Schultheis clinches his Second EuroMed

By Wilfred Sultana

A total of 154 young sailors from 20 countries participated in this 18th Edition which gave Malta its seventh overall title. Russia and Italy follow with 3 victories each, having Sweden cherishing two wins, concluding the prestigious eighteen winners’ line-up with Great Britain, Iceland and Turkey showing-off one triumph each.

Taking results by categories the top three sailors in each category were:

Optimist Open GOLD Fleet – 56 participants: 1st OVERALL. Richard Schultheis (MLT), 2nd. Saul Vassallo (MLT), 3rd. Maksim Shaposhnikov (RUS).

Optimist Open SILVER Fleet – 55 participants: 1st. Noela Petesic (CRO), 2nd. Saverio Tosto (ITA), 3rd. Jake Mallia (MLT).

Optimist Novice Fleet – 16 participants: 1st. Jean Paul Zahra (MLT), 2nd. Timmy Vassallo (MLT), 3rd. Demir Demirsoy (TUR).

Laser 4.7 Fleet – 15 participants: 1st. Thomas Westerhof (NED), 2nd. Thomas Van-Ofwegen (NED), 3rd. Timo Bonnici (MLT).

Laser Radial Fleet – 12 participants: 1st. Jack Aitken (PUR), 2nd. Eric Malach (GER), 3rd. Karl Miggiani (MLT).

From above listed Top-Three winners of each category one finds eight foreign and seven Maltese sailors. Amongst these stand out Jack Aitken, a member of the RNYC,  who raced for the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico which indeed shows the international popularity the Mapfre Middlesea EuroMed Regatta enjoys.

From a local aspect the overall results obtained are also encouraging. “I am very satisfied that MYSC sailors managed a 1st and 2nd and a 4th place. Furthermore the Overall trophy has another Maltese (MYSC) sailor’s name on it.  I was hoping to have 5 sailors in the top 10 but on the last day the first race was sailed in very light and shifty winds and this upset our results.

My team was made up of 12 sailors and somehow I expected some better results from some of the others; but hopefully they will continue to work hard to improve in the coming months.”, remarked Jean Paul Fleri Soler, the Malta Young Sailors Club Youth Development Officer.

EuroMed is held during the schools Christmas holidays where winter sailing in the Centre of the Mediterranean, with pleasant daytime and sea temperatures, clear and blue waters attract foreign competing youngsters to travel to Malta accompanied by other members of their families to race and also taste the holiday values of our country.

The Mapfre Middlesea Euromed Regatta is organised by the Malta Young Sailors Club and sponsored by Mapfre Middlesea p.l.c. under the patronage of the Malta Sailing Federation. The db Seabank Resort + Spa once again was the official hotel of the Regatta.

At the end of the four-day Regatta Mr. Giorgio Grech, Head of the Mapfre Middlesea Luqa Regional Office, presented the trophies to the various winners.