Official Audi Melges 20 Blog

Kindly furnished by Adesso Vela’s Filippo Pacinotti –

Hi folks,

This is the best way to start the Audi Melges 20 blog. Trust me!

Ladies and gentleman please fasten your seatbelts and get ready to surf!

Melges Europe delivered the first Melges 20 just a few hours ago. The boat is ready has been finely tuned and organized by Federico Michetti in Varazze. Fourteen months later, Melges was right – it has been worth the wait!

Cut all the conversation about price, China, rumors and lobbying — let’s roll! Mr. Giorgio Tortarolo is the master of Melges boats and has been working really hard to double check every little thing to perfection. Mr. “Miscetti” is on the mast with intent of getting all the equipment and accessories just right. You can see the passion and attention in their faces and care of details. You immediately have the feeling that the people with whom you have been working with for a year on the phone are all-around professionals, at your disposal with the objective of making sure that the owner is happy and will have fun onboard the boat.

In short, everything is perfect. Celle Ligure does not seem even to be in a yard, walking over the boat barefoot, up the boat and into it. It’s always the usual questions and answers. They are all euphoric, Benedetto Giallongo is the first Audi Melges 20 owner in Italy!

Mr. Tortarollo did a wonderful job on the trailer for transporting the boat. Safe and secure, he paid special attention to the bulb area. To avoid stress on the mast, the Melges Europe staff realized that a fiberglass trailer saddle would be really useful and practical. In 25 minutes the boat was assembled, mast put in place with two people, and another 10 minutes to fit the sheets and tune the boat.

Only a few more hours before the Tune-Up meeting in Varazze takes place.

- Benedetto Giallongo, Audi Melges 20 ITA-112

P.S. A healthy bottle of champagne is standing by in Celle — we will really enjoy it!!!

Visit Melges Performance Sailboats at the 2009 Strictly Sailboat Show at Chicago’s famous Navy Pier venue. On display is the HOT Audi Melges 20!!! Visit booth Number 230!!!

Check out these cool shots supplied by Melges CEO — Harry Melges:

Europe is ramping up for the very first time that the Audi Melges 20 will sail as a fleet at the 2009 Primo Cup. Filippo Pacinotti’s Adesso Vela announced today that he and his Brontolo Sailing Squad are back sailing after a long, cold Italian winter.

Filippo states that even though he has been focused on sailing his Melges 32 in 2008, they are expected to be on the line with a brand new Audi Melges 20. Onboard with Filippo (helming) is Matteo Ivaldi calling tactics and Marco Laurino as tailer.

Rumor has it that 10 Audi Melges 20s will be racing at the event. Great fun is guaranteed. The Brontolo Sailing Squad is supported by Yacht Club Milano, AB Medica and Nautiservice. Special thanks to Melges Europe for making this happen.

Stay tuned to this blog and melges20.com for reports, also they will be available at Adesso Vela!

The Audi Melges 20 has arrived at the Navy Pier in Chicago, Ill. for this weekend’s Chicago Strictly Sailboat show! Here she is — Simplified Sophistication. Ready to be unwrapped and ready to show off all its infinite coolness!

LIVE from Chicago’s Navy Pier!

Happening this Thursday (Jan. 29) thru Sunday (Feb. 1) – the all, brand new Audi Melges 20 will be live and in person at the 2009 Strictly Sail Boat Show in Chicago at its famous Navy Pier!

Visit Booth No. 230

Other boats on display include the brand new Melges MC Scow — fresh and hot off the assembly line in Zenda, the Melges 24 and Melges 32.

Don’t miss out on 10% off all North Sails orders while at the show. Offers are good until February 1!

Always open, 24-7, 365 days a year is Melges.com — shop online today!

The Audi Melges 20 really stole the show in Key West, with its older siblings, larger and super fast — the Melges 24 and Melges 32 stood strong and witnessed another major accomplishment. The sporty newcomer is the latest brain child of Melges Performance Sailboats, designed by Reichel Pugh and built by McConaghy — now internationally sponsored by Audi.

Riccardo Simoneschi revealed the signed, sealed and dealed agreement on Wednesday night to a flocking crowd of Melges diehards. To accompany the good news, some video was taken just the day before as it sported its new ‘Audi Melges 20′ cockpit tank and mainsail nomenclature.

http://www.youtube.com/user/IM20CA

The Audi Melges 20 is a STAR! Just announced in Key West – LIVE AT THE MELGES ROCKS PARTY – In Key West Florida where the Melges 24s and Melges 32s are gathered to celebrate the greatest, most competitive, one design sailing in the WORLD!

http://www.youtube.com/IM20CA

Congratulations to Franco Rossini and Blu Moon as they are the 2008 Melges 24 World Ranking Champions and to Brian Porter on Full Throttle – 2008 North American Ranking Champion!

Congratulations to Jeff Ecklund on STAR as they are the 2008 Melges 32 World Ranking Champions!!!

Melges Performance Sailboats and Melges Europe are proud to announce that Audi has officially been named international title sponsor for the Melges 20. “From the very start, our goal for the Audi Melges 20 was to deliver a boat that was simplistic and sophisticated. With this sponsorship, it has taken another major step toward that goal, ultimately securing its place in sailing history,” said Harry Melges, CEO of Melges Performance Sailboats. “For Audi Melges 20 owners, this level of support could not come at a more opportune time.”

“This new agreement for exclusive worldwide titling came about through the express desire and initiative of Audi Italy,” said Riccardo Simoneschi, chairman of B-Plan, one of Europe’s top sports marketing agencies. “For many years, Audi has hosted the top names in international sailing. It is this level of commitment that has made Audi a visionary in the sport of sailing. They wanted to be associated with the latest and most anticipated one design boat by Melges, a name that needs no introduction.”

For Audi, this sponsorship further represents their continued involvement and dedication to the arena of competitive sailing. With this support, in Audi tradition, they look forward to contributing to the technical and competitive growth of the Audi Melges 20. This is yet another distinct opportunity to explore and encourage the development of all forms of yachting competition.

With this announcement, the Audi Melges 20 International Class joins its larger keelboat counterpart, the Melges 32 — the star of the last season’s Audi Sailing Series in Europe. This regatta circuit, which continues in 2009, is a true culmination of more than a decade of experience and provided support to other classes.

Cohesive partnerships thus far have made the Audi Melges 20 a great success. McConaghy Boats, one of world’s most prestigious boat manufacturers was announced as the official builder and introduced to the global market place as designed by the legendary Reichel Pugh Yacht Design.

The Audi Melges 20 is 2009 One Design Boat of the Year by Sailing World Magazine.

Island Dogs Bar
8:30-until…

Be there and enjoy the sounds of Hello Dave!!

BIG News announcement happens tonight with the Melges 20!!! Stay tuned to this Blog…

The Melges 20 is in Key West. This fun, fast, super sleek sportboat is on display in front of the Melges hospitality tent! If you haven’t yet, now’s your chance to see it up close.

Stay close to this blog as well as melges20.com, melges.com and melgeseurope.com as BIG news is coming soon on the Melges 20.