As anticipated, challenging weather conditions made their mark on the second day of the Mapfre Euromed International Championships and EurILCA Europa Cup. With wind speeds reaching the upper limit of 20–25 knots for the Optimist Class, Race Officers Bojan Gale and Peter Farkas had to adapt swiftly, prioritizing the safety of participants. This led to a revised racing schedule, with two races held for the ILCA Class and one for the Optimist Senior and Cadet Classes.
Despite the difficult conditions, competitors demonstrated resilience, completing the races within the stipulated time.
Optimist Class
No races were held for the Beginners’ Class due to safety concerns. However, the Senior and Cadet Classes managed one race in Mellieha Bay, where a carefully positioned course provided a balance between safety and challenge.
• Senior Class: Andrey Zhakov of Birżebbuġa Sailing Club retained his comfortable lead over Margaux Nguyen-Min (Hong Kong), while Sebastian Miceli Demajo of Malta Young Sailors Club remained in third place, just one point behind Nguyen-Min.
• Cadet Class: Lilous Backes continued to lead the provisional standings, followed by Ahnieshka Madonich (Ukraine) in second and Ethan Kodjaazliev (Royal Malta Yacht Club) in third.
ILCA Classes
The ILCA fleet, benefiting from an earlier start, completed two races under the testing conditions.
• ILCA 4 Class: Timmy Vassallo (Malta Young Sailors Club) maintained his lead, three points ahead of Cyprus’ Anatoli Zoubovski. Jonas Micallef (Royal Malta Yacht Club) held onto third place. Among the female sailors, Emily Fenech (Birżebbuġa Sailing Club) led the standings, with Kate Kenny (Ireland) in second and Marianne Heller (Malta Young Sailors Club) in third.
• ILCA 6 Class: A tie for first place between Feodor Zoubovski (Cyprus) and Tomek Vaccaro (Royal Malta Yacht Club) remained, with Leo Yates (Great Britain) close behind in third. Sophia Debs (USA) emerged as the top female sailor, followed by Ema Kuodyte (Lithuania) and Michela Mifsud (Birżebbuġa Sailing Club).
• ILCA 7 Class: Oskar Madonich (Ukraine) retained his position at the top of the leaderboard, with Jeremy Moutout (Monaco) climbing to second place. Antonio Cavalcanti Rosa (Brazil) moved into third, narrowly edging out Valeriy Kudryashov (Ukraine) by just one point.
Results remain provisional as of Friday afternoon, with challenging weather conditions forecasted to continue. However, there is a possibility of winds subsiding in the afternoon. A decision regarding Saturday’s schedule will be made by the Race Committee later in the evening.
This 24th edition of the Euromed International Championships continues to showcase exceptional sailing talent and determination despite the elements.
