Onorato’s ‘Mascalzone Latino’ Wins 2016 Melges 32 Europeans, Goransson Crowned Overall Sailing Series® Champion . In a very dramatic last race, Onorato goes on to win European Championship, Goransson awarded Sailing Series® Championship honors, Kim Haugaard/Jan Madsen’s Challenger wins Corinthian European title. In down-to-the-wire classic Lake Garda, competitive, Melges 32 racing style, the final day of the final act of the 2016 Sailing Series® presented an epic challenge. In the end, it was Vincenzo Onorato’s Mascalzone Latino that rose to the occasion, winning his second ever Melges 32 European Championship title!
The Melges 32
“After two years away from racing, it is an honor and brings great satisfaction to win the European Championship,” said Onorato post racing. “Yesterday, I told my team that after having a difficult time, what matters most is to keep on celebrating the event itself, and to keep giving your best, right up until the very end. And, this is what they did. I am very proud of my team because they were always focused and consistent. They gave everything they had to overcome some of the strongest teams with big names in the international sailing world as well as the America’s Cup.”
Onorato’s team proudly included multiple Melges 32 World Champion tactician Cameron Appleton, and crew Flavio Favini, Stefano Ciampalini, Lorenzo de Felice, Daniele Fiaschi, Filippo La Mantia and Matteo Savelli.
For overnight leader Matteo Balestrero sailing Giogi, it was a hard fought battle from the start to finish as runner-up. Balestrero, new to the fleet in 2016, ends the European sailing season on a very high-note with tactician Andrea Casale, Daniele Cassinari, Francesco di Caprio, Elio Borio, Davide di Maio, Cristiano Gianetti and Leone Taddei.
Finishing third overall, Richard Goransson’s Inga From Sweden has won his first ever major Melges 32 Series title. Goransson, along with tactician Vasco Vascotto and crew Giovanni Cassinari, Federico Michetti, Cesare Bozzetti, Marco Carpinello, Gosse de Boer and Alex Sinclair are the 2016 Melges 32 Sailing Series® Champions!
“We are extremely happy, super happy to have won the Sailing Series®. Both Vincenzo and Matteo have been tough competitors, and to have won over those teams after four events makes us very proud and satisfied,” said Inga Trimmer/Team Manager Federico Michetti.
And a very special congratulations to 2016 Melges 32 Corinthian European Champion Kim Haugaard at the helm of Jan Madsen’s Challenger from Denmark. Fellow Corinthian competitor Martin Reintjes sailing Caipirinha was a close second.
Rounding out the top five was Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio on G-SPOT, and Andrea Lacorte on Vitamina respectively finishing fourth and fifth overall.
The Melges 32
The one and only race completed today was full of surprises. A short postponement gave way to a nice building breeze for the start of Race 10. Playing the pressure best was Russia’s Pavel Kutznetsov aboard Tavatuy to grab an early lead, chased heavily by Edoardo Pavesio at the helm of Fra Martina, Lasse Petterson on Pippa and Ahmet Eker on Eker. While Kutznetsov pulled away for the win, a big battle between Pavesio and Petterson ensued as Onorato gained momentum. Pavesio prevailed to place second, Petterson was third, Onorato held on to finish fourth giving him a one point advantage to win the event.
UP NEXT : BACK IN THE U.S.A.
The 2016 U.S. National Championship is up next. Taking place in Newport, RI on August 19-21, the Nationals is one of the best and stacking up to be one of the most fun Melges 32 events of the year. This is a great warm-up event to the forthcoming World Championship hosted by Sail Newport on September 29 – October 2.
TOP FIVE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS (FINAL – After Ten Races, One Discard)
1.) Vincenzo Onorato/Cameron Appleton, Mascalzone Latino, 2-3-1-7-5-7-2-[11]-7-4 = 38
2.) Matteo Balestrero/Andrea Casale, Giogi; 4-2-5-[9]-9-1-1-5-3-9 = 39
3.) Richard Goransson/Vasco Vascotto, Inga From Sweden; [10]-6-3-2-4-3-3-7-5-8 = 41
4.) Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio/Branko Brcin, G-SPOT; 1-7-7-3-7-8-[13]-3-6-7 = 49
5.) Andrea LaCorte/Carlo Fracassoli, Vitamina; [12]-4-9-5-10-2-6-1-8-5 = 50
View Full European Championship Results
Visit the Official Yachtscoring Event Website
TOP FIVE RESULTS SAILING SERIES® RESULTS (FINAL – After Four Events, 34 Races)
1.) Richard Goransson, Inga From Sweden = 110 pts.
2.) Matteo Balestrero, Giogi = 115 pts.
3.) Vincenzo Onorato, Mascalzone Latino = 118 pts.
4.) Lasse Petterson, Pippa = 136 pts.
5.) Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio, G-SPOT = 139 pts.
