24/6/2008 -  2008 IODA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP FRAGLIA VELA RIVA, LAKE GARDA, ITALY

Boats
have started arriving in great numbers for the Optimist European
Championship, to be held from Saturday 28 June to Saturday 5 July 2008
at Fraglia vela Riva, Riva del Garda, Italy. 240 boats are expected,
representing 5 continents and 38 countries, coming from as far away as
New Zealand, Japan, and Argentina. The boats will measure from the 28th
June, and a practice race is scheduled for 29th June followed by the
Team Meeting and Opening Ceremony. Championship racing commences on
30th June, with up to 12 races scheduled, with 3 races required to
constitute the Championship. It is anticipated that it will be a
closely fought battle throughout the fleet in this extremely
competitive and popular Regatta. For the boats that have arrived and
have been practising for a few days already, the weather has been
absolutely Riva-perfect, with sunny skies and the strong Northerly Ora
wind gradually gaining strength from midday and disappearing in time
for tea!