Mallorcan sailing talent dominates the Fundación Ingenio Regatta podium

Jan Palou, from the Real Club Náutico de Palma, was crowned champion in a regatta that brought together 159 sailors.

The sixth edition of the Fundación Ingenio Optimist Regatta, held from July 1 to 3 in the waters of the Mar Menor in Murcia, gathered 159 competitors and ended with a podium entirely occupied by sailors from the Real Club Náutico de Palma: Jan Palou took first place, followed by Pedro Burgués and Lluc Bestard.

Jan Palou was the clear dominator of the regatta from start to finish. Although he opened with a twelfth-place finish, he went on to win five of the remaining seven races, leaving little room for his rivals. The only sailor able to keep pace with him was his club teammate Pedro Burgués, who won three of the eight races and finished second overall, five points behind Palou.

Third place went to fellow Mallorcan sailor María de Lluc Bestard, who also claimed the title of female champion. Just one point off the podium was Pablo López, from the Real Club Náutico de Valencia.

In the women’s category behind Bestard, second place went to Inés Rodado (CN Mar Menor) and third to Mary Anne Osha, from the Real Club Náutico de Palma.

The regatta featured six qualifying races and two finals, in which sailors from the Gold Fleet competed for the top positions.

The Murcia event has established itself as one of the major early-summer benchmarks for the Optimist class at national level, following the World Championship in Morocco, the Spanish Championship for Regional Teams in the Bay of Cádiz, and the Inland Waters Spanish Cup at the San Juan reservoir.

The Sailing Federation of the Region of Murcia, chaired by Arturo García Pallarés, also took the opportunity to pay tribute to Murcian sailor Mara Peñalver, recent bronze medallist in the Optimist World Championship in Tangier in the women’s category and world team champion with Spain, as well as to coach Andrés Palou.