The town of Getxo, in the Basque Country, has been the setting during this Holy Week for a new edition of the Spanish Optimist Championship, a competition in which the Royal Nautical Club of Arrecife has been represented with the participation of four sailors.
The young Lola Carrión Morales has been the great dominator of the U13 category, and the consistency shown throughout the four days of competition has served her to
be proclaimed champion of Spain.
The expedition of the Royal Nautical Club of Arrecife that has participated in the Spanish Optimist Championship has been made up of Lola Carrión Morales, Julián Suárez Sperner,
Luisa Lemes Márquez and Alfonso Garcías Cruz, being accompanied by coach Carlos Hidalgo. The four sailors obtained qualification for the national event in the Canarian Optimist Circuit, made up of the Manolo Pazos Trophy, Pel Escuder Trophy and César Manrique Trophy.
The Spanish Optimist Championship has had all kinds of conditions. Rain, cold and strong wind on the first two days, meteorological improvement on the third day and a last day almost summery with little wind. Saturday started with a southeast wind of 8 knots and strong current, the intensity dropping and the race having to be cancelled. After more than two hours of waiting, the seventh and last race of the national event could be completed.
Lola Carrión Morales has shown great consistency throughout the four days of competition, leading from the first day the sub´13 category, highlighting the sixth place achieved in the fourth race of the yellow group. On the final day, the sailor from Real Club Náutico de Arrecife crossed the finish line in 16th place, eight places ahead of her main rival, Alexia Sotomayor.
Lola Carrión concludes the Spanish Optimist Championship in 25th place in the general classification, and is proclaimed champion of Spain in the U13 category, inscribing her name in the record book of the national competition and becoming one of the young promises of national sailing.
As for the rest of the sailors from the Real Club Náutico de Arrecife who have been present at the Spanish Optimist Championship, Julián Suárez Sperner occupied the 69th position overall and one position behind concluded Luisa Lemes Márquez. For his part, Alfonso Garcías Cruz classified in the 113th position overall. A national event in which 155 sailors have participated and in which the Canarian team has occupied the third position.
The president of the Real Club Náutico de Arrecife, Julio Romero, and the Board of Directors, wish to congratulate “Lola Carrión Morales for her title of Optimist Spanish champion in the
under-13 category, being the result of the great work that has been carried out throughout this season”. Congratulations that the club also extends to the rest of the sailors and to coach Carlos Hidalgo, for their participation and presence in the Optimist Spanish Championship.