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News Maria Anna Makri and Mehmet Erkut Budak Lead Optiorange Valencia
© Pep Portas / RCN Valencia
© Pep Portas / RCN Valencia
Maria Anna Makri and Mehmet Erkut Budak Lead Optiorange Valencia
The inaugural day of the Optiorange Valencia at the Real Club Náutico de Valencia concluded with three races, showcasing tight competition
Valencia, January 29th, 2024 - Greek sailor Maria Anna Makri and Turkish competitor Mehmet Erkut Budak emerged as frontrunners after the first day of Optiorange Valencia, a regatta hosted by the Real Club Náutico de Valencia. The event commenced today and will continue until next Sunday, with final results pending from the third race of the day.
Although the wind arrived later than anticipated, it provided a thrilling finish with 18 knots of intensity. Starting at a modest 5-6 knots, the wind gradually intensified, facilitating the completion of three races across the five Optiorange groups.
The initial race kicked off after 13:30 hours, with Greece's Iason Panagopoulos securing victory in the yellow group. Subsequently, Maria Anna Makri (Blue), Mehmet Erkut Budak (Red), Neco del Castillo (RCM Santander) in the Green group, and Marta Mansito (RCN Gran Canaria) in the Purple group also clinched victories.
In the second race, with winds reaching 8-10 knots from the East-Southeast direction, Makri reaffirmed her dominance by claiming first place. Notably, Swede Isak Kaplan (KSSS/Tropical Vikings) significantly improved his performance, securing victory in the yellow group after a 12th place finish in the initial race. Mateo Carbonell (CN Jávea), another key contender, mirrored Kaplan's success, bouncing back from a 16th place finish to win the second race in the purple group.
Locally, Alexandra Wang (RCN Valencia), competing in the U13 category, emerged as the top sailor from the organizing club, currently placed 63rd overall. Wang concluded the first day with partial scores of 13-20 in the purple group.
As of press time, several protests are under review, particularly concerning the third race of the day, thus its outcome remains pending. However, provisional results position Maria Anna Makri of Greece and Mehmet Erkut Budak of Turkey as the initial leaders, pending final scoring from the third race.
