Simoneschi claims season opener

Tricky final race at the Melges 24 European Sailing Series event in Portoroz

The final day of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series's first event in Portoroz, Slovenia started with the lack of wind and waiting ashore. After one and a half hours, a sea breeze filled in for a while allowing complete just one more race to complete the series of eight races. On the Bay of Portoroz the crews had to deal with the instability of a breeze that never exceeded 4 knots.

Riccardo Simoneschi's Audi tron (ITA-840) which for three years has been on the top of the Melges 24 European rankings, won by 14 points from triple Corinthian world champion Storm Capital Sail Racing (NOR-751) skippered by Peder Jahre, and by 17 points of Austrians Four and a half men (AUT-681) with Franz Urlesberger on the helm. Four points adrift, David Rowen's Imagine (GBR-557) from Great Britain ended the regatta in fourth.

2014 best Pro Am (Corinthian) boat was the Hungarians on FGF Sailing Team (HUN-728) with Robert Bakoczy helming and which retained its leadership in the Pro Am division until the end of the regatta, ending fifth overall. Nine points behind from the Pro Am leader was the Ukrainian team Marusia (UKR-819) with Oleg Dyvinets on the helm, which managed to climb to the second position in Pro Am division, 10th overall while team Kesbeke/SIKA/Gill (NED-827) with Ronald Veraar was third in the Pro Am, 3 points further behind.

During the prizegiving at the Yachting Club Portoroz, the organisers awarded the Norwegian team Blow Henry Lloyd (NOR-787) with a special prize for the longest drive of 2,223 km from Fredrikstad to Portoroz. Top three teams both in Pro and Pro Am division were awarded with the prizes of local glass art.

Full results here