550 medium world optimist in Palamós waters (Photo Alfred Farré)

The Latvian Martin Atila has revalued the title of champion of the Palamós Optimist Trophy after winning for the second year in a row the second largest race in the world, which has been held from February 14 to 17 in the waters of the Bay of Palamós. Germany has been the winner of the Nations Cup as the best country in the Palamós race.

Attila raged during the first two days by adding six wins in six sleeves, but what seemed to be a practically sung triumph has ended up being more suffered than expected after the Israeli regatist Maayan Shemesh - the women's champion - had him caught and tied to points, 36 each, but when he added two first partial for six Latvian, the victory would end up being for Atilla, who did not have a good championship final by saving the furniture at the last moment.

The third position has been for the representative of Bermuda, Sebastian Kempe, eight points from Atilla and Shemesh. Kempe played the third podium with the Italian Alex Demurtra and the Majorcan María Perelló (CN S'Arenal), which have been fourth and fifth respectively with a 48-point tie, but with better partials for Fraglia Vela Riva.

As for the United Nations Cup that adds up the best seats of the regatists per country, Germany renews Spain as the champion of this trophy that awards the best country of the 30 that have taken part in the Catalan race.

The 30 Palamós Optimist Trophy-14 Nations Cup has been the final race of the Excelence Cup circuit organized by the AECIO and formed by the races of Optimist de Vigo, El Puerto de Santa María, Torrevieja and Palamós. The winner of the circuit has been the Alicantino Miguel Campos (RCR Alicante) with 286 points, second Martin Atilla with 270 and third María Perelló with 264.

FINAL CLASSIFICATION (up to 550 participants)
1 Martin Atilla (VER), 36 p
2 Maayan Shemesh (ISR), 36 p
3 Sebastian Kempe (BER), 44 p
4 Alex Demustras (ITA), 48 p
5 María Perelló (ESP), 48 p
6 Leon Jost (GER), 54 p
7 Rocco Wright (IRL), 56 p
8 Pau Mesquida (ESP), 61 p
9 Caspar Ilgenstein (GER), 66 p
10 Carl Krause (GER), 71 p

16 / 02 / 2019: The lack of wind in Palamós leaves the "penultimate" of the Nations Cup of Optimist blank

The wind was missing in the bay of Palamós leaving the fleet on the ground... tomorrow Sunday the final letter (Photo Alfred Farré)

After two exceptional days of wind in the bay of Palamós, the Saturday day left the fleet on the ground after the forecasts that the wind would not make an act of presence on the Costa Brava Center. In this way, the final podium of the 30 Palamós Optimist Trophy-14 Nations Cup and of the Excellence Cup will be decided on Sunday.

15 / 02 / 2019: Martin Atilla of Latvia already has 6 of 6 in the Palamós Optimist Trophy Nations Cup

The Latvian has won the six disputed tests and the Israeli Maayan Shemesh is placed first female (Photo Alfred Farré)

The first phase of the Palamós Optimist Trophy-Nations Cup has come to an end with the first two qualifying days and for the days of Saturday and Sunday only the final ones will remain, in which the first 110 will fight in the gold group that will define the podium. The Latvian Martin Atilla is being a real hammer and has won the three tests of the day in the yellow group and has passed to the final phase with six wins in six sleeves, thus still undefeated in Palamós.

Atilla, who already won in the 2018 edition, points again to the title, although with two days and six sleeves ahead of it, a lot can still happen. Its main rival remains the Irish Rocco Wright, which does not want to lose compass, to which the Italian Alex Demurtras has joined, which are tied to 12 points in third and second position respectively and 7 points from the leader. The regatist of Fraglia Vela Riva has managed to climb to the second place after having made three first in the green group. Sebastian Kempe of Bermuda occupies the fourth position at a podium point.

The fifth in the general, the Israeli Maayan Shemesh, has been placed as the first female, temporarily exceeding the double world champion, the Majorcan Maria Perelló (CN S'Arenal), to which it exceeds by just one point. Perelló remains the first Spanish regatist followed by his club partner, the champion of the 2018 Spanish Cup, Pau Mequida.

The last two days the fleet will be distributed in five groups, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Esmeralda and Pearl.

14 / 02 / 2019: Martin Atilla and María Perelló begin dominating the Nations Optimist Palamós

Amazing level in Palamós (Photo Alfred Farré)

As if time had not passed, the 30 edition of the International Palamós Optimist Trophy-14 Nations Cup has started as the 29 edition ended, with the Latvian Martin Atilla commanding the general classification between a fleet of 550 ships from 30 countries and the Majorcan (CN S'Arenal) in the female category.

After winning the title in 2018, after the first of the four days of 2019 he became the absolute leader after winning the three tests that have been held in the inaugural day, if any in the yellow group, being the best of both his group and the entire race. In this way Atilla confirms its favorite vitola and faces the second day - from the vegetable - of qualifying rounds with the greatest of the guarantees.

The Irish Rocco Wright is who follows the stela of the Latvian three points after a 2-1-3 in the white group and is second in the general position. Maria Perelló is in addition to the leader in the female category, she is third in the absolute general to just five points from the leader; the double champion of the world has shown her very high level and with a 4-3-1 in the green group is placed in podium position behind the Latvian and Irish.

For the Friday day the start of the tests is scheduled from 11: 00 in the morning with three new sleeves that will define the final phase to be held on the weekend.

13 / 02 / 2019: María Perelló and the Latvian Atilla defend the title in the Palamós Optimt Nations Cup

Spain will have 117 optimist in the water, followed by Germany with 84, Switzerland with 56, France with 55 and Holland with 30

The Palamós Optimist Trophy-Nations Cup is one of the world's best references of the Optimist class, with a participation of 550 ships from 30 countries, which will start on Thursday from 12 noon and end next Sunday, February 17... fulfilling what will be its thirty-first edition.

The balar regatist Maria Perelló of the Nautico S'Arenal Majorcan, part as one of the great favorites after it was proclaimed in 2017 in Thailand and in 2018 in Cyprus, world champion of the class Optimist in the female category. The other great favorite is the Latvian Martin Atilla, who defends the title of absolute champion of the Palamós International Optimist Trophy, obtained in the last edition. The current Spanish Cup champion, Pau Mesquida (CN S'Arenal) also shares as one of the favorites for the final win.

The countries participating in this year's edition of the Palamós Optimist Trothy-Nations Cup are: Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Great Britain, Greece, Netherlands, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Mexico, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and United States.

There will be a single race field where three exits are expected in each of the five groups of 110 ships. The first three days (14-15-16 February) will be classified and on Sunday day 17, depending on the classification of each ship in the previous phase and if a minimum of four sleeves have been disputed, the regatists will be included in the groups Oro - which are the ones who will fight for the podi-, Silver, Bronze, Esmeralda and Pearl.