The third day of the Mapfre Euromed International Championships and EurILCA Europa Cup unfolded under thrilling conditions, with steady winds of 20 knots.
Saturday’s conditions put to the test the sailors’ tactical skills as they navigated the challenging conditions in the bay.
For the more experienced sailors, it was an opportunity to demonstrate their strategic acumen on the water, with tactical racing taking centre stage. Meanwhile, the less experienced sailors – under the direction of Sandra Agius Darmanin, who stepped in as Race Officer for this course – showed remarkable courage, tackling a course set inside the bay to make the most of the day despite the gusty weather.
Optimist Class
The third day of racing saw three races held across all Optimist classes, delivering exciting competition and some shifts in standings.
In the Beginners’ class, Ben Dingli (MYSC) claimed the lead, tying on points with Tom Zhang (RMYC). The two are neck-and-neck at the top, followed closely by Mia Agius (MYSC) in third place.
The Senior and Cadet Classes experienced changes in the top rankings. Andrey Zahkov (BSC) maintained his commanding lead with a comfortable advantage over second-placed Timothy De Cesare (MYSC).
De Cesare moved up the leaderboard, displacing Margaux Nguyen-Min (HKG), who had held second place until Friday.
In the Cadet Class, Lilou Backes, who currently sits third overall in the Optimist standings, retained her position at the top of this category. Ahnieshka Madonich (UKR) and Ethan Kodjaazliev (RMYC) held steady in second and third place, respectively.
ILCA Class
Weather conditions allowed for a single afternoon race, which saw determined performances resulting in changes in the top tiers of the leaderboard.
ILCA 4
Class Timmy Vassallo (MYSC) retained his lead and extended the gap over second-placed Anatoli Zoubovski (CYP). Jonas Micallef (RMYC) stayed in third, trailing Zoubovski by just one point.
In the female category, the top three positions remained unchanged, with Emily Fenech (BSC), Kate Kenny (IRL), and Marianne Heller (MYSC) holding their place.
ILCA 6 Class
The ILCA 6 Class saw changes in the standings. Leo Yates (GBR) climbed to the top with two wins, overtaking Feodor Zoubovski (CYP). Tomek Vaccaro (RMYC) moved down to third, but the top three remain tied on nine points each. In the female category, Sophia Debs (USA) and Ema Kuodyte (LTU) held their positions, while Katrina Micallef (RMYC) secured third place.
ILCA 7 Class
Oskar Madonich (UKR) maintained his dominance at the top of the leaderboard. Jeremy Moutout (MON) remained second, while Valeriy Kudryashov (UKR) reclaimed third place after a temporary slip in the rankings yesterday.
The final day of racing will take place on Sunday.
The 24th edition of the Euromed Mapfre International Championships is being held under the auspices of the Malta Sailing Federation and supported by Title Sponsors Mapfre, PWC and Visit Malta. The event is further supported by S&D Yachts, Rooster, Mellieha Local Council, Francis Busuttil & Sons (Marketing) Ltd., Red Cross, SportMalta, St Andrew’s Farm, Ballocco.
