2023 Ovington 29er EuroCup Final, Lake Garda, Italy - Preview
by International 29er Class 21 Oct 2023 18:17 BST
2023 Ovington 29er EuroCup Final © International 29er Class
Fraglia Vela Riva, nestled in the north of the stunning Lake Garda, once again hosts the hotly contested Ovington 29er Eurocup Final, in collaboration with the International 29er Class Association.
The eleventh and final event of the 2023 29er EuroCup series, it is now considered an end-of-season classic by the specialists of this dynamic double-handed dinghy, who are accustomed to racing on these Italian waters for the seasonal finale.
Appreciated among many youth sailors who choose to step into this boat after various junior classes, the 29er Class is extremely widespread at international level. With more than fifteen Nations represented in Riva del Garda, competition begins on Sunday 22nd until Wednesday 25th October and sailors hope to complete 14 races in spectacular conditions after which the season's EuroCup Champions will be crowned.
Among the sure protagonists and leading the battle for the podium are two Irish crews who lead the international fleet this summer; the first a new team, composed of Clementine Van Steenberge and Jessica Riordan. With Clementine fresh from winning the Overall and Open World Championship title just a few weeks ago in Great Britain, where she raced with her brother Nathan, this team will certainly be one to watch. The second, composed of Ben O'Shaughnessy and Ethan Spain, who dominated the European Championship held in Stockholm in mid-August and will be looking to again find their form and finish the season with a win.
Also under special observation are the home team, Italians Alex Demurtas and Giovanni Santi, who have been at the front of the fleet for a couple of years, winning third in the 2023 World Championships and sit in sixth in the 29er EuroCup overall ranking. Czech team Lukas Kraus and Ondrej Bastar, currently lead the overall series on the eve of this regatta, and with the 2023 Youth Worlds scheduled to take place in December, many of the top teams will be using this event as part of their final preparations.
"The 29er class always brings with it important numbers, a particularly competitive climate and a heterogeneous fleet from the point of view of origin. Hosting the last event of the season, the one that decides the fate of the circuit, now represents a long standing tradition for the Fraglia Vela Riva, where this youth, double handed, high performance skiff is has reached a standard which is impossible to ignore" declared Mauro Berteotti, Sports Director of Fraglia Vela Riva.
Racing begins at midday tomorrow, 22nd October and promises to be a spectacular event. The 29er EuroCup series is proudly sponsored by Ovington Boats Ltd who will once again be providing prizes for our 2023 champions.