The RCNGC AECIO Optimist Trophy turns 38 with “great pride” and 120 sailors on the starting line

He AECIO Trophy of the Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria for the Optimist class, reaches its 38th edition with 120 sailors on the starting line. It also does so “with great pride”, in the words of the commodore of the Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria, Alejandro Martín, who presented the regatta this morning in the company of, among others, the Councilor for Tourism and Ciudad de Mar, Pedro Quevedo, and of the secretary of the Royal Canarian Sailing Federation, Alejandro de Juan. Lieutenant Commander Rogelio Soto also attended, honking the horn to start the regatta.

A total of 12 yacht clubs from different Canary Islands and several autonomous communities, as well as Switzerland, Sweden and Great Britain They will be represented in this edition that begins this Wednesday, December 27, the water tests.

Until Saturday, December 30, a total of 12 races have been scheduled, with the fleet divided into two groups for the qualifying and final phases.

The 120 participants compete for some of the 6 podiums at stake. Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in the under-16, under-13 and under-11 categories, both male and female, and the overall winner of this edition will receive an Optimist as a gift.

“Here is the future of sailing”, the commodore pointed out to an audience made up of sailors about to take to the water, coaches and managers, before whom he named some of the athletes who have added to the AECIO Trophy record over the years and who today are part of the history of sailing

The RCNGC AECIO Optimist Trophy turns 38 with “great pride” and 120 sailors on the starting line. LP/DLP

He cited the Italian Marco Gradoni, winner of the 2017 edition, three-time world champion of the Optimist class and skipper of the America’s Cup at 18 years old; and the Canarian Samuel Beneyto, promise of Spanish Olympic sailing and youth world champion of the Snipe class in 2022 – along with Rafael del Castillo -, who was crowned in the 2016 AECIO.

In 2018, the winner of the trophy was the RCNGC sailor Jaime Ayarza, who would later obtain the bronze medal at the 2019 World Cup. Further back in time is the Olympic sailor Jordi Xammar, bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, who won the AECIO in 2007, and Tony Rivas, who won the trophy in 1987 and in 2016 participated in the Rio Olympics as a coach.

The RCNGC enriches its AECIO Optimist Trophy with a round-robin team regatta

The presentation of the regatta took place in the club’s boathouse, with the boats mounted on land and the sails flapping, and with the presence of the 120 sailors who would take the start shortly after. Councilor Pedro Quevedo used the adjective “endearing” to refer to the Christmas dates in which the regatta is held, and also “to the way of doing things in this club.”

Quevedo pointed out that the RCNGC’s record, full of champions, “It shows that things have been done well in these 38 years”in reference to the role of the Optimist strategic class in the introduction to this sport.

On behalf of the Royal Canarian Sailing Federation, its secretary, Alejandro de Juan, stressed the importance of the Optimist “because everything begins here” in sports. Personally, De Juan spoke about the friends that are made in these regattas and the lessons that sailing brings to other facets of life, such as studies or work.

The RCNGC and the Royal Canarian Sailing Federation organize the regatta by delegation of the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, with the support of the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Council, the Gran Canaria Cabildo, through the Insular Sports Institute, the Government from the Canary Islands, through Promotur, and AECIO Canarias; and the collaboration of the Federation of Latin Sailing Boats and the companies Naviera Armas Trasmediterránea, Marpe Fish and Sisal.

For the first time in its 38-year history, The AECIO Trophy has been preceded by the AECIO Team Racing Series, a new event that was contested by teams of 4 sailorsthrough the Round Robin system (all against all) for the first round, as well as the semi-final and final.

The first winners of the AECIO Team Racing Series – held between December 20 and 23 – are the members of the RCNGC-1 team: Manuel Florido, Lili Skomska, Ayoset Vega and Marta Mansito. RCNGC-2 finished in second position, formed by Silvia Medina, Francisco Guindín, Isabel Lang Lenton and Pedro Ugarte.

The bronze medal was won the Swe/Sui team formed by Swiss sailors Yann Van de Vyver and Violette Baudetand by the Swedish sisters Elsa and Alma Beijar.

2023-12-27 13:00:38
#RCNGC #AECIO #Optimist #Trophy #turns #great #pride #sailors #starting #line