IOM European Championship at RCN Torrevieja Update
by Prensa Sailing Communication 6 Oct 2023 23:07 BST
7-12 October 2023
European Championships © Pep Portas / RCNT
The RCN of Torrevieja hosts from tomorrow Saturday, October 7th, to Friday 12th the European Championship of the class, with the presence of the 80 best sailors of the international scene, representing 17 countries.
For the first time the International IOM class launches a system of qualifying round and final round, with two and three days respectively, with four groups established in the Torrevieja event.
The European Championship for the IOM Radio Control class gets under way. The Real Club Nautico de Torrevieja already has everything ready for one of the big events of the year and that will place, once again, the club and the city of Torrevieja on the international map of the sport of sailing. An event that has the appearance of a world championship, although at stake, for the 80 sailors from 17 countries, is the European scepter. Among these 17 countries, by invitation and accepted, are present Argentina, Chile and the United States.
A regatta that has grown exponentially after the last International Meeting IOM Torrevieja in late April, being that race the best test for the big event that now undertakes the club Torrevieja. The good organization, the 'technical' area for the sailors and the regatta course were ample arguments for many sailors to want to participate.
A lot of level in Torrevieja and anyone can give the surprise. But there are eight sailors who are in all the pools to be on the podium or finish in the top ten, with a Croatian, an Italian, British and two French, while locally there are three Spaniards who have options.
Undoubtedly one of the rivals to beat will be the Croatian Zvonko Jelacic, top favorite for the title with several world and European titles behind him. In the last World Championship he won the bronze medal. But he will not have it easy, he will have as rival the reigning world champion, the French Olivier Cohen. The French country, with 10 representatives, will have another star in the podium bets: Xavier Liger, although in that World Championship he finished 24th.
Italy also presents a clear option to be on the podium. Pierluigi Puthod is another sailor with an extensive track record in the IOM class and who comes after having achieved good results in the international events in which he has taken part. Something very similar to the British Robert Walsh, fourth in the World Championship in Šibenik, Croatia.
In local key are three with the maximum guarantees to give a joy to Spain. Two of them from the host club: Guillermo Beltri and Ginés Romeros, and from the Club de Mar Almería, José Valverde, is the maximum exponent.
The International IOM class presents an important novelty in this European, affecting the competition system and that in Torrevieja is launched for the first time. The fleet will be grouped into four groups, 80 sailors, competing in the first two days in a qualifying round, while the following three will be disputed in the final round with the gold, silver, bronze and copper groups.
For tomorrow, Saturday, the committee plans to close the registration formalities, with a training regatta. On Sunday, the administrative matters will be concluded and a new training regatta will be held. In the evening, at 20.00 hours, in the RCN of Torrevieja, the opening ceremony will be held.
The races will be held from Monday until Friday, October 13th. The starting time for the first race of the day has been set at 10.00 a.m. and will end at 6.30 p.m., except for the final day, which will be at 5.00 p.m. It is also left to the race committee to give a start to close any group that has not been able to complete the same number of races as the rest of the groups.
The closing ceremony and trophy presentation is scheduled for Friday October 13th, around 20.00 hours at the RCN of Torrevieja.