The 2015 National Dinghy Championships, organised by the Malta Sailing Federation and hosted by the Royal Malta Yacht Club, saw a large fleet of 61 boats taking part.
The competitors represented Birżebbuġa Sailing Club, Malta Young Sailors Club and Royal Malta Yacht Club. They sailed in Optimist, Laser 4.7, Laser Radial, Laser Standard, RS Feva and RS Vision classes.
For Laser and Optimist categories only, results also counted towards the national ranking lists. Racing, outside Marsamxett Harbour, was held over two days.
Sailors competed in fine conditions on Day One where a north easterly wind and medium swell saw them undertake three races. Day Two started off with a good breeze but the wind died down as the regatta progressed, resulting in just one race for all classes except Standard and Optimist who managed two races.
For the first time, the championships had the Royal Malta Yacht Club Sailing School taking part, fielding over seven teams on Feva and Vision boats.
Moreover, there was also an international representation in Standard Class with sailors hailing from Algeria, Egypt, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Moldova, the Seychelles and Tunisia.
Youssef Akrout, from Tunisia, and Allan Julie, from the Seychelles, have represented their countries in the Olympic Games before.
Akrout has already qualified for Rio 2016 and Julie is gearing up for his qualifying events next month.
The largest fleet of dinghy sailors in the Optimist and Laser regattas hailed from the Malta Young Sailors Club.
“It was a pleasure to host these champion-ships, the club’s boat park was bursting to the seams with all the activity and boats making it such a great atmosphere for the club,” David Anastasi, Royal Malta Yacht Club Rear Commodore, said.
“We always enjoy welcoming crews from other clubs and we have already planned two similar dinghy regattas for the 2016 local racing calendar.”
A prize-giving ceremony was held shortly after the conclusion of racing in the presence of Anna Rossi, Malta Sailing Federation president, Peter Dimech, the 2015 National Dinghy Sailing Championships Race Officer, and Godwin Zammit, Commodore of the Royal Malta Yacht Club.
“These championships are the culmination of a year of hard work by sailors, clubs and the federation and it is with pride and satisfaction that we see not only new faces on the scene but also sailors improving and developing their skills further,” Rossi told those present at the prize-giving ceremony which was held at the RMYC headquarters in Ta’ Xbiex.
“We also would like to thank Yachting Malta for their contribution towards supporting these championships.”
The class winners
Seniors: Matthew Micallef (Malta Young Sailors Club).
Cadets: Richard Schulteis (Malta Young Sailors Club).
Novices: Daniel Ciantar (Birżebbuġa Sailing Club).
Laser 4.7: Robert Fenech (Malta Young Sailors Club).
Laser Radial: Karl Miggiani (Malta Young Sailors Club).
Laser Standard: Alexander Denisuk (Moldova).
RS Vision: Paul Debono/Pierre Mifsud (Birżebbuġa Sailing Club).
RS Feva: Harry Parnis England/Kane Seychell (Royal Malta Yacht Club).