The fleet of Optimist sailing in the waters of the bay of Palamós. Photo: Alfred Farré

The canary Alberto Morales (RCN Arrecife) is the new champion of the Palamós Optimist Trophy, in which 550 ships from 28 countries have participated. The lanzaroteño has been the domino from beginning to end and thus takes the relief of the winner of the Gerundense race in the 2016 edition, the Italian Giana Bergenini. The 12 Nations Cup, a trophy that awards the best country for the posts of its regatists, repeats Spain.

Morales arrived as the leader of the third day of the Palamós Optimist Trophy-Nations Cup, so he finished the first day and after the suspension of the second one due to the lack of wind, the canary went out to defend the highest position on the podium. He began the last day by winning the first test of the day, followed by a sixth and a tenth, which confirmed him as a winner in Palamós.

After Morales the shooting Nacho Baltasar (CN Sa Rápita) managed to end in second position, which he did two seconds in the last day and a tenth second, the last post ruled out, and managed to finish two points from the champion. Taken to 15 points with Baltasar in the third position, the Belgian William Risselin has been classified.

The Majorcan Maria Perelló (CN S'Arenal), which had been placed second after the first day of the race, finally ended in fourth place in the final general.

As for the 12 Nations Cup, in which Spain revalued title, it was thanks to the posts of Alberto Morales, Nacho Baltasar, Maria Perelló and Marina Garau (CN San Antonio de la Playa).

As for the best local regatist, this has been Marçal Costa (CN Costa Brava-Vela Palamós) has ended in twenty-fifth position.

The wind has accompanied in the last day of the 28 Palamós Optimist Trophy-12 Nations Cup with the celebration of three sleeves with north-east wind between 6 and 12 knots of intensity.

The wind is missing on the second day of the Palamós Optimist Trophy-Nations Cup

Photo winning the instagram contest with the hastag # palamosoptimisttrophy. Photo: Sailing Academy

The absence of wind marked the second day of the 28 Palamós Optimist Trophy-12 Nations Cup, which will end tomorrow Sunday in the waters of the bay of Palamós.

After a first deferral on the ground of about two hours, the entry of a soft component breeze led the Regatas Committee to send the fleet to the water with the intention of being able to dispute at least one sleeve so that at least one discard could be applied and the final on Sunday. But finally the weather conditions were insufficient to be able to dispute any evidence, which finally ended the day. This will cause the race to continue in the last day of competition in all four groups.

In this way the general classification does not vary with respect to the inaugural day with the canary Alberto Morales (RCN Arrecife) as leader with a point of advantage over the balar María Perelló (CN S'Arenal) and two over the Austrian Paul Clodi.

The wind forecast for Sunday is better, and it is expected to blow Gregal's wind between 10 and 12 knots of intensity, and to be able to celebrate three sleeves in each group.

The Winner Party was also held on Saturday, in which different gift draws were held among the 550 participants, including an Optimist helmet donated by Winner Boats and the contest by Fecotur for the best Instagram photography that was for the Russian Sailing Academy.

The Palamós Optimist Trophy-Nations Cup with canary and balar domain begins

The day began with a low wind of the south-south-west of about 5 knots of intensity that went up to 11 knots at the end of the day... by tomorrow the forecast of the weather of the race, Enric Agud, is that the low wind of the north-north. Saturday will be the second day of classification, and after it, the first 110 will go on to sail in the Gold Group that will fight for the final victory

The aroteño launcher Alberto Morales (RCN Arrecife) has been placed as the first leader of the 28 Palamós Optimist Trophy-12 Nations Cup, which has started today in the waters of Palamós Bay, with a participation of 550 ships. The Majorcan Maria Perelló (CN S'Arenal) is second and the Austrian Paul Clodi is third. The fleet has been divided into five groups of 110 ships, thus the Regatas Committee chaired by Rafael 'Lucky' Serrano, has ended up giving three exits for each of the groups, which make a total of 15, plus the four general calls that have taken place in different groups.

The canary Alberto Morales, who sailed in the white group, has been the most regular of the entire fleet with three seconds on, which provisionally place him at the top of the table. The Maria Perelló, which was sailing in the green group, is second to two points of the lanzaroteño after performing a 3-1-4. Third is the Austrian Paul Clodi, tied to points with the Swiss Maxime Thommen, but with the best partial Clodi, it is the one who closes the podium posts after this first day of race. He has also been the protagonist David Santaccreu (RCN Tenerife), who has come to lead the general after the first two sleeves after starting with a first and a second, but one eighth in the third test puts him fifth in the general to two points of the podium.

Previous 16 / 02 / 2017: Half a thousand optimist from 28 countries compete in Palamós

Everything is ready for the 28 edition of the Palamós Optimist Trophy-12 Nations Cup, with the participation of 550 participants (170 more were on the waiting list) and with representatives of 28 countries from the five continents.

The Palamós Optimist Trophy-Nations Cup has the highest regatists arrived from different points and countries such as Germany or Hungary have chosen the race gerundense as a classification for the teams that will participate in the World Cup and European 2017.

The Great Plate of Palamós is the nerve center of the Palamós Optimist Trophy (Photo Alfred Farré)

The race closes another year the Optimist Excellence Cup, which has passed through Vigo, Las Palmas and Torrevieja. In Palamós, the podium of this circuit promoted by AECIO (Asociación Española Cla Internacional Optimist) and in which they fight to win the Catalan Arnau Gelpí (CN El Balís), the canary Samuel Beneyto (RCN Gran Canaria) and the Portuguese Beatriz Gago (CN Portimao) will be defined.

The subchampion of the world, the Danish Helena Wolff, as well as the current champion of Europe, the German Mewes Wieduwild, are in the group of favorites for the final victory.

Such a race with 550 boats makes logistics complex and above all safety one of the most important aspects for the organization. This is why there are work equipment of 60 people between sea and ground personnel and 30 organizational boats, plus 90 of the different teams, which will be 120 pneumatic to ensure the good development of the competition.

That's why there's only one race area to have control of the entire fleet. The fleet will be distributed into five groups (yellow, blue, red, green and white) of 110 ships each, which will make a total of 15 exits, 3 for each of the groups. The first two days will be classified races with the mixed fleet and on Sunday the first 110 will pass to the Gold Group, which will be the one who will fight for the medals.

The tests will start every day from 11 a.m.

The Palamós Optimist Trophy-Nations Cup is presented as a sports-tourist reference

From left to right Ribera, Isern, Puig, Pujols and Avigó.

The 28 edition of the Palamós International Optimist Trohpy-12 Nations Cup, to be held from 18 to 20 February, was presented today at the Museum of Fisheries. The race will be attended by 550 regatists from 28 countries and a waiting list of 170. This is the second largest race in the world and with ships of the same kind behind the International Meeting Garda (Italy).

The Palamós International Optimist Trophy has become a world-wide sports reference point with the participation of regatists from the five continents. In addition to a sports competition, it has become a tourist and economic reference point.

The mayor of Palamós, Lluís Puig, has highlighted the fact that there are regatas of this magnitude for the city: "La Christmas Race brings us a lot of media impact and this race also brings us a great participation and at the same time occupation in a tourist and service municipality such as ours."

Josep Pujols, territorial delegate of the Secretary General of l'Esport, focused on the sports side: "We are very lucky to have blue sports, sea sports and a lot of costs to practice. The Palamós Optimist Trophy is already a brand for Catalonia," and has added that "economically the return is very great for Palamós and the populations around."

Josep Maria Isern, vice-president of the Federació Catalana is clear that "clubs like Palamós and that they organize regats of this level is very important, in addition to the promotion that make of the candle the CN Costa Brava-Vela Palamós are highly valued all over the world."

Miquel Avignó, vice-president of the CNCB-Vela Palamós, announced that "this year the Hungarian and German teams have chosen this race as their selection teams. As a club for us it is important as ten regatists from Palamós will participate, leaving the sailing school, which fills us with pride, who can compete in our house next to regatists coming from all over the world."

Xavier Ribera, first vice president of CNCB-Vela Palamós explained that "this race was born as a coexistence between regatists from all over Europe and has become a race with a great demand worldwide."

The Catalan race will close the season of the Optimist Excellence Cup, after its passage through Vigo, Las Palmas and Torrevieja.