Just over a week remains before the start of the international regatta class “Optimist” OptiOrange Valencia, which is jointly organized by Yacht club of Saint-Petersburg and the Real Club Nautico de Valenciа.
In the third season, which will be held March 5-8, regatta will update its own record for number of participants – almost 400 athletes from 30 countries have filed preliminary applications. And the amount is not inferior to the quality of the fleet.
As before, the largest fleets represent the host country – Spain and Russia. In the “Spanish Armada” will be the Vice-champion Nora Garcia de La Casa (El Masnou) and Suzanne Bestart (u13, palm), one of the leaders of the national ranking Optimist Excellence Cup 2018/2020 Izan Torrejon (San Feliu de Guixols), the winner of the rating 2018/2019 Miguel Campos (Alicante), athletes from the top 10 of the national championship Carlos ESPI (Valencia) and Eduardo Reyes (Denia). “Forge of Champions” club CN Arenal in the current season, will compete only in the “Junior” division, where claims for medals.
Extensive Russian fleet is represented by different regions. From St. Petersburg are the students of the Academy sailing team, “the Rout” and the Experimental group of the Association of the class “Optimist”. Among them are prize-winners of superiority of Russia, St. Petersburg Kirill Shanenkov, Andrey Sotnikov, Nikita Black, Marina Babkina and Barbara, St. George (Noumea).
Special party OptiOrange Valencia 2020 will be the athlete who won the competition from the Association of “Optimist” class, held from October 2019 through January 2020. In the framework of the competition for young yachtsmen from all over Russia sent stories about how they came to sailing, about their areas, the coaches, the most memorable regattas. Told why they want to go to Valencia and race OptiOrange. The winner was the athlete from Kaliningrad Igor Sidelnikov, who will join the Russian team in Valencia.
In competition with Russian athletes will join the best representatives of the national teams. The United Kingdom will present Champions of the country Santiago Sesto-Cosby and Emma breeze with the leader of the rating by Robert Mawdsley. The Irish team will lead the finishers in the top 10 of the European Championships and silver medalist at the recent regatta in Alicante Rocco Wright and national champion Jessica Riordan. From the Netherlands will be the top of the Floris Strafford and Thomas Schouten. Belgium will be represented by the leader of the ranking, titled Boris de Wilde. The athlete with the Bermuda Islands Magnus Ringsted last year was the 12-th open championship of North America.
For the first time in the regatta will participate France. The leaders of this team are sisters Shino: Alesi was 11-one in Barcelona and the ocean – the Vice-champion Championat International d’été en France.
Compared to last year, the Swiss team has doubled. Here favorites are national Champions Boris Hirsch, victory Jedlinska and Morgan Mazzei (u13). Hungary will present one of the leaders of the fleet of shomo number of Kish; from Serbia supports the winner of the national championship the Paul Dabic. Further, Eastern Europe will be represented by athletes from the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Ukraine.
Scandinavia and the Baltic States have significantly increased their participation. Favorite Swedes from Leo Birgersson was 13th in the championship and has already scored in the Spanish regatta of the season. Estonia will be represented by champion MIA Lilienthal. For the first time in several clubs involved Finland, the team which ranked Junior girls Lily, Sophie Latvala. Also, for the first time will participate Denmark, and the Polish team has greatly expanded the composition.
Interesting athletes are representing Greece and Cyprus. These are the winners of Optimist Mediterranean Championship Emilios Baros and Andriani George (Cyprus). From the mother country will make a strong athlete Alexandros Ioannidis.
There are also participants from USA, Canada, Germany and Portugal.
It is also important to the coaching team also have a very eminent specialists. This trainers of world Champions, the Italian Simone Ricci, who brought several of his pupils, and the coach of the Swiss Antonis Drosopoulos.
“We are pleased that the regatta attracts more and more participants from all over the world, but most importantly, the fleet updated with the titled athletes, as this will ensure the progress of the Russian athletes, says the Commodore of the Yacht club of Saint-Petersburg, Vladimir Liubomirov. Good practice for all, including for domestic athletes – this was the main purpose of the appearance of the regatta OptiOrange Valencia in 2018!”
In fact, OptiOrange Valencia – more than just four days of competition. Since the end of February in Valencia begin the work of a number of national teams with the best coaches on the planet. Among them, the Experimental group Association “Optimist” class, which will work Simone Ricci and coaches of school 8 Days a Week.
In addition to the competition, OptiOrange Valencia will be full of entertainment events for young athletes. Every day after racing, in addition to delicious paella and fresh orange juice, children will participate in different activities sailing festival OptiOrange Fiesta with prizes, entertainers and a cheerful musical program.
In 2020, the General partner OptiOrange Valencia was the Volvo in the face of regional representative Vedat Valencia Volvo. Also, regatta support company North Sails, Winner Optimist, Garmin, Blue Blue, Sailing Cuack.
Alex Fat
PR-Director of the Yacht club of Saint-Petersburg
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