Optiorange 2024 at Real Club Náutico de Valencia - Overall
by Pep Portas 3 Mar 10:05 PST
28 February - 1 March 2024
In the women's category the title goes to the Greek Maria Anna Makri, while in the SUB13, Cengiz Eren Guvenc and Ahnieshka Madonich climbed to the top of the podium at the Real Club Náutico de Valencia.
The strong wind, with more than 25 knots constant, has forced the race committee to cancel all the races, with the fleet ashore.
The Optiorange Valencia 2024 already has new champions, after a fourth and last day marked by the strong westerly wind that has remained at more than 25 knots of intensity and gusts that exceeded 32 knots. Conditions that forced the race committee to leave the fleet on land and after deliberating with the organizing committee and seeing that the conditions were not going to improve, on the contrary, it was decided at 12.00 pm postponement on 'A' so they were not going to see more races.
The regatta organized by the Real Club Náutico de Valencia closes this edition with 6 races completed out of 12 planned for the gold and silver groups, bronze with 5 and the other three groups with 4, which closed the qualifying round.
With the results obtained in the three previous days, the Greeks Iason Panagopoulos and Maria Anna Makri, both from Kalamaki Nautical Club, are proclaimed new champions of the Optiorange Valencia 2024. The first of them has 8 points to his credit, highlighting three partial victories. In addition, he was awarded the trophy of Absolute champion of the Optiorange Valencia. Makri, for his part, has 15 points, with two victories to his credit.
The respective podiums, accompanying Panagopoulos and Makri, closes with Juan Francisco Chumilla (RCN Torrevieja) with 22 points, followed by Iñigo Jauregui (CN Hondarribia) with 27; Maurits Melens (WV Arne), with 30 and in fifth place with the German Noah Emanuel Schweichler (HYC) with 31. In women, Hilda Wallström (Sopraventus HPT/KKKK) takes silver with 42 points, while the bronze goes to the Polish Julia Agnieszczak (KS AZS AWFiS Gdansk) with 54. The top five closes with Olha Lubianska (Optimist Way/JK Split/Obolon SK) with 57 and the Spanish Marta Mansito (RCN Gran Canaria) with 67 points.
As for the SUB13 the podium in the men's category closes with the Turkish Cengiz Eren Guvenc (Yalikavak Sailing Club) and Eren Kaan Erendemir (Sopraventus Team/Galatasaray), first and second respectively, while the bronze is for Spanish Pablo Lopez (RCN Valencia). Frenchman Paul Masson (CV Bormes) and Spaniard Santiago Pérez (RCN Tenerife) are fourth and fifth respectively.
In women, Ukrainian Ahnieshka Madonich (Optimist Way/ SVOC) wins the trophy in Valencia, while Margaux Nguyen-Minh (Sopraventus - Aberdeen Boat Club), Lilou Backes (Sopraventus Team / YCPR), (BSC/NRV) Elly Echternach and Alexandra Wang (RCN de Valencia) occupy from second to fifth place.
Iker Múgica, champion of the Optimist Excellence Cup 2024
The Optiorange Valencia was the fifth and last race of the Optimist Excellence Cup 2023-2024, together with the races in Vigo, Palma, El Puerto de Santa María and Palamós. After the five races and two discards, the title went to the Catalan Iker Múgica (CN Cambrils) with 4 points. Second place went to another sailor from Cambrils: Joan Domingo, with 8 points, while the third place went to another Spaniard: Joan Lleonart (CN El Balís) with 23 points.
The trophy ceremony, held at the Race Base of the RCN of Valencia, was attended by Marisa Arlandis, president of the RCNV, accompanied by its Vocal Sailing: Chema Escudero, the Optimist fleet captains RCNV: Jorge Basterra and Sergio Ferrando. Also present were Rafel Chirivella, vice-president of the Sailing Federation of the Valencian Community and Joaquín Valero, from AECIO IODA Spain.