Newsroom
Cypriot sailor Pavlos Kontides captured his third European Championship title after a dramatic week of racing in Split, Croatia, capping off a comeback that saw him climb through the standings despite difficult weather conditions and delayed races.
Kontides shared updates throughout the regatta, revealing that the opening day produced no racing because of unfavorable conditions. “A lot of waiting unfortunately, no racing,” he wrote after the first day, while expressing confidence that improved weather would allow competition to resume.
The following day brought a stronger performance from the Cypriot athlete, who posted race finishes of 11th, 3rd and 3rd to move into 11th place overall heading into the latter stages of the championship.
Weather disruptions continued on day three, with only one race completed because of thunderstorms and lightning in the area. Kontides finished fifth in that race and climbed to ninth overall before the start of the gold fleet races.
By the final day, the Olympic medalist had surged to the top of the leaderboard, securing the European Championship crown in what he described as “a great battle until the very end.”
Posting after the victory, Kontides celebrated becoming European champion for the third time in Split, which he called his “second hometown.” The win adds another major achievement to the decorated career of Cyprus’ most successful sailor and strengthens his momentum on the road toward future international competitions, including the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle.
