38th Lake Garda Optimist Meeting at Fraglia Vela Riva - Overall
by Fraglia Vela Riva 24 Aug 05:56 BST
20-23 August 2020
38th Lake Garda Optimist Meeting © Zerogradinord / A Trawoeger
Lorenzo Ghirotti of Fraglia Vela Riva is the winner of the 38th edition of Lake Garda Meeting Optimist, which saw an unprecedented edition end on Sunday, postponed from the traditional Easter weekend to the hot week of August due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic.
At the end of a fierce battle with Santiago Sesto Cosby, resolved only in the last race, Lorenzo Ghirotti won the title of what is probably the most iconic of youth sailing events, leaving Irish sailor Rocco Wright, silver medal, and the aforementioned English sailor Santiago Sesto Cosby, bronze medal with a defecit of 19 points on the winner. The French helm Zeu Schemmel and Italian Zeno Valerio Marchesini closed the top five in fourth and fifth respectively.
"I am very happy with this victory, a unique edition of the Meeting but no less exciting for this. I want to thank my teammates and my coach Mauro Berteotti for helping me reach this important milestone", commented Ghirotti at the end of the racing.
First overall in the girls junior ranking is Lisa Vucetti, standard bearer of the Società Velica Barcola and Grignano, in sixth overall, followed by Grega Elizabeth Anna Winters and Giulia Bartolozzi.
Among the younger division of the Cadets, after 12 races, victory went to the Swiss sailor Edward Hirsch, who after a long duel managed to overcome Mattia Benamati by just three points. Third place, with a large gap, went to Artur Brighenti. The winner in the Cadet girls' category is Irene Faini, followed on the podium by her teammate Bianca Marchesini and Sofia Gisele Berteotti.
"We put the seal on an unusual edition of the Lake Garda Meeting Optimist, which required perhaps even more organizational efforts than the previous years, but in which everything went smoothly, putting the safety of all participants first. There is great pride in the fact that the Juniores title was won by a sailor from Fraglia Vela Riva, confirming how much the "home" team is growing and improving, under the expert guidance of coach Mauro Berteotti. Now let's turn our gaze to the future and hope to return to breaking records with the 2021 edition of our beloved Meeting Garda Optimist. Thanks to all the staff, volunteers, participants and their companions for making this edition unique", commented Fraglia Vela Riva president Alfredo Vivaldelli.