LIROS TO SPONSOR GERMAN RANKING & GERMAN OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

The German Melges 24 Class Association is delighted to announce that LIROS, the innovative and well-known producer of high-tech ropes, will sponsori the 2005 German Open National Championship and 2005 German Ranking Series.

As part of the sponsorship the top three boats in the 2004 German Ranking will be fully equipped for the season with LIROS ropes (backstay, halyards, lifelines, sheets, control-lines). In addition the fourth and fifth placed boats from the 2004 German Ranking will receive the same rope package at a special discounted price.

The LIROS Melges 24 German Open National Championship 2005 will take place from May 5-7 at Tutzing, Lake Starnberg. The LIROS Melges 24 German Ranking 2005 will comprise three scheduled events plus one wild card event for which competitors can nominate their best result from any of the IMCA World Ranking Events. The scheduled events are:

· North Sails Cup, 2-3 April, Kreuzlingen, Switzerland
· German Open National Championship, 5-7 May, Tutzing, Lake Starnberg, Germany
· Volvo Cup IV, May 9-12, Torbole, Italy

More information about the LIROS German Ranking and Open National Championship is available from www.melges24.de