EUROSAF Platu 25 European Championship

The crew of Rodion Luka won the EUROSAF 2021 Platu25 Europeans by a single point

The 2021 EUROSAF Platu25 European championship finished in style with two decisive races held on the last day, October 09. The UKR69 crew of Rodion Luka managed to gain the gold medal with a slender lead of single point over UKR999 Kontramarka. The bronze medal also belong to the Ukrainian crew UKR300 Grand Evento. The event was hosted by Odesa Racing yacht club and Black Sea yacht club. 

The beginning of October in Odesa was a real sailing fest. The Platu25 Ukrainian nationals were held from September 30 and them from October 04 the Europeans continued. For the national championship there were 23 crews and for the Europeans the number of participants increased to 35. The fleet represented six nations. 

The local weather presented some surprises as well. From the very first racing day of the Europeans, warm sunshine had given way to the fresh easterlies that brought a very unpleasant chop around the racing areas. Such difficult conditions prevailed for the whole regatta and resulted in three masts lost and other minor damages. Luckily all crews are safe and fine. 

No wonder that the fight for top-3 and even top-10 places were hot. The early leaders UKR999 Kontramarka had slided to second place in the middle of the event but were chasing the future champions till the finish line of the last race. Indeed Kontramarka had a chance to win as Luka’s crew were scored UFD in the penultimate race. Should they made a slightest mistake, the chaser were there. But it appeared that very experienced crew of Rodion Luka was not going to let the gold slip away from their hands. 

Rodion Luka, UKR69, the winner of the 2021 EUROSAF Platu25 European championship:
“After we realized that we had UFD in the pre-last race, we were shocked and it was hard to concentrate. Everything seemed to go wrong. But thanks to my fantastic team, we stayed focused and managed to win the championship”.

Oleksandr Poryandchenko, UKR999 Kontramarka, the 2021 EUROSAF Platu25 European championship silver-medalist:
“The event was fantastic, the racing was so close! Yes we are second overall, but for us we are definitely winners as we managed to chase Rodion with our mixed pro-am crew. Hope, next time the tables will be turned”.

The bronze medal contest was also very hot. Before the last day a single point separated the fourth placed LTU2074 White Whale and the third placed UKR300 GrandEvento. The Ukrainians went to win the penultimate race and broadened the gap between them. In the last race, the Whale were chasing UKR300 but the young mixed pro-am crew of GrandEvento managed to hold off the attacks. 

Maksym Hontar, UKR300 GrandEvento, the bronze medalist:
“We ourselves are not yet fully aware that we have achieved a medal. It’s very nice, because the championship was extremely difficult. “

At the closing ceremony of the championship, the Vice-President of the European Sailing Federation (EUROSAF), Pınar COŞKUNER GENÇ, who headed the international jury, addressed the gusts and org committee:

“As the European Sailing Federation, we are honored to have been one of the organizers of the first ever Europeans in Ukraine in sailing. On behalf of EUROSAF, I would like to give our token of appreciation to two gentlemen who made it happen: Albert Kabakov/President of Odesa Racing yacht club and Rodion Luka, President of Ukrainian Sailing Federation. As EUROSAF, we will keep on supporting Ukraine for future EUROSAF Europeans and Platu 25 Class in their future bids and initiatives. Spasiba!”

The 2021 EUROSAF Platu25 European Championship results: https://sail-races.com/en/10293/event.html

The images and videos archive: https://www.facebook.com/OdessaRacingYachtClub/

Fotocredit: Adelaida Lesher