25th Ora Cup Ora Optimist - Overall
by Elena Giolai 13 Aug 10:43 BST
In the junior category the British champion Santiago Sesto Cosby wins; the Neapolitan Caracciolo wins among the females. Mattia Benamati clearly won among the smallest; comeback of Rivana Berteotti, who overtakes the German Brinkmann.
It was a beautiful conclusion to the 25th Ora Cup Ora, Optimist youth class, recognized by the Italian Sailing Federation. Entry numbers were halved to remain compliant with the COVID-19 regulations, but it was still a party of sailing for the 290 young sailors who had arrived from all over Italy and half of Europe, with twelve nations present.
The organizers at Circolo Vela Arco, took action early in the morning of the third and final day to take advantage of the morning north wind and close the event in style, ran racing from 8am to midday. In fact, there was no lack of the usual wind that blew vigorously up to 16 knots and lastedmuch longer than usual, allowing for three additional races to be held for all the fleets, bringing them to nine in total.
As for the events at Garda Trentino, this was the first International Optimist regatta, which started the large series that will continue until November with the Halloween Cup.
After the first six races held on Friday and Saturday, the junior fleet was divided for the finals, with the best 80 gathered in the "gold" fleet, and then split into the remaining silver and bronze fleets. The best sailors found themselves rotating in different fleets, face to face with very different wind conditions compared to the first two days: stronger wind from the north and flatter water; conditions that in some cases have reshuffled the ranking, allowing some to move up significantly.
The British (national champion 2019) Santiago Sesto Cosby had no problems in establishing himself in the junior category, ahead by nine points on the local Lorenzo Ghirotti (Fraglia Vela Riva).
Third was the Lazio Quan Adriano Cardi (LNI Ostia), while in fourth place and first female, the Neapolitan Ginevra Caracciolo (LNI Napoli).
The female ranking was completed by Federica Contardi (Tognazzi Marine Village) and the younger Gaia Zinali (CV Antignano). Among the youngest cadets (9-10 years), the standard-bearer of the Fraglia Vela Malcesine Mattia Benamati, who achieved six victories out of nine tests, had no opponents.
Artur Brighenti (CN Brenzone) climbed up to second place.
Evidently accustomed to the strong north wind of her home, the rivana Sofia Gisele Berteotti (Fraglia Vela Riva), who on the last day with a 3-20-3 managed to overtake the German Brinkmann by two points, and recover in a excellent fifth position overall, as well as having won among the females.
Third female Bianca Marchesini (FV Malcesine).
YouTube playlist of Ora Cup Ora Optimist class
Full results here [PDF]