New challenge for the Balearic Optimist sailors: the 6th Fundación Ingenio Regatta

The event will bring together 169 Optimist-class sailors from tomorrow, Wednesday 1 July, in Los Alcázares, Murcia, and will be raced under a qualification-and-final series format divided into groups.

Tomorrow, Wednesday 1st of July, the 6th Fundación Ingenio Regatta will get under way at the “Infanta Cristina” High Performance Centre in Los Alcázares. One of the most heavily attended events in the Optimist class’s summer calendar, it will bring together a total of 169 sailors, including a strong contingent from the Balearic Islands.

The island delegation will consist of 40 athletes, accounting for almost a quarter of the registered fleet. The Balearic sailors will travel to Murcia from nine clubs across Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza: Club Nàutic s’Estanyol, Club Náutico Ibiza, Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx, Club Marítimo de Mahón, Reial Club Nàutic del Port de Pollença, Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita, Club Nàutic Portitxol, Real Club Náutico de Palma and Club Nàutic Cala Gamba.

Over the three days leading up to the competition, the participating sailors have had the opportunity to prepare through the Optimist Clinic organised by Gold Winds in Murcia. These training sessions have allowed the athletes to become more familiar with the racecourse, fine-tune their boats and work on a range of technical aspects ahead of the start of the 6th Fundación Ingenio Regatta.

The competition will take place over three days, from the 1st the 3rd of July, and will be open to the Under-16, Under-13 and Under-11 categories, in both boys’ and girls’ divisions. The opening day will begin with the race office opening and participant registration, from 9.00 am to 11.00 am, before the championship’s first start at 1.00 pm. Racing will resume at 1.00 pm on Thursday, while Friday’s programme will begin at 12.00 noon.

The high number of entries means that sailors will be divided into two groups: the Yellow fleet and the Blue fleet. Over the first two days, a qualifying series of up to six races will be held. Based on their results, competitors will then be assigned to the Gold and Silver groups for the final day. The final series will consist of up to three races, although it will only be held if both groups have completed at least four races by the end of the second day.

The sporting programme provides for a maximum of nine races over the course of the championship. Each race is expected to last approximately 45 minutes and will be sailed on a course consisting of a start, marks 1, 2 and 3, and a finish. On the final day, no warning signal will be made after 4.30 pm, except in the event of a general recall or a postponement during the starting procedure.

For the Balearic sailors, the event represents a demanding opportunity to test themselves against a large fleet in the heart of the summer season. The participation of clubs from all three islands also confirms the strength of Balearic youth sailing in the Optimist class, with several of Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza’s leading sailing clubs represented.

Organised by the Sailing Federation of the Region of Murcia, the 6th Fundación Ingenio Regatta will conclude on Friday 3rd of July with the prize-giving ceremony, scheduled for around 6.00 pm. The top five finishers in each category will receive prizes.