Optimists in the Ora Cup Ora 2025 at Circolo Vela Arco - Overall
by Elena Giolai 11 Aug 01:06 AEST
8-10 August 2025
The Circolo Vela Arco, together with the Italian Sailing Federation, wrapped up the 30th edition of the Ora Cup Ora in style, confirming its place as one of the most popular and eagerly awaited events on the Optimist calendar.
Almost 600 young sailors (501 in the Juniores and 68 in the Cadetti) from 35 nations enjoyed three days of sailing and friendship in the waters of Garda Trentino, with a variety of wind and weather conditions (8 races).
After two days of lighter southern breezes, the final day on Sunday began with a spectacular early morning: an 8:00 start in strong northerly winds, with gusts of 18-22 knots at the start line and a steady 15 knots across the course for the later races. Sunshine, wind, and hundreds of sails made for an unforgettable morning, delighting even the most experienced sailors.
In Division B/Cadetti, there was a dramatic twist: Konstantinos Sofronas (Greece) delivered a solid day to overtake long-time leader Lucas Christiansen (Puerto Rico), winning by 4 points. France's Noé Chateau climbed to third, overtaking Turkey's Melissa Copur, who still claimed the top girl's title. The girls' podium was completed by France's Léonie Le Ralec and Alix Gastellu. The gap between the top two boys and the rest was significant - 28 points ahead of third place.
In Category A/Juniores, the final day saw an all-Italian podium: victory for Andrea Demurtas (Fraglia Vela Riva), whose 2-7-13 scoreline in the three finals left him with a 19-point cushion over Giovanni Montesano (Sirena), who had a strong day with scores of 1-6-2. Third place went to Roman Vyevyenko (Fraglia Vela Riva). There was also a change at the top in the girls' standings: Lilou Backes (France) took the win, followed just 2 points behind by Ahnieshka Madonich (Ukraine), with Zofia Wells (New Zealand) in third - a truly international girls' podium. Beyond the podiums, the Ora Cup Ora once again offered all participants an unforgettable experience: three days of sport, new friendships, and stunning scenery that many will remember as part of their childhood sailing memories.
Club president Carlo Pompili expressed his satisfaction with the work of the Circolo and its volunteers, who made possible the smooth running of such a complex event both ashore and on the water.
Next event at Circolo Vela Arco: Fireball World Championship, last week of August - already a record number of pre-entries.