Beyond Victory: Capturing IOM class Spirit at the 2023 EC

Summary

Beyond Victory: Capturing the IOM class Spirit at the 2023 European Championship in Torrevieja - SPAIN
The 2023 IOM European Championship wasn't just a competition; it was a vivid display of camaraderie among the IOM sailing community. This event showcased the tight-knit bonds between sailors from various nations and celebrated the collective spirit that led to the regatta which will be remembered for years to come.

An idea is salvation by imagination.

In the rich tapestry of international sailing, the IOM European Championship in Torrevieja, Spain will be delicately stitched as a pinnacle of IOM competitiveness, sportsmanship, design ingenuity, and international camaraderie in 2023! 🏆

Embarking upon the light winds and low waves of the Spanish coast, all sailors – united from 17 countries: ARG, AUT, CHI, CRO, DEN, ESP, FRA, GBR, GER, HUN, ITA, NOR, POL, POR, SUI, SWE, and USA, – sculpted a narrative that goes beyond competition. It was a celebration, an homage to the revered IOM class and a symphony where each sailor played a vital note in a melodic championship. Without all of you dear IOM sailors, none of this would exist. 🌊

Our heartfelt gratitude extends to the unsung heroes: the diligent organizers of Real Club Náutico Torrevieja and dedicated volunteers/sailors, whose unwavering commitment crafted an event where the essence of sailing could be purely, and fully, appreciated (Emilio, Stuart, Joaqin, Beverly, Jennifer, Funci, Paulo Gomes, several Davids, both Pierres, Maestro, Estela, Laura, Maggie, Toni, Carlos, Didier, Chris, Fred and many more…). 👏

View official website here <-

Imagination is the beginning of creation.

VISS, our latest IOM sailboat design, had its maiden voyage on these illustrious waters. Guided by our co-founder, Zvonko Jelačić, and amidst fierce competition and camaraderie, it gracefully claimed victory! The triumph was not solitary; it was shared with the pulsating hearts of all competitors, but also celebrated by another VISS prototype sailed by CRO representative Ante Kovačević, which too, proved its seaworthiness by making a highly distinguished mark within the top 5 positions (and even started by leading after Day 1 as well). Excellent sailing skills were also presented by Alexis Carre who earned his silver medal proving the worthiness of the French team once again. He was followed by Guillermo Beltri, a well-known Maestro from Spain who took a bronze medal around his neck on the TOP 3 podium. Considering the great competitiveness of the event and the whole organization, we trust that the club president Mr German Soler Hernandez can be proud of what RCNT managed to present to Europe and our participating guests.

Sailboat RC at forefront of IOM innovation with revolutionary VISS design

We are more than satisfied with our new IOM light wind performers and there are some small changes we’ll make to the VISS prototype design to improve our new design even more before it is released for production in 2024. which means that the already amazing boat will be even better very soon. We don’t know how many of you noticed as it seems this revolutionary design was getting a lot of attention on its hull, but we also came to Spain with new Sailboat RC rigs and new sails, so VISS represents a whole new concept, not just hull that was developed from Kantun S. Please expect these updates to be available for K2 and other designs from now on as well. Small changes to fittings for new rigs will also be available for all future needs as we innovate our work to increase performance in every possible area. After all, Rigs & Suits of sails are the “motors” of every proper sailboat.

View Real Club Nautico Torrevieja page here <-

Creation is an act of defiance against the ordinary.

To the sailors who became the soul of this event, your tenacity, your spirit, and your unparalleled skills have not only shaped this championship but also enriched the storied tradition of IOM class sailing. We are thankful to see you sharing your experience on the racing course and for expanding your friendships when racing was not active every day, this is indeed one wonderful growing community and we should cherish that as much as possible.

Sailboat RC humbly acknowledges that each vessel on the water was steered by stories of hard work, determination, and a profound love for the sport/technical culture that unites us all under one sky, one ambition. We were honoured to be sponsors of the LIVE stream where our co-founder Josip Marasović was offering assistance and we were also very glad to be able to sponsor TOP 3 rewards that will be soon sent to all winners. Thanks are also due to grandmaster CRO 44 – Vedran Vesanović & CRO 30 – Ante Kovačević for the great proposal to forward a lottery reward from Zvonko (1st place reward) to a young debutant from Italy, ITA 70 – Nicola Bissi. This was his first IOM competition on the highest level and we wanted to offer an arm of friendship to newcomers with a small gesture like that. Considering that many tested the SHRS scoring system for the first time in the IOM Continental European Championship, we also owe respect to Roy from ANZAM Systems & Racing Committee who managed all of this for so many participants, seems like there are lots of positive feedback and even a few minor ideas on how to improve the system furthermore in future events which tells us that IOM sailors are invested into this way of organizing racing and regatta.

With a reflection of an event of this magnitude now behind us, we will continue to gently navigate forward, cherishing the memories, honouring the efforts of all, perpetually inspired by the boundless possibilities of international sailing that our IOM sailboats generously offer to all of us worldwide.

View recordings from LIVE and drone videos here <-