(Porto Cervo, Italy)- The One Ocean SAILING Champions League gets underway May 23rd in Porto Cervo. The international event is organized by the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, with the support of sponsor partner Audi. Twenty-four teams are participating, representing sixteen nations. The only Italian leg of the semi-finals will be followed by the qualification leg in Saint Petersburg, Russia from 4 to 7 July before the final takes place in Saint Moritz, Switzerland from 15 to 18 August.
The second qualifier of the SAILING Champions League, running until 26 May, will feature teams representing top European yacht clubs competing in short, hard-fought fleet races. The innovative formula for the event, introduced in 2013 in Germany and inspired by the format of football tournaments, allows for 15 flights for a total of 45 races - so that each of the teams competes with each of the others, alternating on the YCCS fleet of J/70 boats.
The sailing clubs represented include Austria (Yacht Club Breitenbrunn, Union Yachtclub Mondsee), Czech Republic (Truc Jacht Klub Plzeň), Estonia (Eesti Match Race Liit), Finland (Åländska Segelsällskapet, Wasa Segelförening), France (Société des Régates du Havre, Société de Regates Rochelaises), Germany (Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee), Italy (Circolo della Vela Bari), Lithuania (Nauticus Sailing Club), Netherlands (RR&ZV Maas & Roer, KNZ&RV Muiden), Norway (Larvik Seilforening ), Poland (SEJK Pogon Szczecin, Odyssey Sailing Club), Portugal (Club Naval de Cascais), Slovenia (JK Aurora), Sweden (Särö Båtklubb, KSSS-Kungliga Svenska Segelsällskapet, Hjuviks Båtklubb), Switzerland (Regattaclub Bodensee, Seglervereinigung Kreuzlingen), and United Kingdom (Wessex (Exiles) Sailing Club).
Among the teams present in Porto Cervo is the title-holder from 2018, the Circolo Vela Bari, led by Simone Ferrarese. He commented, "We are looking forward to racing in Porto Cervo again and competing with the best teams in Europe. We're going to try and have fun like we did in 2018! Of course, we want to do our best, we'll see how it ends."
During race days, participants will be made aware of environmental issues and issues related to marine pollution. Events are scheduled with the aim of promoting the mission of the One Ocean Foundation and the principles of the Charta Smeralda: the code of good practice published at the conclusion of the One Ocean Forum in 2017, which the presidents of the participating Clubs have been invited to sign.
In 2017, when the YCCS celebrated its 50th anniversary, the yacht club launched the One Ocean environmental sustainability project. The initiative, strongly supported by Princess Zahra Aga Khan, is focused on safeguarding the marine environment. Jan Pachner, Secretary General of YCCS commented: “We are happy to be able to promote the principles of the One Ocean Foundation and the Charta Smeralda through events such as the SAILING Champions League, raising awareness with all the participants in the regatta, who represent 24 of the top yacht clubs in Europe, on safeguarding the sea.” More information on the One Ocean Foundation and the Charta Smeralda ethical code are available on www.1ocean.org.
Edoardo Recchi, Sports Director of YCCS, commented: “This will be our fifth SCL regatta and we expect the traditional sportsmanship and fair racing from the clubs that are gathering here from all around Europe.”
YCCS Commodore Riccardo Bonadeo declared: "I would like to wish fair winds to all the teams that have come to Porto Cervo from all over Europe to compete in the name of their Club. We are pleased to host events such as the SAILING Champions League, where the atmosphere is genuinely sporting, and to be able to share with the SCL organization our commitment to promoting the principles of the Charta Smeralda through awareness of marine pollution."
Livestream and results by SAP
As with all SAILING Champions League events, the final two days of racing on Saturday and Sunday will be live broadcasted by SAP from 12:00 hrs (UTC+2), with expert commentators providing blow-by-blow analysis of the racing, aided by the detail provided by SAP Sailing Analytics. The SAP Sailing Analytics provide 24/7 additional statistics and data for sailors, fans, spectators and media like GPS tracking, real-time analysis, live leaderboard combined with 2D visualization. You find all results on sapsailing.com! For more One Ocean SAILING Champions League Porto Cervo sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.
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