Opening Ceremony on Wedneday for 35th Garda Optimist Open Meeting
by Elena Giolai 11 Apr 2017 15:36 BST
12-16 April 2017
The Opening Ceremony of the 35th Lake Garda Optimist Meeting, the greatest event for young helmsmen, will take place on Wednesday. The IODA Europe (International Optimist Dinghy Association) vice President Carla Stanley will also be in Riva del Garda, after her presence at the 2013 World Championships. 2017 News: "Joy of Moving Trophy for Fair-Play".
The new Palavela is now open: a great 2,000-square-metre structure for boat parking next to the Fraglia Vela Riva Club, provided by the Fair Agency of the town (Riva del Garda Fiere e Congressi).
The early entries amount to 1072, of which 731 males and 341 females, 280 cadets (9-11 years old) and 792 juniors (12-15 years old) from 30 countries, including also Puerto Rico, Thailand (2017 new entry), Brazil, Bermuda, USA and Canada.
The entries' regularisations has started on Monday, when 400 sailors completed their registration. Already on the weekend, many foreign teams were training in Garda Trentino - our location is offering pleasant sunny warm days and wind. On Monday the Palavela has officially open: the 2,000-square-metre boat parking where the boats can be stored during the 35th Lake Garda Optimist Meeting. The Garda Village with temporary stands make the lakeside of Riva del Garda and the Club even livelier.
The early entries of the 35th edition closed on March 31st, the largest sailing regatta on one single class organized by Fraglia Vela Riva during the Eastern week and certified by the Guinness World Records in 2012 with 1055 participants. The event will officially kick off on Wednesday April 12th with the 3rd edition of the Country Cup, a special kind of regatta in Olympic-style, in which only one representative per country can compete. Denmark won both the past two editions. Later, on Wednesday evening (at 18:00) the enchanting Opening Ceremony will take place with all the sailors, who will walk through the downtown of Riva del Garda led by the marching band. The fleet races divided into heats will take place from Thursday until Sunday.
The figures regarding the online early entries are the following: 1072 athletes from 30 countries, with the new entry of Puerto Rico and Thailand, which respectively enrolled 5 and 3 sailors. Besides Italy with 281 sailors, Germany is the country with the highest number of helmsmen (220), followed by Denmark (84), Sweden (82), Poland (55), Finland (47), Norway (41), Russia (39), Hungary (41), and Spain (27). As many as 23 American sailors, who last year twinned with the Fraglia Vela Riva Optimist team. Team GB also counts 23 sailors.
Thanks to the streaming provided by Kinder + Sport, the meeting is spreading more and more the 'joy of moving' worldwide: the web live-streaming is scheduled on Saturday April 15th and Sunday April 16th.
Technology at the Lake Garda Optimist Meeting will make a wider audience experience the unicity of this event: the final stages of the regatta organized by Fraglia Vela Riva will be broadcasted in live streaming, virtually bringing here in Garda Trentino also those who stayed at home. Kinder + Sport, committed to this social project, puts in the foreground physical activity as a lifestyle. It will participate as traditional partner of the Lake Garda Meeting Optimist, offering many occasions to share its vision: it is possible to follow the event in live streaming, for all those who will learn to sail or would like to take part in the future editions of the Meeting. A project promoted by "Joy of Moving" for a sporty life, particularly suitable to all the activities organized by Fraglia Vela Riva and by Trentino (destination marketing organization). This year's news is the prize "Joy of Moving Trophy for FAIR-PLAY" for all competing categories: an award to whom will behave particularly fairly towards an opponent.
www.fragliavelariva.it/regatta/2247/view