35th Palamós Optimist Trophy Day 2
by Jaume Soler 14 Feb 11:50 PST
13-16 February 2025
The Italian crews have taken the lead of the 35th Palamós International Trophy-18 Nations Cup and already occupy the first two positions in the overall where the Italian Jesper Karlsen (Fraglia Vela Riva), reigning European bronze, has been placed as solo leader, followed by the also Italian Francesco Colotto (CN Marina di Carrara), who is second, tied at 10 points with the French Hugues Willot (EV Cherbourg), both located one point off the lead.
On the second day of the Palamós Optmist Trophy the wind has been the protagonist again, and after a first postponement on land, after noon the fleet went to sea where they were waiting for the entry of a light breeze of between 5 and 6 knots of intensity from the southwest, so that the Race Committee, chaired by Lucky Serrano, could finally start the four groups that remained to compete in the third race of the overall, but the near absence of wind prevented a fourth race, so the Final Phase will have to wait until Sunday.
With the completion of the third race, the classification suffered a turnaround and Karlsen replaced the first leader, the continental champion, the Croatian Vita Erceg (OSCO-DRCS) who fell to ninth place after a thirteenth third. Meanwhile both Karlsen and Colotto scored a first in the red and yellow groups respectively. For his part Willot was second in the white group which allows him to be in podium positions.
For his part, the Catalan Juan Lleonart (CN El Balís) confirmed his status as favorite and won the third leg in the blue group, which adds two consecutive firsts, plus a tenth in the first race, and is placed in a strategic fourth position overall, two points behind the second and three points behind the first. Tied at 12 points with Lleonart is the French and first female, Clara Zunquin (Régates de Royan). While Lluc Garces (CN L'Escala) remains in sixth position very close to the top positions.
The Top 10 is completed by the Swedish Alexander Forssen (RSYC KSSS), seventh; the Balearic Dani Capa (CN S'Estanyol), eighth; the Croatian Vita Erceg, ninth and the Alicante Alejandro Valero (RCR Alicante), tenth.
This Saturday the Preliminary Phase will continue with three scheduled races and on Sunday the dispute of the Final Phase, where the fleet that is framed in the Gold Group will be the one fighting for the final podium.
Full results can be found here.