The 2022 edition of the Optimist Lanzarote Trophy, organized by Club Deportivo Código Cero and Atlantis Academy, with the collaboration of the Canary Islands Sailing Federation and Calero Marinas, held between December 5 and 7, concluded successfully, where 79 sailors finally participated from various parts of the world.
Apart from the athletes with Spanish nationality, Argentinians, Dutch, Singaporeans, Italians, Norwegians, Bretons, French, Monegasques and Puerto Ricans met at sea, once again demonstrating the international nature of an event that is increasingly attracting the attention of foreign sailors.
Despite the fact that the forecasts were not at all flattering for the first day of competition, the sailors were finally able to go out and complete the three races of the day, as well as the three planned for the second and third, adding up to a total of nine races.
The Italian Claudio Crocco from Tognazzi Marine Village stood out on the first day with two second places and a first, leading the provisional classification and demonstrating that he would be one of the rivals to beat during the event. However, an offside with Flag D in the first race of the second day jeopardized his supremacy, with other sailors appearing on the scene fighting for the title such as the Spaniard Íker Mugica from Club Nàutic Cambrils, the Italian Elena María Gonnella from Centro Velico 3V or the Puerto Rican Isabella Calzadilla Allora.
As the races progressed, other names emerged, such as the Italian Davide Veronesi from Circolo Náutico Brenzone or the Norwegian Elle Charlotte Tan Almas from Arendals Seilforening, who fought for some of the races, presenting their candidacy for the final podium.
Everything was to be decided for the last day where three more tests were carried out. Claudio Crocco arrived as leader, although some optimists threatened that privileged position in the classification, with the young Italian doing a job of monitoring his most direct rivals. In the first race of the day the tactic worked well for him, but in the second he achieved a seventh position, while Isabela Calzadilla Allora was first.
Claudio Crocco arrived at the last race with 28 points and without being able to make any discards due to the UFD of the fourth race (the first of the second day of competition), while Isabella Calzadilla arrived with 29 points, discarding the 10th position of the third race (the third of the first day), allowing the American to be above the European in the last race to be proclaimed the winner.
It was not like that and he closed his participation with a fifteenth place, this being the discarded race, while the provisional leader was fifth, securing the first drawer of the competition podium. Third was finally Elena Maria Gonnella, just one point behind the Puerto Rican sailor.
Once on land and with all the material collected, the awards ceremony took place both by categories and at a general level. The Latvian Villiams Osipov from Fraglia Vela Riva and the local Lola Carrión Morales from Club Deportivo Código Cero were the winners in the Sub11 category, the Italian Davide Veronesi from Circolo Náutico Bretone and his compatriot Elena María Gonnella from Centro Velico 3V won in the Sub13 category and the Italian Claudio Crocco from Tognazzi Marine Village and the Puerto Rican Isabella Calzadilla Allora won in the sub16 category.
