Friday, September 1, 2017

J/70 SAILING Champions League- St Moritz Preview

J/70s sailing St Moritz(St Moritz, Switzerland)- Europe´s sailing elite will meet at the Segel-Club St. Moritz for the SAILING Champions League during the first weekend of September- the 1st to the 3rd. Teams like the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club (SAILING Champions League winners 2015 and Norwegian champions 2016), the Yacht Club Bregenz (Austrian Champions 2015 and 2016), and the hosts, Segel-Club St. Moritz will be among the participants. Altogether 28 clubs will come to St. Moritzersee to qualify for the final in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. So, lots to look forward to as the top teams from the best sailing clubs in Europe face-off over the weekend in this gorgeous, picturesque Alpine setting nestled in a long valley.

For the first time in SAILING Champions League (SCL) history, the participants have the chance to prove their skills on this outstanding sailing area in St. Moritz. Quick maneuvers, excellent tactics, and perfect boat handling are demanded on the St. Moritzersee, which is only 600 meters wide!

One of the favorites in Switzerland is the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club who won the SAILING Champions League in 2015. They were Norwegian Champions last year and want to prove this year that they are right on track for this international field. Their crew is composed of Kristoffer Spone, Sigurd Hekk Paulsen, and Lars Horn Johannesen.

J/70s sailing St Moritz, SwitzerlandFurthermore, top sailors from different Olympic and International classes will crew the boats during this internationally respected competition to win the European Champion´s bowl. Among others Michael Meister (SCTWV Achensee)- the Austrian 470-champion; Hendrik Kadelbach (Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee)- the German 470-champion U21; and Bo Petersen (Hellerup Yachtclub, Denmark)- the European Dinghy-champion in 2016. High-classed sailors, short races, identical J/70 class sailboats, and a standardized course will guarantee a thrilling weekend in St. Moritz.

St. Moritz is one of the most famous holiday destinations in the world, it was twice host city for the Winter Olympics, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its name is synonymous worldwide with style, elegance and class.

Some places on earth are simply unlike anywhere else. The mere mention of their name is strangely compelling and brings to mind all manner of stunning imagery. St. Moritz is one such place. And, that’s not just because this is where James Bond dashed down the ski slopes in the movie- “The Spy Who Loved Me!” For it was here, 1,856 metres above sea level, in the heart of the spectacular Upper Engadin lakes district, that the notion of winter holidays and present-day winter sports were born, and where Olympic Winter Games were held on two occasions. The first electric light, the first skiing school, and Switzerland’s first electric tram are among the pioneering feats in St. Moritz’s long list of achievements. And yet, St. Moritz originally rose to prominence due its mineral springs, which have been attracting visitors for more than 3,000 years, and lay the foundation for its spa tradition.

Today, St. Moritz is the number one alpine holiday destination. The sun-kissed Alpine metropolis on the south-facing flank of the Alps boasts an airport, the Engadin Airport, and it is the terminus of both the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express – two names that stand for quintessential classic train travelling. When UNESCO bestowed the accolade of World Heritage Site on the Rhaetian Railway’s Albula and Bernina train lines in 2008, St. Moritz became the only destination in the world to unite both the Olympic Games and the UNESCO labels.

St. Moritz is well known for its grand hotels and high-end cuisine; set in a privileged position over Lake St. Moritz, the Badrutt’s “Palace Hotel” is, possibly, the most famous hotel in the Alps and no doubt an icon of St. Moritz’s league of five-star hotels. Award-winning restaurants top it all off– the valley at an altitude of 1,856 metres amasses so many Gault Millau points that «haute cuisine» gets a whole new meaning.

The Via Serlas is to St. Moritz what the Rodeo Drive is to Los Angeles. Just a bit more condensed. High-end art galleries round off the exclusive shopping opportunities in the town center. The Segantini Museum is internationally renown, and the St. Moritz Casino caters for entertainment late into the night. Those inclined to be sporty will be thrilled by the Olympic Bob Run St. Moritz–Celerina and the Cresta Run, two legendary bobsleigh and skeleton institutions. Top events on the frozen Lake St. Moritz such as the White Turf horse races and the Snow Polo World Cup are just as legendary. They have long become the extravagant social highlights in St. Moritz’s remarkable calendar of events that so far counted five Alpine World Ski Championships.

In short, the sailors will have plenty of “après-sailing” distractions after a long day of racing on the water!  As the technological partner of the SAILING Champions League, SAP will provide spectators worldwide with a thrilling livestream. Races will be broadcast live via the Internet Saturday and Sunday at noon. Results can be found here: http://www.sapsailing.com.  For more SAILING Champions League information and “live” broadcast Add to Flipboard Magazine.