Marc Mesquida, Jaume Ramón and Izan Codinachs make up the podium, while Nora Garcia is the first female after closing the quotes of Vigo, El Puerto de Santa María, Torrevieja and Palamós (Photo Pep Portas)

The Optimist Excellence Cup 2019-2020 was closing this last weekend in the waters of Palamós, within the framework of the 31 International Vila de Palamós Optimist Trophy 15th Nations Cup and was done with a Spanish podium made up of two Regatists of the CN S'Arenal: Marc Mesquida and Jaume Ramón, occupying the first and second squares respectively, and the Catalan Izan Codinachs of the CN Sant Feliu de Guixols. The first female, after the four completed races, has been Nora García, of CN Masnou, ending in the 4th place of the absolute ranking.

The success of the Spanish circuit, of international scope, has been credited with an additional edition since it has been 1,272 regatists from more than 30 countries that have participated in one of the four headquarters that have hosted this season, the start of which took place in the end of October 2019 in the RCN of Vigo, with the XX Atlantic Week - Meeting International of Optimiss City of Vigo (31 October to 3 November).

The VI Regata Ciudad del Puerto (RCN El Puerto de Sta María) took over in the first week of January 2020 (1-5 January). With only 16 days of difference it was the XIII Eurobarina Optimist Torrevieja Trophy (RCN Torrevieja) that assumed the leading role (22-26 January), closing in the CV Palamos- CN Costa Brava, in Palamós (12-16 February), the four regatas envisaged in the program of Optimist Excellence Cup.

The Marc Mesquida (CN S'Arenal) was the first winner of the Optimist Excellence Cup. Mesquida achieved the triumph in Vigo in a clear way, with 5 partial wins over 7 completed tests. Arturo Ruíz (CN Puerto Sherry), again sent home, after winning again the Regata Ciudad del Puerto, highlighting in his locker 1 partial win and two seconds placed on the 6 closed tests. In Torrevieja there was Italian color on the podium, with the triumph of Alessandro Cortese (CV Crotone National Italy Team), achieving an outstanding 11-point advantage over the second, the Irish Rocco Wright (HYC). Palamos was marked by the wind, two days with just or zero wind and two days with a lot of wind, especially the last one in which points of up to 25 knots were recorded. The three valid tests left the German Carl Krause (RSC92) and Germany as the United Nations Cup champion.

After the four completed races, the top ten in Palamós was closed with Marc Mesquida (CN S'Arenal) with 340 points, participating in 3 of the 4 tests, followed by Jaume Ramón (CN S'Arenal) with 310; IZan Codinachs (CN Sant Feliu Guixols), with 285 (3-4); Nora García (CN Masnou), with 284 (3-4); Rocco Wright (HYC), with 272 (2-4); Leon Jost (Württembergischer (4) with 2C (4), with 2C (4); Alex-4) with the National Team with 2C (4), and with 2C (4), with 2C (4) with 2C (4), with 2C (4), and 4) with 2.