170 sailors, representing 27 countries are set to compete in the forthcoming Euromed Mapfre International Championship between the 19th and 22nd December.
The 24th edition of the Euromed MAPFRE International Championship, hosted by the Malta Young Sailors Club (MYSC), will feature the Optimist Class Championships. For the 2nd year running the ILCA part of the championship will form part of the prestigious Europa Cup Series run by EurILCA, the governing body for the ILCA Class in Europe.
Among the countries taking part are Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, Ukraine, and the United States of America. Malta will be well represented across all its sailing clubs, amongst which Birzebbugia Sailing Club (BSC), hosts Malta Young Sailors Club (MYSC), Royal Malta Yacht Club (RMYC), and Vikings Sailing Club (VSC).
As is customary, Malta Young Sailors Club (MYSC) will be hosting a pre-Euromed Clinic led by Head Coach Simone Ricci, whose impressive coaching résumé includes working with Marco Gradoni, a three-time Optimist World Champion and winner of the 17th edition of the Euromed Regatta in 2016 and the youngest recipient of the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award. Ricci will be joined by Club Coach Manuel Hormiga and two-time Olympian Ingrid Petitjean, ensuring participants benefit from a wealth of expertise and experience.
Optimist Fleet
Close to 100 sailors are set to compete in this Class, which had been the original Class focus for Euromed since its inception. Notable participants amongst others are the current National Champions Nathan Montebello (BSC) and Julia Borg (MYSC). Borg will be on the starting line vying to hold on to her title against a strong foreign contingent. MYSC’s promising sailor Matthias Spiteri currently heading Malta Sailing Federation Ranking in this class is also vying for his first Euromed win.
One must also note that this year’s Optimist World Championships, being held in Argentina just before the commencement of Euromed has been a logistic consideration for a number of teams including the Maltese sailors: Sebastian Miceli Demajo and Timothy De Cesare from Malta Young Sailors Club,along with Isaac Azzopardi, Liam Andrew Cutajar, and Aleksandra Nagrudnaia from Birżebbuġa Sailing Club. However 3 of the National Team sailors have still confirmed they will be making it in time to take part in Euromed.
EurILCA Europa Cup
This marks the second time that Malta Young Sailors will host one of the final events of this annual series in Malta.
The nation will be represented by a strong team of talented sailors, including Benjamin Vassallo (ILCA 6), the current Maltese National Champion and 12th Overall at the ILCA 4 World Championships in 2023, Timmy Vassallo (ILCA 4), the current Maltese ILCA 4 National Champion, and Katrina Micallef (ILCA 6), the reigning Maltese National Champion and Bronze Medallist at the 2024 ILCA 4 World Championships. They will face tough competition from an impressive international line-up, including Oscar Madonich, the ILCA 7 Under-21 World Silver Medallist, and Antonio Cavalcanti Rosa from Brazil, the ILCA 6 Men’s World Championship Silver Medallist, who will be competing in the ILCA 7 Class.
“The Euromed MAPFRE International Championship has been a cornerstone of youth sailing development, nurturing Optimist sailors who have grown to excel in the ILCA Class. Over the years, this long-standing event has showcased the incredible talent that emerges when young sailors make the most of Malta’s unique winter sailing conditions, providing them with the foundation to compete on an international stage.” Remarked Christian Bajada, Commodore, Malta Young Sailors Club
Race Officers for the event will include Hungarian Peter Farkas, overseeing the Optimist Course, and Slovenian Bojan Gale, managing the ILCA Course. This marks Farkas’ third experience in Malta, while Gale has been a frequent visitor over the past decade, serving either as a Race Officer or Jury Member. Supporting the Race Management team will be an eight-member International Jury panel headed by Giorgio Davanzo from Italy (and a jury member at this years Olympics), and also including Pinar Coskuner Genç from Türkiye, who was the Principal Race Officer (PRO) for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
