Australia hosted Melges 24 World Championship 2014 website launched

For the first time in the history of the International Melges 24, the pinnacle of the class’ calendar is heading to the Southern Hemisphere.

Victoria’s seaside city of Geelong will host the Melges 24 World Championship 2014 when a first-class fleet of up to 45 high performance sportsboats will set Corio Bay ablaze from January 29 to February 2, 2014.

Prior to the 2014 world title a strong Australian contingent will head to San Francisco in September for this year’s world championship, to try and wrest the trophy down under and then mount a defence to keep the silverware safely locked up in the Asia Pacific region.

Since the launch of the Melges 24 in 1993 there has never been an Asia Pacific Melges 24 World Championship or an Australian team listed on the honour board. Australia’s strongest link to the upper echelon of world title results came in 2005 when Aussie James Spithill led a USA Melges 24 team to victory in Florida. Spithill went on to become the youngest skipper to ever win an America’s Cup, again sailing for the Americans.

This week the official world championship website was launched www.melges24worldsaustralia.com.

Shortly the Notice of Race will be released and online entries open via the event website. Class history, the list of past champions, details of Geelong and Victoria as a travel destination for families and friends joining competitors and detailed entrant information will also feature on the official world championship website.

The Melges 24 World Championship 2014 will be organised in late January to early February 2014 by Royal Geelong Yacht Club and New Tack Consulting in association with the Australian Melges 24 Class and the International Melges 24 Class Association.

Immediately following Geelong’s Festival of Sails, one of Australia’s premiere yachting regattas which will run from 23 – 27 January and incorporate the Melges 24 Pre-Worlds, RGYC will switch to one-design mode to provide race management support for the smaller but more international sportsboat fleet boasting sailing’s crème de la crème.

Principal Race Officer will be Hank Stuart, the International Melges 24 Class Championship Coordinator, who will be working closely with the local RGYC team.

Recognising the vast distance Northern Hemisphere crews will have to travel, an international competitor assistance package is being offered.  The first 10 international competitors to enter online will qualify for a $1,000 cash back to put towards shipping and travel costs.

Worldwide shipping specialist Kuehne & Nagel have provided special shipping prices for teams wishing to travel from Medemblik (Europeans 13) to San Francisco (Worlds 13), on to Geelong (Worlds 14), and back to Europe (in time for Europeans 14 in Balaton).  Click here for their full quote.

Event dates:

Thursday 23 until Monday 27 January                                    Pre-Worlds (during the Festival of Sails)

Monday 27 & Tuesday 28 January:                                         Measurement and registration

Tuesday 28 January:                                                                       Practice race

Wednesday 29 January until Sunday 2 February:               Melges 24 World Championship

Official website: www.melges24worldsaustralia.com.au

About the Melges 24:
The Melges 24 is designed by Reichel Pugh and holds a unique position amongst the world’s one design sportsboats as one of the most successful classes of high performance yachts. For more information, please visit http://www.melges24.com or www.melges.com.au for the Australian dealer.

About the Royal Geelong Yacht Club:
The Royal Geelong Yacht Club is one of Australia’s largest and most successful yacht clubs, each year hosting the largest sailing regatta in the Southern Hemisphere and Victoria’s oldest sporting event, the Festival of Sails, among many other regattas. Since the yacht club’s founding more than 160 years ago, the waters of Corio Bay have attracted people seeking recreation and fun. For more information about the club please visit www.rgyc.com.au.

For further information on the Melges 24 World Championship 2014, please contact:

Jav Greaves
New Tack Consulting Director
+61 413 704 409 or jav@newtack.com.au

Fiona Brown
IMCA Administrator & Media Coordinator
+44 7711 718470 or fiona.brown@melges24.com

Warwick Rooklyn
President of the International Melges 24 Association of Australia
+ 61 418 299 963 or rooklyn@bigpond.com

For media information, please contact:

Lisa Ratcliff                                                                                
On Course Communications
+61 418 428 511 or lisa@occ.net.au