places were swopped every day. We managed to win two races and I'm really happy about my crew who made it happen with me. And I also would like to congratulate Chris Rast, my good fellow from the 470-times, for his great performance and well deserved title here."
Saying goodbye to Middelfart, Melges 24 International Class is now looking to the 2016 Melges 24 European Championship in Hyeres in September and 2016 Melges 24 World Championship in Miami, U.S. between November and December.
Melges 24 World Championship was organized by Match Racing Denmark in collaboration with the International Melges 24 Class Association and Middeflart Sailing Club.
www.melges24worlds15.dk