Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2024: White Room, Angry Dragon shine at Melges 24 Austrian Champs

by International Melges 24 Class Association 3 Jun 2024 21:09 BST September 27 - October 4, 2024

Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2024 - Attersee, Austria © Francesca Rossetto

The picturesque Lake Attersee set the stage for the Melges 24 Austrian Championship over the first weekend of June, marking the fourth event in the 2024 Melges 24 European Sailing Series.

Hosted and organized by the Segelclub Kammersee, the regatta saw fierce competition among twelve teams, culminating in a triumphant victory for the German team, White Room. Meanwhile, the coveted Austrian Champion title was claimed by Angry Dragon.

White Room (GER677) of Michael Tarabochia - Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2024 - Attersee, Austria - photo © Francesca Rossetto

The Melges 24 regatta on Lake Attersee has been a celebrated tradition for years, drawing boats from Austria and Southern Germany. Despite challenging weather conditions this year, the event continued to uphold its legacy.

The regatta's first two days were characterized by uninterrupted rain, yet the determined sailors pressed on. The first day saw three intense races, with the competition reaching new heights on the second day as four races were contested amidst winds of 6-8 m/s, truly testing the participants' skills. The final day added one more race to the tally. The wind conditions were challenging, with many wind shifts and 6-18 knots wind speeds.

Angry Dragon (AUT752) of Norbert Voith - Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2024 - Attersee, Austria - photo © Francesca Rossetto

The German team White Room, led by Luis Tarabochia and owned by Michael Tarabochia, left an indelible mark on the event, finishing with a remarkable record of seven first-place finishes and one second-place result, which was discarded. Michael Schineis' team Pure secured second place with 24 points, while Norbert Voith's Angry Dragon took third place with 26 points.

The Austrian Championship title, reserved for teams with a full Austrian crew, was awarded to Norbert Voith's Angry Dragon. Michael Luschan's team on AUT502, tied on points, secured second place, while Helmut Gottwald's ORCA completed the Austrian Championship podium with 31 points.

AUT502 of Michael Luschan - Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2024 - Attersee, Austria - photo © Francesca Rossetto

Michael Tarabochia, IM24CA Member Europe and owner of White Room, commented on the event: "Despite a very bad weather forecast and the many problems related to flooding in southern Germany and Austria, we had a very good regatta weekend as expected. Eight fair races were sailed. The race committee did a good job, and the Sailing Club Kammersee was very friendly and cared for the sailors' needs. The weather conditions on the second day, with four races, demanded everything from the teams. The sunshine came just in time for the award ceremony."

ORCA (AUT837) of Helmut Gottwald - Melges 24 European Sailing Series 2024 - Attersee, Austria - photo © Francesca Rossetto

Despite the weather challenges, the event was a resounding success, showcasing exceptional hospitality ashore and outstanding race management on the water. This regatta added another memorable chapter to the Melges 24 European Sailing Series.

The series will continue with the Grundig Hankø Race Week in Norway from June 29 to July 1, followed by the next event, ITA Melges24Tour Act 2 in Riva del Garda, Italy, on July 5-7.