Spain wins Bronze at the Optimist European Championship

The Spanish Optimist team, made up entirely of sailors from the Real Club Náutico de Palma, has claimed the bronze medal at the European Team Racing Championship held in Turkey.

The squad, consisting of Lluc Bestard, Sibila Busquets, Toni Llull, and Edo Cioffi, competed over four intense days against the eight best countries on the continent: Greece, Italy, Turkey, France, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Croatia, and Portugal.

After progressing through numerous qualifying rounds, Spain fell in the semifinals to Italy by 2-1 in a very tight duel, despite having beaten them in earlier stages. In the battle for the podium, the team prevailed convincingly (2-0) to secure third place. Italy went on to win the championship, with Turkey finishing second.

This result marks a fitting farewell for Toni Llull and Edo Cioffi, who will move together to the 420 class next season. For Lluc Bestard, recent women’s individual European champion, it also means adding a second continental medal in just a few weeks.