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15 April 2005, 12:40 pm

Spring Preview

International Melges 24 Class Association News

Emsworth, Great Britain

April, May and June are the busiest months in this year's Melges 24 calendar. Key events include the US, French, German, Swedish and UK Nationals.

This weekend Melges 24 sailors are spoilt for choice. In Europe there's the Musto Ski Yachting in Oslo, Norway where 13 Melges teams will be competing including Olympic gold medallist Siren SUNDBY (NOR) and her team which includes Kjetil Andre AAMODT and Lasse KJUS, who between them have four Olympic and seven World Championship golds.

Over in the USA the action is focused on the West Coast with the Resin Regatta in San Francisco and the Puget Sound Sailing Regatta in Washington.

The weekend of 22-24 April brings the latest event in the hugely popular Italian Volvo Cup series. This time sailors will be in beautiful Bari on the Adriatic Coast.

The first National Championship of the year is the 2005 Carloan.com US Nationals being run in association with the Annapolis NOOD from 29 April-1 May. With the USA teams already seriously in training for the Ocean Reef Worlds, this year's turn out is set to break records with the entry now heading for 45-50 boats.

The following weekend there is a European double header with the French and German Nationals. The French Nationals are being held in association with the big SIV Regatta in La Rochelle from 5-8 May. As we head towards the 2006 World Championship in Hyeres the French fleet is gaining in strength once again and with plenty of overseas visitors expected this should be a great regatta. The LIROS Ropes German Nationals will run from 5-7 May at Tutzing on Lake Starnberg. With entries from Germany, Switzerland and Italy expected this will be another great event with the added interest of a lakes location.

For sailors looking to get in some early practice for the Europeans, the UK Fleet are running two back to back open meetings in Torquay on the weekends of 7-8 May and 14-15 May.

From 27-29 May Borstahusens, Malmo will be home to the Swedish Nationals, the first of Scandinavia's big events.

The opening June event is the Detroit NOOD, hosted by the Bayview YC, Detroit Michigan, USA from 3-5 June. The mid-west fleet continues to go from strength to strength and all the big players will be in attendance.

Next up it is Torbole Melges Week on Lake Garda, Italy from 9-12 June. The event has always held a special place in the International Melges 24 calendar with it's amazing scenery and to-die-for conditions.

This year's Condor Ferries UK Nationals are being held in St. Helier on the beautiful island of Jersey from 15-18 June.

The final June event is the Long Beach Race Week. The west coast fleet will be out in force for the regatta which runs from 24-26 June, with everyone keen to get in practice for the World Championship.