Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx shines at the Hansa 303 European Championship

The 2026 Hansa Class European Championship has concluded in Barcelona after a week of action and variable conditions.

The fleets consisted of 5 boats in the 2.3 class, 71 in the 303 single-handed, 64 in the 303 double-handed, and 15 Liberty boats from 17 different countries. Furthermore, due to the large number of entries, the 303 fleets were divided into blue and yellow fleets and sailed on alternate days.

On the first two days of racing, competitors enjoyed strong winds, but high swells and currents posed challenges for many. Balearic Alejandro Solera, from Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx, handled the conditions best, winning all 3 races in the 303 single-handed category. In double-handed, the French pairing of Martine Guyon and Anne Marteau won the first two races, ahead of reigning Polish champions Piotr Cichocki and Olga Gornas-Grudzien. In the 2.3 class, another Polish sailor, Andrzej Bury, took the lead on the first day and remained there throughout the championship, winning all 7 races. Similarly, in the Liberty fleet, reigning champion Paul Phillips of Great Britain (GBR) led the fleet from the start.

The weather changed on the third day with a threat of a storm, and on the fourth day the wind failed to materialize, leading to the cancellation of the day's racing.

The 303s were split into gold and silver fleets to race 3 final races to complete the championship.

Thus, in the single-handed category, Alejandro Solera of Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx retained his title as European Champion in the Open category, while his clubmate Jordi Cargol delivered an outstanding performance by becoming Spanish Champion and claiming the continental silver medal. Meanwhile, Pau Toni Homar, also from CVPA, finished as runner-up in the Spanish Championship.

Also worthy of note is Jane Mestre from the same club, who claimed European silver, tied on points with the winner, Poland's Olga Górnaś Grudzień, and was crowned Women's Spanish Champion.

Poland's Bury achieved a clean sweep of victories in the 2.3 class, ahead of Frenchman Gerard Eychenne and Britain's Lindsay Burns.

In double-handed, it was once again the Polish duo of Cichocki and Gornas-Grudzien who surged into the lead, retaining their title by winning 5 of the 7 races ahead of Guyon/Marteau (FRA) and Rory McKinna (GBR) and Joao Pinto (POR), who teamed up for the event.

Meanwhile, the double-handed category also confirmed the strength of the club's representation through the duo of Pau Toni Homar and Mari Carmen García, who earned an important European podium finish and national runner-up honors.

Similarly in the Liberty class, Paul Phillips secured overall victory once again ahead of Vera Voorbach (NED) and David Durtson (GBR). Voorbach took home the Liberty Servo trophy for the seventh time, edging out compatriot Wilma van den Broek and Britain's Tessa Watkiss.

The Pam Trophy for best team was awarded to Great Britain. The award is calculated based on the results of the top 2 sailors from each country in each division. GBR fielded competitors in all divisions and claimed the trophy despite having only one participant in the 2.3 division.

At the prize-giving ceremony, IHCA President Vera Voorbach announced that the 2028 European Championship will be held in Brindisi, Italy, in April 2028, with further details to be confirmed.