Press Release no. 3 – April 15th, 2012 Casino Cup STAR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP POLISH CREW LEADING AFTER RACE 1 Strong wind (20 knots) for the first race of the Star European Championship. Many retirements, due to the particular conditions of the sea. A strong East wind, around 20 knots, has characterized Race-1 of the Star European Championship – Casino Cup run today at Sanremo. After a particularly difficult regatta, with some retirements, the first place of the standings is occupied by Poland (Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Zycki, belonging to the Gdanski Klub Zeglarski). Second place for Germany, thanks to Johannes Polgar and Markus Koy (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein Hobel) and third place for Sweden, with Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen (KSSS). Among the many sailors that are taking part in the Star European Championship, the Polish crew, consisting of Mateusz Kusznierewicz and Dominik Zycki, and Swedish Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen, have been already qualified for the next Olympic Games. Besides them, among the protagonist of London 2012 there will be also the Germans Robert Stanjek and Frithjof Kleen (fourth place for them today), the Norwegians Sigurd Melleby Eivind and Morland Pedersen Petter (fifth place today) and Portuguese Alfonso Domingos and Federico Melo (tenth). Diego Negri and Enrico Voltolini, European Champions in 2011, belonging to the Sailing Team of Guardia di Finanza, are now in sixth place. The opening ceremony of the Championshis took place yesterday at Porto Vesco, with the young pupils of the Sanremo Sailing School in a primary role when raising the flags of the nineteen Countries which are taking part in the Championship. The ceremony was particularly moving and involved the whole fleet that, despite the rain, attended the ceremony from the quay. Tonight all competitors will be guests of the Sanremo Royal Hotel for the cocktail party. Day-2 of races will start tomorrow at 11 am. The Star European Championship – Casino Cup is organized by the Sanremo Yacht Club in cooperation with the “Circolo Velico Capo Verde” and thanks to the support of Regione Liguria and Municipality of Sanremo; sponsors of the event are Banca Carige, Slam, Portosole CNIS S.p.A., Sanremo Royal Hotel and CieloGioielli Milano 1914. YACHT CLUB SANREMO: C.so Nazario Sauro, 32 – 18038 Sanremo Tel: 0184.50.37.60 – Fax: 0184.54.60.38 – www.yachtclubsanremo.it - email: [email protected] .