2024 European Championship: Final Day

The 2024 Optimist European Championship, hosted in Italy at the Club Nautico Marina di Carrara, has concluded.

In the Boys' category, the European Champion is Iason Panagopoulos (GRE), who has won the Championship for the third consecutive time. Second place went to Italian Jesper Karlsen, and third place to Turkish sailor Mehmet Erkut Budak.

In the Girls' category, Croatian sailor Vita Erceg emerged as the European Champion. Second place was secured by Italian Anna Merlo, and the bronze went to another Italian, Bianca Marchesini.

Italy also won the Top Nation Award for the eighth time since 2016 and the seventh consecutive time, ahead of Greece and Croatia.

The final day of the Championship presented a challenging race course characterized by light and oscillating winds with a strong current from the south. These conditions made it particularly difficult for the girls to sail upwind. The start for the Gold Fleet only was given a few minutes before the time limit expired, while the Silver and Bronze Fleets were brought ashore.

Prizes for all Championship winners were crafted from white Carrara marble and personalized for the event.