The European Championships in Nacra 17, 49er, and 49erFX concluded for Italy with a tally of three medals and an Olympic qualification. The main talking point of the final day in Vilamoura (Portugal) was the wind-free conditions, preventing the completion of both the last preliminary race and the Medal Races across all three sailing classes. To determine the podiums and allocate passes for Paris 2024, the results achieved by the crews over the preceding five days of regattas were taken into account. In the 49erFX category, Jana Germani and Giorgia Bertuzzi secured the silver medal along with the coveted Olympic quota place reserved for the best NOC that had not yet qualified. The Italian pair (photo World Sailing) finished with a total of 66.0 points, behind Norway's Helene Næss and Marie Rønningen (gold with 58.0), who were already certain of a national place for the upcoming Summer Olympics. Finally, the bronze medal was earned by Spain's Tamara Echegoyen and Paula Barcelò (80.0). There was good news too in the Nacra 17, with two Italian crews finishing on the podium. Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti (49.0) took silver while Gianluigi Ugolini and Maria Giubilei (52.0) secured bronze. The gold medal went to Great Britain's John Gimson and Anna Burnet (41.0). In this class, Italy had already qualified for the Paris 2024 Games, thanks to the success of Tita and Banti themselves at the Dutch World Championships last August. There was to be no success in the 49er category. Simone Ferrarese and Leonardo Chistè (93.0) ended their Portuguese outing in ninth place, missing out on the Olympic pass by just three points from Ireland (eighth with 90.0). For them and the other Azzurri, one final opportunity remains to secure qualification for Paris: the Last Chance Regatta scheduled for April in the French waters of Hyeres.

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