Melgesmania Continues! CRO Melges 24 Cup Starts 2024 Season in Biograd
1 March 2024 - Biograd, Croatia - The fourth season of the most substantial Croatian sailing competition, the CRO Melges 24 Cup, starts this weekend (March 2 and 3) in Biograd with a record of 22 registered teams.
The Briva Sailing Club, as the organizer, is hosting more than 100 sailors, including big names in Croatian sailing such as Karlo Kuret, Ante Ćesić, Tomislav Bašić, Ivan Kljaković Gašpić, Ante Botica. It should also be noted that the Biograd club was among the first in Croatia to support the creation of a sailing competition that would unite all sailors and give them the opportunity to compete in identical sailboats.
"Our CRO Melges 24 story, which has been successfully going on for the fourth year, began in Biograd in 2021. As the president of the Croatian Association of the Melges 24 class, I am happy that we have expanded the crew base that comes to the Cup regattas every year. Specifically, the Biograd CRO Melges 24 Cup in its first edition had ten crews at the start, and this year's regatta has 22 entries. In a very short time, we have doubled the participation, which shows how attractive monotype sailing has become for our sailors," said the Chairman of the Croatian Melges 24 Class Association - Luka Šangulin.
Seven regattas are planned for this year, which will take place along the Adriatic coast with the partnership of Angelina Yacht Charter, Sailing Point Hrvatska, North Sails, One Sails, digital studio Akvarij, regate.com.hr, Raiser digital agency, EmergenSea and Dustom Sails.
The absolute highlight of the season will be the Melges 24 European Championship in Split, which is scheduled for late September and early October.
"Croatia experienced a real boom in Melges 24 in just a few years. Thanks to this 'melgesmania,' our fleet has become one of the largest in the world in this class. Our regattas are exceptionally well organized and competitive, recognized by the International Melges 24 Class Association. The interest of foreign crews in the Europeans in Split is excellent, which will undoubtedly lead to additional popularization of this class on the Adriatic," pointed out Luka Šangulin.
Two new boats arrived in the CRO Melges 24 fleet during the winter break. CRO 166 Hakuna Matata and CRO 170 Ćuf-Ćuf will have their debut performances in Biograd.