Optiorange 2024 at Real Club Náutico de Valencia - Day 3
by Pep Portas 3 Mar 08:20 NZDT
28 February - 1 March 2024
Third day at the Real Club Náutico de Valencia, a day that has been marked by the strong wind, with an average that has ranged between 15 and 25 knots of intensity, reaching peaks of 32 knots of intensity at the end of the day.
Two races have been closed for the gold and silver groups and one for the bronze, the rest of the groups have not completed a single race.
Third and penultimate day at the Real Club Náutico de Valencia. The Optiorange 2024 heads into the final straight and does so with Greece dominating the absolute overall, thanks to the results obtained by Iason Panagopoulos (NOK), leader with 8 points, and his compatriot Maria Anna Makri (NOK), who has 15 points. Both face the last day with a slight advantage over the third of the table, which after the results of today, the torrevejense Juan Francisco Chumilla (RCN Torrevieja) assumes command of the provisional third place by adding 22 points, by 27 that has the fourth of the table.
Panagopoulos, in a day complicated by that intensity and gusts of wind, with a sea complicated by the wave, has been able to demonstrate a high level closing the two tests completed with partials of 3-1. His club mate, Makri, on the other hand has had two versions. In the first one she was right, close to her compatriot and sealing a hard-earned second place. In the second, with tips that reached 32 knots of 355 º and constant 25, signed a hard-working and brilliant 12th place.
The torrevejense Chumilla, on the other hand, has been able to take advantage of the results of the fleet that was above in the day yesterday, although the Torrevieja in the first of the day obtained its worst partial (70) so far in the regatta, this being the result that is discarded. All this, together with the results of the qualifying round and the second place achieved today, in the last race of the day, allow him to be provisional bronze with one day and three races to go.
The Spanish Iñigo Jauregui (CN Hondarribia) and the Dutch Maurits Melens (WV Arne) have also been able to take advantage of this complicated day. The first of them, with a 4-41 score, is placed with 27 points, far from the two Greeks, but with options to climb the podium with the bronze. Melens, on the other hand, has 30 points and is 8 points behind Chumilla, closing his participation today with 5-6 numbers.
The first SUB13 are in 39th place overall, occupied by the Turkish Cengiz Eren Guvenc (Yalikavak Sailing Club) with 84 points, while the first female is the Ukrainian Ahnieshka Madonich (Optimist Way / SVOC) with 114 points to her credit.
Marta Ferrando takes the lead of the sailors of the RCN of Valencia, being the first of the Valencian team. Pablo Lopez is the first of the boys, besides being third in the SUB13, behind the Turkish Guvenc and Eren Kaan Erendemir (Sopraventus Team/Galatasaray), first and second respectively.
Tomorrow, the fourth and last day of the Optiorange Valencia 2024 with three races scheduled. The wind seems to give a slight respite to the fleet, although the forecasts point to a light rain.