Nacra 17 European Championship at Circolo Velico Sferracavallo – Overall
by Alexia Lahoud, 49er and Nacra 17 Sailing 10 Nov 11:36 PST
5-10 November 2024
Italy’s Ugolini and Giubilei take silver; Junior Gold goes to Belgian team Borghijs – Nacra 17 European Championship 2024 © Salvatore Lopez
The 2024 Nacra 17 European Championships concluded today at Circolo Velico Sferracavallo in Palermo, crowning the Dutch pair Willemijn Offerman and Scipio Houtman as European Champions. The Italian duo, Gianluigi Ugolini and Maria Giubilei, took home the silver medal, while Belgian siblings Kwinten and Lieselotte Borghijs earned bronze and the title of Junior European Champions.
Taking place from Wednesday to today, the competition featured a new race format that heightened the competition. After four days of action and six series races, the top two teams from the Netherlands and Italy competed in two final match races, in which Offerman and Houtman emerged victorious.
In the Junior category, Kwinten and Lieselotte Borghijs claimed their second major title of 2024, having already won the Nacra 17 Junior World Championships. They topped the Junior podium, followed by fellow Belgians Lucas Claeyssens and Eline Verstraelen in second place and Australians Brin Liddell and Rhiannan Brown in third.
The event witnessed a variety of weather conditions, with two races held on Wednesday, no races on Thursday due to insufficient wind, four successful races on Friday, and thrilling match races concluding today.
Giuseppe Giunchiglia, President of Circolo Velico Sferracavallo, expressed pride in hosting this significant event:
“We are privileged to have hosted the Nacra 17 European Championships in Sferracavallo, uniting athletes, coaches, and officials from all over the globe. This event marks an important milestone for our club, enhancing our reputation on the European sailing scene. We extend our gratitude for this success to the Municipality of Palermo, the Nacra 17 Class Association, the Italian Sailing Federation, our sponsors, and especially to all the volunteers who made the races safe and efficient. With this championship concluded, we eagerly anticipate the Sferracavallo International Optimist Race in early December.”
Organized by Circolo Velico Sferracavallo in collaboration with the Nacra 17 Class Association and the Department of Tourism and Sport of Palermo, the championships drew 18 boats and 36 sailors from various countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the United States.
Complete results can be accessed here.
