Soling European Championship at Riva del Garda - Overall

HUN-11 wins the Soling European Championship 2017 © Elena Giolai / Fraglia Vela Riva

Soling European Championship 2017 podium © Elena Giolai / Fraglia Vela Riva

The Soling European Championships at Fraglia Vela Riva finished with the undisputed success of the Hungarians (already twice World Champions) Farkas, Vezer, Csaba after four sunny days of nostalgic sailing in varied wind conditions from 7-8 knots to 22-23 knots on day 2.

For HUN-11, the team helmed by Farkas Litkey, which after nine races left their opponent 12 points behind with the constant results of 1-2-2-2-3-7-8 (and a 12th as a discard) were the overwhelming victors. However, the battle for the top three has been thrilling until the last day of regatta. The forty Soling teams which competed on Lake Garda and brought back to Garda Trentino their elegant and vintage outlines remembered the enterprises of the Italian teams at the Olympic Games of the past and, more generally, on international level - as it was for the Fraglia's Gianni Torboli, who met again some of his opponents in the Los Angeles/Savannah Olympic Games. In fact, the Soling class was on Olympic programme from 1977 to 2000, and as match racing from 1992 to 2000.

The final ranking mirrors the top three of the Saturday provisional results; the Austrian Felzmann-Felzmann-Schuh finished second, and the Ukrainian Yuskho-Pichugin-Severianov third. These two teams competed neck-and-neck until the last race, sharing an equal final score.

Thanks to a great finish (1-1-1-5), the Canadian team formed by Peter and William Hall and Ross Findiater placed 4th, only one point away from the podium. They showed off their best abilities to sail in the lighter winds as it was on the last two days. The Italians fell behind the leading group; Bruno, Francesco and Marco Maffezzoli placed 17th, who after their false start never managed to reach the top positions (best results 7-9).

All participants were satisfied with the event organisation led by the Committee President Carlo Tosi and coordinated by the Fraglia Vela Riva staff, who allowed them to sail all the nine races as scheduled. Soon Fraglia Vela Riva will focus once again on the younger sailors with the upcoming regattas of the 420 and 470 classes, the Intervela, the 470 National event on August 2nd-3rd, and the Youth Open European Championships from 8th to 13th August.

Overall Results: