Image from the last edition of Laser 4.7 European. Photo: Tom Tow

The countries are already being known to the members of the almost 350 participating and registered regatists to date and that, in the absence of a week to close them, the participation of the European Championship of the Laser Class 4.7 to be held in Los Alcázares from April 15 to 22 will still be increased. The continents of America, Asia and Oceania join the host of Europe to meet the absolute winner of the trophy, but only the representatives of European countries can choose the titles of the European Champion in their different forms: Youth Absolute and sub 16, both in their patterns of boys and girls.

The new countries that will visit the Minor Sea for the first time in this Laser Class will be Hong Kong, Trinidad and Tobago and Thailand and will join other countries already aware of our waters such as the USA, Israel, Turkey. For Europe, the participation of 25 countries is confirmed.

The Laser class is the second time that it holds a European Championship in the waters of the Minor Sea being the previous time now less than two years when at the same headquarters and by the same organizer it co-organized with the Nautical Club Mar Minor of Los Alcázares the European Championship sub 21. On this occasion the organizer and sports partner will be the Sailing Federation of the Murcia Region itself.

In the social field, the race will serve as sports practices for the students of UCAM - Sailing and organization of races - to which this event will certainly be of extreme use.

In the words of the Director General of Univela and promoter of the race, Rafael González, "This new award has only been the result of the success of the 2015 European Championship, and I hope that, with the help of all the clubs, federations and institutions, we will be able to bring back another such event in the near future, but for this we have to look back at it now."

For his part, the President of the Federation of Vela of the Region of Murcia, Arturo García Pallarés recognizes "the sporting importance that this event has for our young talents, some already very successful at the international level, and will certainly be a turning point for the federation itself. The new Board of Directors that I chair is in an unconditional position to hold international sailing events."

The European Championship will be based in the "Region of Murcia" High Performance Centre in the municipality of Los Alcázares and the facilities will be open to the general public for free.