Melges 24 Pre-Worlds in the rain at Porto Cervo

'Melges 24 Worlds 2008' Paul Todd &copy

Italy's Alberto Bolzan, helming Gianni Catalogna's Pilot Italia was the victor in today's tough race on day one of the two day Melges 24 Pre-World Championship Regatta. Matthias Keller, helming Acqua for Gianluca Tribo, was second overall and won the Corinthian Division for the all amateur crews.

At the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda in Porto Cervo, Sardinia the teams competing for the Volvo Melges 24 World Championship 2008 experienced a typical Sardinian weather conditions as rain lashed the area on day one of the two day Pre-World Championship Regatta.

Despite the unpleasant weather thirty seven teams elected to take part in this first day of Pre-World competition and enjoyed one excellent and closely fought race.

Full results for the race are available at www.melges24worlds2008.com

For the rest of the 117 crews entered to compete in the Volvo Melges 24 World Championship today was a day of measurement and preparation. Chief Event Equipment Inspector Eros Agneli heads a large measurement team responsible for inspecting each of the boats competing in the regatta.

The bad weather meant that some outside operations, in particular boat weighing and measurement, had to be suspended for part of the day, but weighing will commence again first thing tomorrow and the team anticipate rapidly catching up with the backlog. Despite the rain sail measurement, crew weighing and safety checks were all able to continue and are on schedule.

To help the teams get around while they are in Porto Cervo event sponsor Volvo Cars Italy has also provided a fleet of some 20 chauffeured Volvo courtesy cars which are available to transport competitors daily until 7pm. The fleet includes cars from across the Volvo range and in addition the brand new Volvo XC60 will be on special preview display for competitors to inspect at the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda on Friday 6 June.

Tomorrow will see the conclusion of the Pre-World regatta and on Saturday 31 May there will be informal practice racing giving both the competitors and the Race Committee a final chance to tune up.

The Volvo Melges 24 World Championship 2008 commences on Sunday 1 June and runs through until Friday 6 June with twelve championship races scheduled. The 117 boat fleet will be split into four groups for an initial six race 'round robin' series before dividing into Gold and Silver fleets for the final six races.