Melges 24 European Series Start Just One Day Away
With only one day to go to the start of the first stage of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series, a truly international cast is making ready to take the centre stage in the beautiful bay of Portorož, Slovenia.
The first event of Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2014 is set to take place from 28th March to 30th March with 24 crews from 10 nations competing. The organizing Committee of Yachting Club Portorož is checking everything is ready for the first race of the season and one of the most important competitions in Slovenian sea this year. “We will be welcoming a very competitive fleet and are working hard to deliver an outstanding regatta,” says the member of the committee Branko Parunov. “We have great weather conditions for sailing, superb infrastructure and a team full of enthusiasm. Hosting the Melges series confirms the undeniable prestige of this venue and the professionalism of the team behind sailing events such as the RC 44 cup and Extreme 40 World Championship organised here in the recent past” outlined Parunov, enthusiastic about the prospect to bid for the European Championship in the near future.
The regatta valid also as the Open Slovenian National Championship will consist of at least three races, followed by pasta and drink on Friday and Sunday and a gala dinner on Saturday. The racing will take place under the watchful eye of the Principal Race Officer Bojan Gale and his team. He has more than 8 years of race management experience covering Olympic classes, dinghies, keelboats and multi-hulls.
Racing commences on Friday 28th March.
Event website www.ycp-klub.si
The latest news in Twitter @YCportoroz
Printable information about the event
ABOUT THE YACHTING CLUB PORTOROŽ:
The Yachting Club Portorož was established at a meeting on January 6, 1982 and the proceedings of this historic conference are still preserved in the club’s premises. From the report it appears that eleven local yachting enthusiasts gathered together and formatted a new sailing club for the good of the town and the amusement of those who visited it.
Today, three decades later, Yachting Club Portorož is renowned as excellent host and event organiser, and the bay of Piran as an exceptional racing venue. Numerous sailing competitions have been held here over the years, including Tempest World Cup in 1984 and 1987, Star European Open Championship in 1988, Soling European Open Championship in 1993 and Star World Cup in 1998. Recent distinguished racing events organised by the Club include Extreme 40 World Championship and ruthless RC 44 regattas. The last one was attended by 9 of the top 15 helmsmen in the world and was covered by The Sailing Channel TV.
Among the most prominent club members we find the sailing team Tomaž Čopi-Mitja Margon with two European Championships and one World Vice-Champion title in the International 470 Class. When the duo split in 2001, another success story began. This time in women’s sailing, with Vesna Dekleva and Klara Maučec. The female crew became European Vice-Champions in 2003, placed fourth at the Athens Olympics, and took bronze at the European Championship in 2008.
The results of YCP’s crews in Class 470 still represent a milestone that will be difficult to repeat, let alone exceed. The 15-year-old period that saw Vesna and Klara, Tomaž and Mitja among the best in the world, proved that only hard work, long hours of training and a comprehensive approach together with a supportive environment (club) bring top results.
ABOUT PORTOROŽ:
The Yachting Club is situated in Portorož, a Mediterranean tourism jewelhidden among the hills which protect it from the severe north-east wind bora. Renowned as an exclusive health resort since the 13th century, Portorož has many modern, comfortable hotels with seawater and thermal water swimming pools, restaurants, big congress halls, casinos, a marina and an airport, offering many possibilities for active tourism.
Just three kilometres away is the stunning Piran, a typical medieval town with narrow streets and compact houses. The salt pans, the mild climate, the commerce on the sea and with the countryside, have stimulated the growth of Piran and the building of the beautiful Venetian palaces, squares and numerous churches, which today are as many as nine. The medieval town, embraced by the majestic medieval town walls, is renowned as well as the birthplace of the famous violinist and composer Giuseppe Tartini.
WINDS OF PORTOROŽ IN SPRING TIME:
BORA (NE) is a cold, dry and very gusty wind, which mostly occurs in the cold season (November – March). It can reach up to 60 knots and last for a few days. Around midday it usually weakens or as locals say »takes a lunch break«, however the bay of Portorož is well protected and the windblasts there are less violent than on the open water. The same applies for irregular and steep waves, which can’t develop due to the position and smallness of the bay.
JUGO (SE & SW) tends to occur year-round without a favoured month or season. This strong, warm and damp wind of constant speed is most common during the spring, bringing high tide and rainy weather. In the area it is renowned for big waves and frequent changes in direction, especially close to the cape of Piran.
SEA BREEZE
LEVANTE (E) is a winter wind frequent in the February-March period, when it can reach stormy force and last for many days. Although good for sailing due to its constant strength, it is not popular in the sailing community as it is generally accompanied by low temperatures and abundant rainfall.
CONTACT AND INFO:
MELGES 24 SLOVENIA – EVENT HOST
Jure Jerkovič, class president
mail: jure@melges24.si
web: www.melges24.si
YACHTING CLUB PORTOROŽ – EVENT ORGANISER
Suzana Jukić, secretary
phone: ++386 40 190 864
mail: suzana@ycp-klub.si
twitter: @YCportoroz
web: www.ycp-klub.si
RACE COMMITTEE
Bojan Gale, principal race officer
phone: ++386 41 670 354
mail: bojan.gale@gmail.com
twitter: @BojanGale
MEDIA
Jana Pines, public relations
phone: ++386 30 623 236
mail: jana.pines@gmail.com
skype: jana.pines