Ian Ainslie on top

Melges 24 competing in Hungary at the Balaton Spring Regatta

Taking two more bullets on the final day Ian Ainslie and his team on Strange Brew secured themselves the victory of the Balaton Melges 24 Spring Regatta, which is also the Melges 24 European Sailing Series second event, organised by the Balatonfüredi Yacht Club in cooperation with Hungarian Melges 24 Class Association and International Melges 24 Class Association.

After two days of tricky conditions on Hugary's Lake Balaton it was friendlier both to the sailors and organisers today. Race Committee left the dock as planned and got the first race of the day, the 8th in total, started at 10:00. While the northwesterly was blowing steadily at 12-14 knots, PRO Benedek Fluck set the first leg at 1.4 miles long. As the wind turned 30° to the left during the race, the Race Committee had to correct the course. Due to the wonderful conditions and even though the wind dropped during the second part of the race, Strange Brew was as the first boat over the finishing line after 50 minutes followed by Attila Bujaky's Hód and Miles Quinton's Gill Race Team in third.

The final race of the event was started five minutes after the last boat has been finished. The teams experienced even some gusts up to 30 knots during this race, but as it was beautifully sunny and warm outside, these were the excellent conditions for the Melges 24 boats. It felt even a bit like waist of the good conditions while the racing was finished around midday as the maximum number of races was executed thanks to the great job of the experienced Race Committee during all three racing days.

With the victory of the final race Ian Ainslie and Strange Brew scored eight points in total having six bullets in the series to claim the overall victory of the Balaton Melges 24 Spring Regatta. Strange Brew has been sailed by Ian Ainslie (helmsman), Botond Weöres, Örs Nemet and Matyas Budjoso.

Second place overall was taken by Gill Race Team on 16 points and also came out on top in Pro Am division. Gill Race Team was sailed by Marshall King (helmsman), Steve Norbury, William Goldsmith, Catherine Alton and Miles Quinton.

With consistent sailing and finishing third in the final race, the third place overall was claimed with 23 points by the Hungarian team Jedi Business, helmed by Peter Czegai with Henrik Hoffmann, Szabolcs Weöres and Andras Milbich as crew.

The second best Pro Am on Lake Balaton was the Ukrainian team Marusia with Oleg Dyvinets helming, crossing the finish line in the last race in second and fourth overall. In the Pro Am ranking the third podium place went to Attila Bujaky's Hód.

The third event of the Melges 24 European Sailing Series will be in two weeks in Riva del Garda, Italy as a joint event with the Audi tron Sailing Series.