ITALIAN VOLVO CUP UPDATE

From The Italian Class - With less than a week to the Torbole Volvo cup event, we have more than 50 entries already. Come and help us break that 60 record! So far we have german, austrian, french, swiss, ukrainian and dutch teams, besides the italians. Three brand new boats, ITA 607, 608 and 609 will be joining us this time, and they couldn't choose a better time. Surfing and fun should be guaranteed on the Garda Lake in june. Just like all of the other events of the Italian Volvo Cup 2005 season have been so far.

Our last event was in Cala Galera, at the Argentario peninsula in Tuscany, a very well known place for Italian sailors. We had 35 Melges24 teams on the water, along with 30 Beneteau25 and 20 Ufo22 boats. Gennakers all over the horizon, it was stunning. The "usual suspects" had to fight another newby this time. That is, if a 470 olympic sailor, such a s Matteo Ivaldi, can be called a newby in any sailing class. Helming "Dream Team", he finished second overall, in front of Simoneschi's Nautica, a newby himself only a couple of months ago, and Banca Bsi with Gabriele Benussi, one of the strongest "older" teams around. Celon, on Ale Ali, was off the podium for the first time in a while, an so was Alina-Helly Hansen. The Corinthian division is growing stronger, with 11 entries, and the Erma-Runa team from Rome winning this event. A full report in italian, with pictures and current standings in the Volvo Cup is available at www.melges24.it