Moths to fly at high altitude

Backed by Syz & Co, the European championship is to be held on Lake Silvaplana in mid-August

The 2010 Moth European Championship will take place this year over 15-21 August in the Swiss Alps near St-Moritz, on Silvaplana Lake, well-known for its exceptional wind conditions. The Bank Syz & Co have agreed to be title sponsor of the event, to be held in an idyllic setting where the 'maloja' (regional strong thermal wind) will welcome the best Moths sailors in the world for a competition already expected to be spectacular.

Syz & CO, already support several racing boats as well as Leman Sailing Speed Records on Lake Geneva, and will be the Title Sponsor of the competition: “We have been supporting the sailing speed quest for many years and these amazing racing boats are the perfect expression of this search for performance, through technology, innovation and audacity”, says Ricardo Payro, Bank Syz & Co Communication Director. “We are very pleased to give the public the opportunity to see the breathtaking show these sailing virtuosos from all around the world will offer in the enchanting setting of Silvaplana.”

The championship will begin on 15 August with an exhibition race on St-Moritz lake: a 'Dash for Cash' regatta, a sailing sprint with elimination rounds, and prize money. The show is guaranteed with a single leg and a windward start, followed by four gybes, only a few meters from the shore.

The following day, the competitors will move a few kilometres away to Silvaplana lake for the Europeans themselves. Located at an altitude of almost 2000m, this lake is known for its crystal-clear water, and for its constant thermal winds helped by the shape of the valley, especially in the summer.