IOM European Championship at RCN Torrevieja Overall
by Prensa Sailing Communication 14 Oct 2023 07:20 BST
7-13 October 2023
IOM Europeans in Torrevieja © Pep Portas / RCNT
Croatian Zvonko Jelacic crowned as new IOM European Champion. Alexis Carré takes silver, while Spain's Guillermo Beltri takes bronze. Spain, in addition to Beltri's third place, placed four other sailors in the top ten of the European Championship, while France three and Croatia two.
Zvonko Jelacic (JK Zenta) has been proclaimed new European champion of the IOM Radio Control class, after closing today the fifth and final day in the waters of the RCN of Torrevieja. The Croatian has maintained a high level in the three qualifying rounds, but especially in the two finals. Today four races have been closed, since the wind has arrived with a slight delay. Partials of 4-2-7-4 with two discards in the qualifying round and two in finals, thus taking the title to Croatia with 66 points.
A day marked by tension and a lot of nerves. The fleet arrived very tight in the overall, especially in those first five places where everyone had options to change position, as in the case of local Guillermo Beltri (RCN Torrevieja), who came fifth and finished third, a position occupied by Frenchman Olliver Cohen (SN Sablais) who concludes his Torrevieja voyage fourth.
Beltri has been very strong in this last day. He got off to a good start in third place, then made up ground and climbed up the table thanks to that partial victory. The next two results were not going to help him to climb one more step in the table: 4-17. He already had two 18s, his worst results in this final series, so he had to keep the 17th. He finished with 90 points and the bronze in his neck.
The silver medal went to Frenchman Alexis Carré (CV Cazaux-Lac) with two third places today: F8 and F10, in the other two races he has not been fine either, scoring numbers of 18 and 8. He adds 86 points, 22 behind the Croatian Jelacic.
Spain has shone once again in an international event, with five sailors in the top ten. Along with Beltri, third, José Valverde (CM Almería), after leaving that fourth place to finish sixth with 108 points. After the sailor from Almeria, Carlos Beltri (CN Villa de San Pedro) from Murcia has been placed with 118 points. The top ten is closed by Juan Marcos Egea (CN Dos Mares), ninth with 122.8 and tenth the Balearic Miguel Salvador (CV Port D'Andratx) with a total of 125 points.
The trophy ceremony was held on the terrace of the Social Restaurant of the RCN of Torrevieja, in the framework of a dinner offered by the Club to all, sailors, committee, staff. An act that counted with the presence of Rosario Martinez, First Deputy Mayor of the City of Torrevieja, accompanied by Diana Box, Councillor for Sports; Oliver Cohen president of IOMICA (International One Metre International Class Association); Jose Valverde, National Secretary National Association of Class One Metre Spain; Carlos Torrado, president of the Sailing Federation of the Comunitat Valenciana; Ana Francos, president of the NGO "New Fraternity" and German Soler, president of the RCN of Torrevieja.
At the closing ceremony and trophy presentation, the NGO Nueva Fraternidad has been the main protagonist, since all proceeds from the 'food track' installed at the regatta base will go to the construction of an educational center in Rwanda.