Christian Ebbin held his own in trying conditions to finish in the top half of the fleet that competed at the recent 69 Trofeo Cuitat de Palma Regatta Bufete Frau in Majorca, Spain.

The 14-year-old Somersfield Academy student finished 24th among the Optimist dinghy fleet of 261 international sailors with a best showing of second.

Light winds took a heavy toll on the regatta as organisers were only able to complete three of the ten-race series in the Bay of Palma de Majorca.

“It was a great experience,” Ebbin said. “Unfortunately for the regatta we didn’t get great wind and only managed to get three races in.

“The first day, I only sailed one race and it was very slow moving with a maximum of five knots. On the last day, we managed to get two races in. It was still very light, but I managed to finish second in the last race.”

The regatta, featuring 360 sailors from 11 countries that also competed in the 420, Laser Radial, Laser 4.7 and Europe classes, was held last week and hosted by the Real Club Náutico de Palma.

“I am super appreciative of the club Real Club Náutico de Palma who hosted me through the event,” Ebbin said.

The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club sailor received an invitation to compete at the event through the Bermuda Optimist Dinghy Association as reward for an eighth-place showing at the Optimist World Championship in Antigua last summer.

“I am excited to have been given this opportunity through the Boda to train and sail with some of the top sailors in Europe,” he added.

“As much as I would have liked more wind, the entire experience was great as I was able to train leading up to the regatta with the winner of the Europeans, who was from Italy [Federica Contardi] and the Spanish sailor [Jaime Ayarza] who came third at the worlds.”

Ebbin has enjoyed yet another stellar year in which he won the Cork International Optimist Regatta in Ontario, finish second at the Volvo Gill Optimist British and Open Championship in England, ninth at the Optimist North American Championship Nassau, Bahamas, and defend his PwC Bermuda Optimist National and Open Championships title.