PHOTO GALLERY August 21, 2019

Champions League

The Champions Sailing League final was held in Switzerland

Competitions do not reach the title of the highest mountain regatta in Eurasia. Lake St Moritz is located just 48 metres below the Chechen Kezenoi Am, at 1,822 metres above sea level.

These days St. Moritz could be considered the «top of the world» not only by geography, but also by sport principle. The regatta was attended by 24 teams, each of which can rightfully hold the title of one of the best in sailing. Eight of them were selected at the qualifying stage in Mallorca on May 9-12, seven - in Porto Cervo (Italy) on May 23-26 and six more - in St. Petersburg on July 4-7. All stages, including the final, took place on J/70 boats in crew quarters. Teams of five were allowed by the rules only for fully ladies' teams. As a result, only ten out of more than 20 countries of the league got to the finals: Australia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy (2018 Circolo della Vela Bari champions), Russia, Holland, France and Austria.

Most of the time in Switzerland was again occupied by qualification races. Only the four best teams in 17 starts were eligible to compete for the League silver trophy. They were Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (Australia), Kaløvig Bådelaug (Denmark) and Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (Germany) and Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub (Denmark). The decisive races between the four were planned to have up to two victories by one of the teams. However, instead of four maximum possible starts only two were needed. The Australians, who were only in fourth place in the qualification races, won both final races. Ironically, the winning team almost gave up the idea of going to these competitions because they couldn't get the crew together. Last year's champions, the Italians of Circolo della Vela Bari, this year took only 7th place.

Second place both before and after the decisive final races went to the German club Norddeutscher Regatta Verein. The Danish team Kaløvig Bådelaug, which led after 17 qualifying starts, has only bronze this year.

The second Danish team, Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub, had to settle for only fourth place.

The only team from Sweden lacked five points to make it to the finals.

And the Swiss Seglervereinigung Kreuzlingen is in sixth place.

Russia was represented at these competitions by three crews at once: PIRogovo (8th place),«Leviathan» (17th place) and «Yacht Club of St. Petersburg (»19th place).

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Alpine regatta

Competitions do not reach the title of the highest mountain regatta in Eurasia. Lake St Moritz is located just 48 metres below the Chechen Kezenoi Am, at 1,822 metres above sea level.

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St. Moritz - top of the world

These days St. Moritz could be considered the «top of the world» not only by geography, but also by sport principle. The regatta was attended by 24 teams, each of which can rightfully hold the title of one of the best in sailing. Eight of them were selected at the qualifying stage in Mallorca on May 9-12, seven - in Porto Cervo (Italy) on May 23-26 and six more - in St. Petersburg on July 4-7. All stages, including the final, took place on J/70 boats in crew quarters. Teams of five were allowed by the rules only for fully ladies' teams. As a result, only ten out of more than 20 countries of the league got to the finals: Australia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy (2018 Circolo della Vela Bari champions), Russia, Holland, France and Austria.

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Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron

Most of the time in Switzerland was again occupied by qualification races. Only the four best teams in 17 starts were eligible to compete for the League silver trophy. They were Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (Australia), Kaløvig Bådelaug (Denmark) and Norddeutscher Regatta Verein (Germany) and Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub (Denmark). The decisive races between the four were planned to have up to two victories by one of the teams. However, instead of four maximum possible starts only two were needed. The Australians, who were only in fourth place in the qualification races, won both final races. Ironically, the winning team almost gave up the idea of going to these competitions because they couldn't get the crew together. Last year's champions, the Italians of Circolo della Vela Bari, this year took only 7th place.

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Kaløvig Bådelaug и North German Regatta Association

Second place both before and after the decisive final races went to the German club Norddeutscher Regatta Verein. The Danish team Kaløvig Bådelaug, which led after 17 qualifying starts, has only bronze this year.

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Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub

The second Danish team, Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub, had to settle for only fourth place.

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Kungeliga Svenska Segelsällskapet

The only team from Sweden lacked five points to make it to the finals.

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Kreuzlingen Sailors' Association

And the Swiss Seglervereinigung Kreuzlingen is in sixth place.

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PIRogovo

Russia was represented at these competitions by three crews at once: PIRogovo (8th place),«Leviathan» (17th place) and «Yacht Club of St. Petersburg (»19th place).

Text by: Anastasiya Nosova

Image courtesy of: Sailing Energy

The 2019 Sailing Champions League final was held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, from August 15 to 18. Last year's champions failed to defend their title, while the Russians, although not among the medalists, still managed to be in the top ten.