Poland, skippered by Lili Skomska, wins the mini version of the 'Gran Canaria SSL Gold Cup’, hosted by the Optimists of the RCNGC
Poland, skippered by Lili Skomska, has won the mini version of the 'Gran Canaria SSL Gold Cup', which took place this Saturday. The competition featured 29 Optimist class sailors from the Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria.
Inspired by the success and novelty of the international event concluding tomorrow in Gran Canaria, RCNGC coaches devised a regatta for the Optimist class, similar to the Star Sailors League format. Poland took gold (Lili Skomska), followed by Switzerland with silver (Guti del Castillo), and Malaysia earning bronze (Fran Guindín). Spain, also a finalist in this SSL Gold Cup edition with Jorge Rocha at the helm, finished fourth.
29 Optimist sailors took to the water this Saturday, eager to replicate the thrilling races of the Gran Canaria SSL Gold Cup, the ‘Football World Cup’ in sailing. The event concludes this Sunday in the bay of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria after a month of competition, with 40 national teams and many of the world’s sailing legends competing in Canarian waters.
The Optimist mini-regatta, organised by the RCNGC, took the same knockout format, starting in the 1/16 Finals with the fleet split into two groups. The competition progressed through various stages in the morning, culminating in a 4-boat final that determined the winner.
Each round consisted of a single race, with athletes representing countries of their choice, based on their rankings. The boats were easily distinguishable, each sporting the flag of the sailor's chosen country on the boom.
After the race, the young athletes gathered in the Gran Canaria SSL Gold Cup Race Village to receive trophies and t-shirts, which they used to get autographs from sailors like five-time Olympic medalist Robert Scheidt, the captain of the Brazilian team.
Mark has been managing sailing websites since 1996, always being at the forefront of technology, and now manages the combined Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com network. He has covered events such as the International Moth World Championship and Cowes Week, focusing on the sailors' thoughts and words. Mark has been European Champion in the Farr 30 & J/24 class and has won numerous UK titles, and competes regularly in local and national events in dinghies and sportsboats.