Successful Multi-Class Dinghy Regatta at Royal Malta Yacht Club

The Royal Malta Yacht Club recently hosted a multi class Dinghy Weekend Regatta which welcomed over fifty sailors from four Maltese Sailing Clubs – Birzebbugia Sailing Club, Malta Young Sailors Club, Vikings Sailing Club and the Royal Malta Yacht Club.

The single handed Optimist class, saw sixteen entries and was divided into Novice – for children who are new to sailing and racing, Cadet [8-11 year old] and Senior [12 to 15 years] classes.

The Single handed Laser 4.7 class and Radial class had seventeen entries whilst all the Topper entries hailed from the Vikings Sailing Club.

The double handed Feva class saw six boats between Royal Malta Yacht Club and Birzebbugia Sailing Club. A Handicap class was made up of a RS Vision, 2 Mirror Miracles and an Enterprise, these raced on Portsmouth Yardstick corrected time.

Saturday saw a total of three races held in strong winds and a quite confused chop, conditions which favoured the heavier sailors. All three races per class got away without too much trouble for Assistant Race Officer Inge Mule Stagno from Birzebbugia Sailing Club and Peter Dimech from the Royal Malta Yacht Club.

The same format was applied on the second day of racing, by which time there was less wind and the confused chop had calmed down. The Optimist fleet were keen to race. Their zeal to race however saw two of the beginners get caught in a wrong position and were disqualified.

The Laser fleet saw some older sailors, including two Royal Malta Yacht Club committee members, battling it out against youngsters who eventually got the better of them.

The Feva fleet saw some new sailors to the class including young Victoria Schultheis, recent winner of a gold medal in the Optimist Class at the World Sailing Championships. Schultheis sailed her first event in this double handed class. The Farrugia Vella brothers from Birzebbugia Sailing Club also did very well. Siblings Andrew and Michela Mifsud sailing a RS Vision beat their father who sailed the Miracle dinghy in this handicap class.

Royal Malta Yacht Club Commodore Godwin Zammit presided over a Prize Giving afternoon, which saw crews joined by families and friends who cheered on the winners who were presented with a number of sailing related products.

RMYC Dinghy Regatta Results

Laser 4.7

1st Place – Matthew Micallef

2nd Place – Daniele Micallef Valetta

Laser Radial

1^st Place – Karl Miggiani

2^nd Place – Zach Zammit

3^rd Place – Maya Podesta

Optimist Class – Cadets

1^st Place – Richard Schultheis

2^nd Place – Daniel Ciantar

3^rd Place – Dimitris Pipi Vertsonis

Optimist Class – Seniors

1^st Place – Saul Vassallo

2^nd Place – Patrice Pace

3^rd Place – Luke Rausi

Optimist Class – Novice

1^st Place – Kain Gauci

2^nd Place – Shaun Aquilina

3^rd Place – Cleavon Borg

RS Fevas

1^st Place – Kane Seychell/Harry Parnis England

2^nd Place – Neil Farrugia Vella/Craig Farrugia Vella

3^rd Place – Megan Ferry / Emilie Gregory

Handicap Class

1^st Place (RS Vision) – Andrew Mifsud / Michela Mifsud

2^nd Place (Miracle) – Pierre Mifsud / Andre Fenech

Toppers

1^st Place – Andrea Azzopardi

Photos Courtesy: RMYC/Mark Napier