Wakeup at dawn for the competitors of the 2022 Melges 24 European Championship, called on the starting line at 9 am for the two races, judged by all to be the most beautiful and competitive of the seven sailed to date in this event organized by the Yacht Club Italiano in collaboration with the International Melges 24 Class Association and the Italian Melges 24 Class.

Won by the Corinthian crew of Blow (NOR, today 1-18) by Peder Nergaard, and by Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic's Universitas Nova (CRO, 9-1), the sailed races caused a small earthquake in the provisional ranking. Strambapapà (ITA, 4-2) by Michele Paoletti is confirmed in command, conquering the Boat of the Day title, eight points on the now second ranked Mataran 24 (CRO, 2-4). The hull of Ante Botica, which even today was announced as the best among the Corinthians, overtook the position of the defending champion Andrea Racchelli on Altea (ITA, 15-7), who ran into a less brilliant day than expected and therefore slipped into fifth position behind the aforementioned Universitas Nova, who in the second race pushed Strambapapa on the finish line to a second, and to the hosts of Melgina (ITA, 3-3) by Paolo Brescia, completing the provisional podium, six points behind Mataran 24, and already winner of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2021.

Lisa Helly Hansen (NOR, 19-12) led by Kristoffer Spone, confirmed itself in the Top Ten to eighth place in the provisional ranking, between the Michael Goldfarb's War Canoe (USA, 17-5), awarded as the furthest team during the Daily Prizegiving presented by North Sails, and Peter Karrie's Nefeli (GER,5-22).

In Corinthian division, the ranking has slightly lengthened, with Marco Zammarchi's hull Taki 4 (ITA, 11-11) steered by Niccolo Bertola confirming himself as second Corinthian and sixth in the overall Top Ten, well ahead of the third, the before mentioned Blow, which is currently in thirteenth position in overall, lifting just two points from AleAli Eurocart (ITA, 14-13) by Barbara Bomben and Gianfranco Noe steering.

The Melges 24 European Championship will resume tomorrow: the plan is to sail another two races in order to start Saturday with just one race to sail to complete the series of ten races. Before this the sailors, race officials and people working in the event are awaited in Palazzo della Meridiana for the event gala dinner hosted by the Yacht Club Italiano tonight.

Quotes of the day:

"Awesome sailing, a beautiful city, and a really good job by the Race Committee: Melges 24 it's the place to be. Let me tell you, that it's been great to go sailing early in the morning: we had some special conditions and two great races. It was not a foregone conclusion, but the PRO took its responsibility and saved our day: many compliments to all," stated Michael Goldfarb, owner of War Canoe USA841.

"Today we were really focused, and we kept the tension high through all the morning. In the beginning of the second race, we had the feeling that the right side was better, but we were able to keep calm and work on details until the finish line, where it took a bit of luck to get it right on Strambapapà. We are very happy to be here: the event is great under every point of view and the Yacht Club Italiano is doing a great job to make us happy. We can't wait for the gala dinner of tonight," told Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic, owner of Universitas Nova CRO567.

"On the first start we had a really good beginning, and we were able to line up in front of the pack. Also, Mataran 24 had a super start, but we found a left shift and we reached the mark right in front of them. As soon as we hosted the kite, we were flown away by seventy meters instantly and from that moment we managed the situation to defend the margin and eventually to increase it. It was a great experience to be in front for all the race in a so competitive fleet. Melges 24 is an incredible boat to sail: I was sailing some other classes recently, but this is the one design to sail, no doubt at all on this! The ambience is friendly, and we have some incredible and competitive racing. We need to push for this, make the Melges 24 known even to the youngest and to those who, although passionate, never had the opportunity to surf the wave on this unique toy. This is the way to bring more owners in the game and to return on the big numbers of the past," stated Peder Neergard, owner of Blow NOR787.

Top 10 (5 races sailed, 1 discard):

ITA 689 STRAMBAPAPA' Michele Paoletti, Giovanna Micol, Pietro Perelli, Giulia Pignolo, Davide Bivi 3-1-3-4-(15)-4-2 17 pts
CRO 383 MATARAN 24 CORINTHIAN Ante Botica, Ivo Matic, Mario Skrlj, Damir Civadelic, Max Carija (16)-9-5-1-4-2-4 25 pts
ITA 693 MELGINA Paolo Brescia, Simon Sivitz Kosuta, Jas Farneti, Jan Bassi, Stefano Orlandi 9-3-7-6-(19)-3-3 31 pts
CRO 567 UNIVERSITAS NOVA Ivan Kljakovic Gaspic, Marin Golem, Filip Miroic, Mia Kljakovic Gaspic, Sime Markic 2-11-2-(13)-7-9-1 32 pts
ITA 722 ALTEA Andrea Racchelli, Gaudenzio Bonini, Michele Gregoratto, Rebecca Anderson, Matteo De Luca 4-2-4-8-12-(15)-7 37 pts
ITA 778 TAKI 4 CORINTHIAN Niccolò Bertola, Pietro Seghezza, Marco Zammarchi, Giacomo Fossati, Giovanni Bannetta 1-7-(31)-14-5-11-12 50 pts
USA 841 WAR CANOE Michael Goldfarb, Jonny Goldsberry, Matteo Ramian, Chris Rast, Andrea Serpi 6-4-6-(23)-13-17-5 51 pts
NOR 697 HELLY HANSEN LISA Kristoffer Spone, Christen Horn Johannessen, Børre Hekk Paulsen, Sigurd Hekk Paulsen 10-5-13-(25)-2-19-12 61 pts
GER673 NEFELI Peter Karrie, Alessandro Franci, Niccolo Bianchi, Saverio Cigliano, Alessandro Saettone 8-15-9-7-18-5-(22) 62 pts
ITA854 STIG Alessandro Rombelli, Giorgio Tortarolo, Matteo Ivaldi, Massimo Gherarducci, Federica Salva 7-12-15-16-(20)-7-6 63 pts

Corinthian Top 5 (5 races sailed, 1 discard):
CRO 383 MATARAN 24 CORINTHIAN Ante Botica, Ivo Matic, Mario Skrlj, Damir Civadelic, Max Carija (16)-9-5-1-4-2-4 25 pts
ITA 778 TAKI 4 CORINTHIAN Niccolò Bertola, Pietro Seghezza, Marco Zammarchi, Giacomo Fossati, Giovanni Bannetta 1-7-(31)-14-5-11-12 50 pts
NOR787 BLOW CORINTHIAN Peder Nergaard, Morten Helgesen, Petrus Eide, Eivind Rubinstein 12-6-25-(27)-10-1-19 73 pts
ITA139 AleAli EUROCART CORINTHIAN Gianfranco Noe, Barbara Bomben, Dean Bassi, Francesco Crichiutti, Federico Borghi (37BFD)-13-22-9-3-14-13 74 pts
ITA638 JECO TEAM CORINTHIAN Marco Cavallini, Paolo Cavallini, Gianni Cavallini, Fabrizio Milan, Thomas Vieider 26-21-(33)-10-1-13-8 79 pts