Objectives achieved

Optimist Coach Regatta – Marseille

19-21 January 2024

Sunday 21^st January 2024. The 7^th Marseille Coach Regatta has just concluded for the 150 young sailors in competition. Like the Monaco Optimist Academy the goal is to help young athletes progress with a quasi-training format that allows coaches to intervene during the racing. Divided into two groups according to their level, the Elite and Espoir fleets saw talented youngsters from all backgrounds giving it their all. The intense cold failed to dampen the Monegasques enthusiasm throughout the five races run in 6/12 knots.

Participants in the 70-strong Espoir fleet pulled off some remarkable results with YCM’s Josephine Dobbelaere coming 6^th overall and 3^rd in the girls, a fantastic result echoed by Louis Faivre’s 10^th place. In their wake, Pietro Carlevaris, Louis Pompee, Jules Huon, Mona Benchekroun, Victor Holst and Anastasia Verpeka also produced some fine sailing. In the 88-strong Elite category, Océane Schroeder finished 54^th, followed by Frederik Holst 79^th and Facundo Rubinelli 84^th.