XXI Europe Meeting: Final battle in Torbole in favor of the Norwegian Johan
by Elena Giolai 18 Apr 2019 20:59 BST
XXI Europe Meeting: Final battle © Elena Giolai
On the occasion of the twenty-first edition of the Europe Class Meeting organized by the Circolo Vela Torbole, 130 participants from thirteen countries, have given nine races that decided the podium only after the last one.
During the weekend, Garda Trentino seemed to wake up, as in just a few days it was gradually populated by sails from the most varied classes and from the most different nations: some in training, others in regattas, others for fun.
The wind and the territory, a precious heritage for sailors, make Garda Trentino increasingly a fixed destination for sailing enthusiasts. Furthermore Circolo Vela Torbole also on this occasion has made itself available in order to organize a superior event for those who want to race in this stretch of lake kissed by a kind of wind that never ceases to amaze.
This is how the Europe class, almost disappeared in Italy but active in many European countries, has returned to Torbole for an appointment that has become one of the most prestigious of this single, former Olympic women's drift.
The variable weather meant that there were different conditions during the three days of racing: from the south - wind up to 16 knots on the first day with biting cold, on the north much lighter than the second and finally in the sun with south wind again on the 11 knots on the final day.
From a competitive point of view, during the second day a good challenge came on: if after the first day it seemed that the Norwegian Johan had no rivals considered the row of three firsts, in the second he was overbearing ahead the Czech Sivy, who in his once with three first he passed it. But the Norwegian reacted well to the attack and on the last day he gain scored three firsts, which allowed him to overtake and beat by one point the opponent, who in the third day in his own battery had closed with two first and a second.
The Danish Anna Livbjerg was decidedly strong, maintaining the third position overall, without being reached by the opponents of the men's category, who have lost ground in terms of points. The Dane preceded on the podium of the category the compatriot Bentzen (thirteenth overall) and the Spanish Llargués (28th).
Good comeback by the Italian Francesco Zugna (CDV Muggia), who, thanks to a good third partial win on the second day, had climbed to fifteenth place; with the last day he lost some points but still ended up in an excellent seventeenth place overall.
"I am very satisfied with how this twenty-first edition of the Meeting Europa has gone," commented the President CV Torbole Montagni.
The conditions have been various and the FIV Race Committee chaired by Pietro Benamati has worked well to be able in some cases to follow the oscillations of the wind and then move the race course or reduce the path when the wind has dropped in the second day. All the logistics and ground organisation also went very well.
Find full results here