In the last day the fleet sailed distributed among the different groups: Gold, Silver, Bronze, Esmeralda and Pearl. It was not an easy day, the thermal wind did not enter after noon, with an intensity between 3 and 5 knots, and two tests could be held, thus closing the 32 edition of the Palamós International Optimist Tropical-16 Nations Cup with the holding of seven tests (Photos Alfred Farré)

The Spanish optimist Daniel García of the House of the Catalan club El Masnou has proclaimed himself the champion of the thirty-second edition of the Palamós International Optimist Trophy-12 Nations Cup, which has been held from 17 to 20 February in the waters of the bay of Palamós, with the participation of 532 vessels from 26 countries. The 16 Nations Cup, to the best country was for Spain, placing four regatists among the top ten: Daniel García de la Casa (1), Tim Lubat (2), Hugo Rodríguez (4) and Carlos Espí (7).

This also resulted in a final struggle for triumph, which would take the Catalan Daniel García de la Plaza after performing a 3-2 on the final day in the gold group. The shooting Tim Lubat (RCN Palma) finished second in the general five points of the champion, the third square was for the Italian Lorenzo Ghirotti (Fraglia della vela Riva).

There was about to be a hundred per cent Spanish podium, as the Hugo Rodríguez (CN Arenal), which won the last two sleeves, ended fourth, staying only one point from the podium and the plenum.

The Greek Konstantinos Portosalte, who arrived leader on the last day, could not hold the position and finally closed its participation in seventh position.

The first female category was the Italian Victoria Demurtas, followed by the French Sarah Jannin and the third the Spanish champion Blanca Ferrando. In category sub13 García de la Casa he also carried the trophy in category male and in sub12 the trophy was for the Dutch Maurits Melens.

Two special awards were also given, the Xavier Ribera in memory of the president of the Club de Vela Palamós, and it was for Jordi Camón, as the best local regatist and the Martinet Prize, for the French Paul Lenoir, to the younger regatist of the entire fleet.

The balar regatist Hugo Rodríguez received the award as winner of the Excelence Cup 2021-2022 circuit that has included the Atlantic City of Vigo Week, the City of El Puerto Regata, Euromarina Trophy Optimist Torrevieja and Palamós International Optimist Trophy.

RESULTS 2022 - INTERNATIONAL OPTIMIST PALAMES

2022-02-19: The Greek Konstantinos Portosala leads in Palamós International Optimist

Tomorrow Sunday will be held the finals with the crews distributed in the groups Gold, Silver, Bronze, Esmeralda and Pearl, of which only choose to win the Palamós International Optimist Trophy, those classified in the Gold (Photo Alfred Farré)

The third day of the 32 Palamós International Optimt Trophy-16 Nations Cup was complicated, the wind of tramontana, but finally it did not do so with the intensity predicted by the maps and three tests could be disputed in all the groups and four the target.

The Greek Konstantinos Portosalte is the first solo leader of the Palamosense race once five sleeves were held. Two first partials, a second, a third and a tenth - since it discards - place Portosala at the head of the table with a point of advantage over the Italian Lorenzo Ghiroti, which also carries a good ristle of positions, a seventh - which discards -, two seconds, a first and a third.

The Catalan Daniel García (CN El Masnou) is third to three points of the leader, with good partials, especially in the last two sleeves, García adds 3-5-7-1-1. In fourth position, tied to points with the meresmense is the alicantino Fernando Puig (CN Jávea) with a 22, which discards and 1-2-4-3.

The last day will decide the champion, that after three very intense days, with different weather conditions, with wind, sun and rain, it presents decisive and yet open, since the difference between the first and the tenth is only nine points.

Among the podium candidates is also the shooting Tim Lubau (RCN Palma), which is fifth or Lithuanian Erik Scheidt, son of medallists Robert and Gintare Scheidt, who between them add six Olympic medals, five the father with the colors of Brazil and one mother with those of Lithuania, and who accompany his son these days on the Costa Brava.

2022-02-19: It lasts the second day at the Palamós International Optimist Tropical-16 Nations Cup

The five groups complete a sleeve with Rodríguez (ESP), Van Surkum (HOL), Madonna (UKR), Trolard (FRA) and Dahlberg (SWE) in the head (Photo Alfred Farré)

If the first day of the 32 Palamós Optimist Trophy-16 Nations Cup was taken by the little intensity of the wind, the second was just the opposite. The south-west exceeded 30 knots in much of the day, so the demand was maximum by both the fleet of more than 500 ships and the organization.

The one-hour advance of the exit was a success, as the wind began to blow after 9: 00 in the morning and as the day progressed it was rising in intensity. If on Thursday the yellow group was the only one who could complete a tour, yesterday it was the turn of the other four, who did so with much suffering, especially for some regatists who could not finish because of the wind force and waves that exceeded 3 meters high. This demonstrated the great reaction capacity of the regatta rescue device, which together with the different coaches were used in depth, so that there were no serious incidents.

This led to the completion of the test and in view of the temporary situation, the organization decided to send the entire fleet to the ground, waiting for it to lower the wind force.

In the first hour of the afternoon the wind rolled to the north, between 3-5 knots, and the Committee of Regats that Luky Serrano presides again sent the fleet to the sea. After four in the afternoon the first exits were given, being able to finish the test four of the five groups, the target was the only one who could not complete the sleeve, so the provisional results are those of the first test in the absence that this Saturday the white group can resume the test that ended up being suspended by the fall of the wind and early arrival of the sunset.

After a contest in all the groups, there are five first: Spanish Hugo Rodríguez (CN S'Arenal) in the yellow; Dutch Folkert Van Surkum in the blue; Ukrainian Sviatoslav Madonna in the white; Swedish Malcolm Dalberg in the red and French Charles Trolard in the green. From there are three Spanish crews that finished second, the Catalans Joan Fargas and Joan Domingo, both of the Níutic Cambrils Club in the blue and yellow groups respectively and the mallorquín Sergio García (RCN Palma) in the white.

2022-02-18: The lack of wind in Palamós makes it impossible to count valid sleeves

Only the yellow group was able to complete a sleeve..., the beginning of the tests will be advanced one hour. (Photo Alfred Farré)

The 32 Palamós Optimist Trophy-16 Nations Cup returned after a year of absence, but in the first of the four days of this edition the wind was missing, with the 534 participating ships will have to wait for this Friday to be able to compete.

At noon the whole fleet was made to the sea from the Great Plateau of Palamós, the wind at this time blew over the 8 knots of intensity of the south-south-west component, good conditions that allowed the first of the five participating groups, in this case the yellow was starting; from there they took the exit red and blue, while the white and the green were waiting for their turn.

The yellow group completed the sleeve, but the wind rolled and to end up dying, so the two who were sailing could not complete the tour, as the wind ended up falling completely and the first test of the two groups that had already taken off was cancelled.

In the first hour of the afternoon the Regatas Committee decided to send the fleet to the ground and the organization in view of the weather forecast of this Tuesday, where the entrance of medium winds is expected at first hour of the day, has announced the advance of the day an hour, that is, if the wind conditions allow it the first exits will be at 10 in the morning.

2022-02-16: 550 optimist from 26 countries begin in Palamós the Nations Cup

From left to right: Josep Maria Isern, Anna Julià, Lluis Puig, Miquel Avigó i Joan Barba (Photo Alfred Farré)

The thirty-second edition of the Palamós Optimist Trophy-16 Nations Cup returns after a year of absence because of the pandemic being the children's race with the greatest participation in Spain and the second in the world... will be from tomorrow and until the 20th, with 26 countries in competition.

In this 2022, it is again counted with record numbers, that is 550 ships, limit that has established the organization in charge of the Club Nàutic Costa Brava-Vela Palamós. In recent years but it has ended up increasing to 583 of the last edition, held in February 2020, in which it was the last major international competition held in Spain before confinement.

The Palamós Optimist Trophy is the second largest competition in the world, only overtaken by Lake Garda Meeting Optimist Class that has a thousand, which is held in waters of Lake di Garda (Italy), but with a different concept, since not all the ships at once compete.

Among the participants in Palamós are the shooting Hugo Rodríguez, champion of the Meeting City of Vigo and second in the Trophy Optimist Torrevieja; the Valencian Blanca Ferrando, champion of Spain 2021 and female subchampion in Torrevieja and with regard to international participation are the Hungarian Benedek Heder, the Belgian Vic Rosell, the American Davide Bazzoni and the Swedish Malcom Dalgberg, among others.

One more year the Palamós Optimist Trophy will serve as the final colofon and delivery of the trophies of the Optimist Excellence Cup circuit, of which they have formed Vigo, El Puerto de Santa María and Torrevieja.