Optiorange 2025 at Real Club Náutico de València - Day 1
by Pep Portas 28 Feb 06:57 AEDT
27 February - 2 March 2025
Optiorange 2025 Day © Pep Portas-RCNV
The Optimist fleet, with 520 sailors from 27 countries, has closed the first day at the Real Club Náutico de València with no racing possible.
This was the result of an unstable wind, very lumpy sea and with little intensity.
At the scheduled time, 11.00, the committee hoisted 'Postponement with Numeral 1' on shore, delaying the start by 1 hour over the scheduled time. After this postponement, Numeral 2 was hoisted, indicating a further hour's wait ashore. At around 14.00 hours and with a light breeze in the race area, the race committee hoisted Delta, so the fleet got underway.
Already in the 'Manel Casanova' race area, the first race could be launched at around 15.00 hours with barely 5 knots of wind and little stablity. When the yellow group fleet was at the halfway point of the upwind leg the wind went to the left and dropped in intensity, so they had to hoist the flag 'N' (November) so they returned to the starting point.
After that attempt, the committee tried to set a fair and even race course for the fleet. Given the impossibility of doing so and after 16.00 hours, the race committee boat raised the AP over A abandonment flags, and so the day was concluded, with the fleet returning to land without being able to finish a race.
Cesar Sans, the Principal Race Officer said after racing, "The intention was to do three races today for each group, so a total of 15 races, but it was impossible to sail as the conditions were very shifty. The wind was up and down constantly over 4 and under 4 knots, shifting 20-30 degrees."
More information on the official page here.