The Audi Melges 20 is a smash hit in Europe! Check out these very cool photos from the 2009 Big Blue Rome Boatshow! Special thanks to Melges Europe’s Luisa Bambozzi for sending out these really cool images!
Tom and Karen Richardson take delivery of their beautiful brand new Audi Melges 20!
New Audi Melges 20’s are keeping Zenda warm these days as new boats are leaving our facility. Tom Richardson and his wife Karen drove up to Melges to pick up their new Audi Melges 20. Tom and Karen are from Tennessee, but plan to race and sail the boat all over, including Melbourne, Florida. The other boat all wrapped up is Eric Wynsma’s. Eric is from Grand Rapids, Michigan and is part of the Macatawa Bay Fleet — site of the 2009 Audi Melges 20 U.S. National Championship. Eric would be in the photo however he went to check out the epic iceboating conditions on Lake Geneva.
New boats out the door! One-Design Racing is up next!
Thank you Tom, Karen and Eric!
The Audi Melges 20 At The 2009 Big Blue Rome Boatshow
The third edition of the Big Blue Rome Boat Show is underway right now in Rome, Italy and sitting front and center is the Melges 20 and Melges 24 one design sportboats, organized by the FIV (Italian Sailing Federation). Since the boatshow’s inception in 2007, hundreds of thousands of visitors have circulated the boatshow floor.
The Audi Melges 20 is a focal point of interest and is the ‘boat to see’ at in Rome. Please top by and see the Audi Melges 20 and the Melges 24 in person, as well as visit with the staff of Melges Europe. They are on hand and ready to show you the boats and answer your questions.
A very special thank you to the Benedetto Giallongo and his Audi Melges 20 Value Team, and Michele Vaccari for making their boats available to us to have at the show!
A full FORM APPENDIX is available online at melges20.com. Inside, find racing essentials such as the current class RULES and HELMSMAN APPLICATION. Check it out!
Great Success Of Melges At The Budapest Boat Show
The 2009 Budapest Boat Show was the first boat show in Europe to host all three popular Melges sportboats on one stand. The new Audi Melges 20 was accompanied by the popular Melges 24 and Melges 32 exhibited by the Hungarian Melges Class Association with the support of Devoti Sailing and Melges Europe, distributors of Melges boats in Europe and X Sailing, the sole dealer of Melges boats in Hungary.
The 18th Budapest Boat Show took place at the HungExpo Exhibition Center 12-15 February. Over 18,000 visitors, 150 boats and yachts were on display. The big star of the motor boat category was the Ferretti Yachts, while Melges was recognized as the coolest and most modern sailboats in the world.
The Hungarian Melges 24 Class Association was formed in 2008 where there are currently 8 racing in Hungary. The first Melges 24 One Design Trophy will take place this year at Lake Balaton, consisting of five events over five weekends between April and September 2009. The first International Melges 24 regatta will take place in Balatonlelle 1-3 May.
The first Melges 32 will be introduced on Hungarian waters at the Blue Ribbon race in mid summer, where over 500 boats will sail around the lake to see who can complete it in the shortest period of time.
The all brand new Audi Melges 20 experienced yet another amazing milestone this past weekend. Nine super hot, very cool 20-ft sportboats by Melges took to the gorgeous waters where the 2009 Credit Suisse Primo Cup Regatta on February 7-8, hosted by Yacht Club de Monaco took place. Congratulations are in order for Benedetto Gialongo and his ITA-112 Value Team consisting of Giulio Desiderato, Enrico Fonda and Alessandro Saettone are the 2009 Melges 20 Primo Cup Champions!
Benedetto was one of the very first individuals to purchase an Audi Melges 20. “When I took delivery of my new boat, Giorgio Tortarolo and Federico Michetti were on hand overseeing every detail. They are all-around professionals, at your disposal with the objective of making sure that I was happy and would have fun.” said Gialongo prior to sailing the Primo Cup. Needless to say he was very excited to race in full fleet conditions. Two other pioneers of the Audi Melges 20 in Europe also competed at the Primo Cup — Nicolo Saidelli on ITA-99 Bloody Melges 20 and Riccardo Pontremoli on ITA-111 Trikia.
In second overall and another key pioneer of this very young fleet, Filippo Pacinotti and his ITA-105 Brontolo. Aboard this determined team was crew members Matteo Ivaldi calling tactics, Marco Laurino and Camilla Bert. In third was 2008 Melges 32 Audi Sailing Series Champion Claudio Recchi on ITA-93 Team 93 that included the talents of tactician Andrea Felci and Melges Europe’s Federico Michetti.
Of the nine teams in attendance, four of Water Tribe’s five (ITA-106-110) Audi Melges 20s competed. Water Tribe is a organization that operates a sailing school and specifically dedicates its efforts to strengthening crews match racing and team building skills. They’re intension is to included the Audi Melges 20 in their upcoming programs.
Forming the Water Tribe armada was Luca Bacci at the helm of ITA-109, notable Melges 32 owner Francesco Martino on ITA-110 Pilot Italia, Federico Albano on ITA-106 Belzebu and Alessandro Molla on ITA-108 Lucifero.
Teams enjoyed an interesting mix of conditions beginning with Saturday’s rain and light air. Three races were finally completed but with continued light wind and large waves. But, Sunday produced some amazing sailing conditions and two races with sun and decent breeze. The last race was amazing as the wind built to 15 mph allowing for some great planning opportunities.
FULL RESULTS
1.) Benedetto Gialongo, ITA-112 Value Team
2.) Filippo Pacinotti, ITA-105 Brontolo
3.) Claudio Recchi, ITA-93 Team 93
4.) Luca Bacci, ITA-109
5.) Francesco Martino, ITA-110 Pilot Italia
6.) Federico Albano, ITA-106 Belzebu
7.) Riccardo Pontremoli, ITA-111 Trikia
8.) Nicolo Saidelle, ITA-99 Bloody Melges 20
9.) Alessandro Molla, ITA-108 Lucifero
Now that the racing is history at the 2009 Primo Cup, hosted by Yacht Club de Monaco all that is left are these simply gorgeous photos of the beautiful Audi Melges 20 at its first official regatta!
Congratulations to all of the competitors that traveled and raced their brand new Audi Melges 20s!!!
©2009 Carlo Borlenghi
©2009 Carlo Borlenghi
©2009 Carlo Borlenghi
VIEW MORE BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS FROM CARLO BORLENGHI
The 2009 Primo Cup is where the brand new Audi Melges 20 races for the first time as an official fleet — the perfect springboard for launching this highly anticipated sportboat. Nine teams were on the starting line, each and every one with it’s own set of goals and strategies on how to win the very first Melges 20 regatta, amongst them is 2008 Melges 32 Audi Sailing Series Champion Claudio Recchi on ‘Team 93′.
CHECK OUT THESE PHOTOS PRODUCED BY LEGENDARY PHOTOGRAPHER CARLO BORLENGHI.
The 2009 Audi Melges 20 racing season is just days away! Hype up on some cool new photos of the 8 Audi Melges 20s that went sailing this past weekend with Melges Europe’s Federico Michetti as he conducted a Tune-Up Session this in Varazze!
Check it out!
A special congratulations to the pioneers!
Water Tribe – a sailing school and company that organizes regattas and events take ownership of ITA 106 – 107 – 108 – 109 – 110!
Benedetto Giallongo
ITA 112
Giuseppe Pontremoli
ITA-111
Nicolo Saidelli
ITA-99
Copyright © 2008 International Melges 20 Class Association