Melges 24 European Sailing Series in Torbole Overall: Maidollis takes it all!

Overwhelming victory for Maidollis ITA854 with Gian Luca Perego,Carlo Fracassoli, Enrico Fonda, Stefano Lagi and Matteo Ramian in crew, with an impressive scoreline (1-5-3-1-1-1-1-1-DNS) and with one race to spare © ZGN / IM24CA

There is only room for Maidollis in Torbole, North Lake Garda: after three days of racing and a full series of nine regattas, the 2017 World Champions led by owner Gian Luca Perego and with the duet Fracassoli-Fonda at helm and tactics reached the highest step of the podium, with an impressive scoreline (1-5-3-1-1-1-1-1-DNS) and with one race to spare.

"We are impressed by our own result: looking at our scoreline, one might think it was easy to win this event, but actually we put all of our strengths and efforts to reach this result. Having performed well here it's important in perspective of our main event of the season, the Europeans of Riva del Garda in August. Enrico and Carlo know this race course very well and I think this is what really made the difference here," commented Gian Luca Perego from Maidollis ITA854 after the races.

The winner of the last race of the series and also the winner of the Corinthian Division is Marco Zammarchi's Taki 4 ITA778 scoring 4-(27)-5-10-3-7-11-3-1, with Niccolo Bertola, Giacomo Fossati, Giovanni Bannetta and Lorenzo Piccioni aboard. - photo © ZGN / IM24CA

The second place of the overall podium is for Taki 4 ITA778 (11-3-1 the scores of today) by Marco Zammarchi, winner of the last race of the series and also on top of the standings of the Corinthian division.

The Americans on board War Canoe USA841 (3-2-7 today) by Michael Goldfarb, at their second attendance in the 2018 Melges 24 European Sailing Series circuit, completed the overall podium as third. - photo © ZGN / IM24CA

The Americans on board War Canoe (3-2-7) by Michael Goldfarb, at their second attendance in the 2018 Melges 24 European Sailing Series circuit, closed the event in third position overall, making of constancy in results their main strength.

Top 6 was closed by Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team GBR694 (5-15-8) with Geoff Carveth helming, completing the Corinthian podium as third. - photo © ZGN / IM24CA

Tight competition also in the Corinthian division, where as already said the success eventually went to Taki 4, with a great margin over the followers: 18 points divide the crew of the 2016 and 2017 Corinthian World Champions from Tõnu Tõniste's Lenny EST790 (2-5-5), which could still climb up to the second position of the Corinthian podium benefitting at the best from the strong wind conditions of today. Third place in the division reserved to non professionals went to Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team GBR694 (5-15-8) with Geoff Carveth helming.

Another American entry, Travis Weisleder's Lucky Dog / Gill Race Team USA841 with Mike Buckley calling the tactics, finished the regatta on 5th position. - photo © ZGN / IM24CA

Now the countdown will start for the main Melges 24 event in Europe, European Championship 2018 to be hosted by Fraglia Vela Riva on Lake Garda in one month time - August 3-10. More than seventy boats have signed up so far and counting. Europeans will be scored also as the fourth event of the 2018 European Sailing Series to collect the points for the ranking of the season.

Tõnu Tõniste's Lenny EST790 (2-5-5), which could still climb up to the second position of the Corinthian podium benefitting at the best from the strong wind conditions of today. - photo © ZGN / IM24CA

Overall Results: (top ten, 9 races)

1. ITA 854 MAIDOLLIS - 1-5-3-1-1-1-1-1-(DNS) - 14 pts
Carlo Fracassoli, Enrico Fonda, Luca Perego, Stefano Lagi, Matteo Ramian
2. ITA 778 TAKI 4 - 4-(27)-5-10-3-7-11-3-1 - 44pts CORINTHIAN
Niccolo Bertola, Giacomo Fossati, Marco Zammarchi Giovanni Bannetta, Lorenzo Piccioni
3. USA 841 WAR CANOE - 12-2-16-7-7-(ufd)-3-2-7 - 56 pts
Michael Goldfarb, Morten Henriksen, David Brink, Ian Sloan, Salvador Sanchez Rodriguez
4. EST 790 LENNY - 13-9(30)4-20-4-2-5-5 - 62 pts CORINTHIAN
Tõnu Tõniste, Toomas Tõniste, Tammo Otsasoo, Maiki Saaring, Kristen Pugi
5. USA749 LUCKY DOG / GILL RACE TEAM - 7-(22)-9-12-19-10-4-4-4 - 69 pts
Travis Weisleder, Mike Buckley, George Peet, John Bowden, Megan Ratliff
6. GBR 694 GILL RACE TEAM - 9-(31)-22-3-5-13-5-15-8 - 80 pts CORINTHIAN
Geoff Carveth, Miles Quinton, William Goldsmith, Andrew Blundell, Holly Scott
7. ITA 722 ALTEA - (ufd)-1-20-21-6-8-7-12-6 - 81 pts
Andrea Racchelli, Gaudenzio Bonini, Michele Gregorato, Federico Zampiccoli, Alberto Verna
8. RUS 817 STRIIBOG - 11-10-12-6-8-18-8-9-(20) - 82 pts
Leonid Altukhov, Aleksandr Adrianov, Alexander Bozhko, Sergey Chertsov, Maxim Kuzmin
9. ITA490 HAGAR - 6-7-7-8-12-(27)-25-6-13 - 84 pts
Vincenzo Race, James Brucato, Matteo Ivaldi, Simone Schettino, Francesco Ivaldi
10. EST 791 ZUXU - 5-8-8-5-9-20-16-17-(23) - 88 pts
Peter Saraskin, Lorenzo Bodini, Paavo Pettai, Kalev Tanner, Triin Sarapuu

Full results can be found here.