The final racing day was worthy of the finals, bringing us the final showdown. The strong southern wind on a lovely sunny day set a perfect sailing stage so all of the races the Organizing Committee had planned for today went according to the schedule.  The sailboats in the Open group raced in two regattas. The first of the two was especially thrilling, giving us a clear indication of what the results may be. The Barba Branko had a good start on the left side of the line, but Šime Stipaničev aboard the Fulcrum started the regatta brilliantly, cutting in line in full speed sailing side-by-side with the yacht of the Regatta Committee. However, a slightly unfavourable angle compared to other competitors during windward sailing won him third place at the windward mark and cross the finish mark, bringing Šime and his crew third place in overall ranking.  The duel for the leading position was a real treat.  The Barba Branko passed the windward mark ahead of the Vola Vola team, but the team led by Bojan Božić sailed much faster downwind simply sliding across the sea. However, the Vola Vola was cutting the distance coming close to the Barba Branko and the finish mark was approaching rapidly. Had the Božić's crew won that regatta, the winner would be decided in the last race. Some 50 meters from the finish the Vola Vola team caught up with the Barba Branko sailing downwind and looking for the right of way tried to push Zoričić's team from the course toward the finish mark. After a few moments boats overlapped at the zone at the finish mark and the Vola Vola gave up the fight and potential protest, and came in second. Even though the dilemma regarding the result was settled and, we gather, confirmed the well-deserved victory of the Zoričić's crew, the final regatta in the Open group was anything but dull.

The southern wind intensified favouring Šime Stipaničev who now had everything he needed to give his best performance before his Tribunj audience.  As he sailed around the windward mark second, his Open 40 yacht finally had the right wind and simply flew across the course. Reaching the speed between 15 and 18 knots Šime deservingly triumphed in the final race giving the audiences something to enjoy.  The scenario was similar to the one seen in the first regatta, on the brink of the finish line the Vola Vola took the lead from Zoričić but, regrettably for them, the first win was not theirs.  However, good sailing and excellent weather conditions were enjoyed by all crews, so regrets because of missed opportunities were nearly forgotten. The Barba Branko showed that in upwind-downwind races the crew's sailing skills are excellent and it was a real shame we did not get the chance to see their duel with the Teuta and other ORC competitors. The ORC group encountered some real challenges; demanding weather conditions required every atom of their strength in their quest for the valuable seconds that would lead them closer to victory. The first regatta had shuffled the cards really well. The favoured Mareus did not cope well and was constantly losing valuable meters, and Gringo 2 after a premature start sailed the best leg of the regatta earning its place among the leaders. It was not surprising, but it was really nice to see the Branko Ilijadic Rapo's crew show some skilled manoeuvring and good speed, which brought them close to the leading crews and earned them a well-deserved second place in the corrected ranking for that race.

The Anđela X crew did just as good in the last race, and before the review after a protest according to the unofficial results they earned the second place with equal score as the winner Quabremar who are yet to defend their ranking before the Reviewing Committee due to their collision with the Mareus. However, the Quabremar kept the high performance level throughout the day, with excellent downwind speed and immaculate manoeuvring, so the two wins in the corrected ranking brought them to the top deservingly. Our favourite was the competition between 40ft. boats. The Mireo from Pula gave an excellent windward performance and it was clear that Robert Radola enjoys strong wind, so had there been no giving up in the second race of the day, the Mireo would have achieved better in total score.  In the last regatta of the day the Slovak Brutal Fish joined the leading teams, but the rhythm was too strong for them to keep that up until the end of the regatta. Today the Marina Kaštela and Teuta crews enjoyed their own private regattas, as they expectedly finished all races first or second in real time. And the ORC formula put them in third, i.e. fifth place in the corrected score. All in all, today's day at sea was as good as it gets, and the regatta showed that competition is always fierce, despite the slightly smaller number of contestants.  Also, the organizers have managed to keep the regatta at equally high level as the last few years, which is a guarantee that the Easter Regatta will stay as special and exciting as always.

Bojan Božić, skipper on the Vola Vola:

It was nice, demanding, and this year the competition was fierce. Also, congratulations to the organizers. My crew was great which was clear since we nearly won the duel with Barba Branko, a boat famous for speed and good sailing.

Šime Stpaničev, skipper on the Fulcrum:

Though our boat is not made for upwind-downwind racing, we enjoyed each and every day of the regatta, and won the last one. We enjoyed sailing downwind, and almost kept on cutting the waves from orca to the finishing line. My crew was excellent, made up out my friends who are all top-notch sailors and let me say again that these last three days in Vodice were a true pleasure.

Ivan Kljaković Gašpić Bambi, tactician on the Brutal Fish:

The regatta was great; crews were skilled, serious about sailing and competitive so every success is well-deserved.  Each mistake is punished and the level of performance guarantees excitement. We had it rough, strong wind showed that we lack routine, and one moment we were going great and the next we were having problems for an entire orca, which simply cannot happen when the competition is so fierce. We lacked some boat handling, but that being said, it was a good regatta and we enjoyed it massively. I will go home now for training and then to England in April and mid-May to the World Championship in France. After that I will be moving to England until the Olympics and come from time to time to visit my family.

Krešimir Đakulović, skipper on the Mareus:

For us it was all smooth and lovely. I am very pleased and we will see the results after the computer gives us numbers as always in ORC. Today we didn't always have good speed because we changed the trip of the mast several times and we have to trim the sails more, because when we get it right it is great, but as soon as the wind goes down a bit the Brutal Fish is faster. We were lucky with occasional gusts, as we were able to make up for any falling behind each time.

Fotos: Darko Šupuk / Yachts Croatia

During the second day of sailing we were witness to some truly exciting moments. Even though only two regattas took place, one in the Open group, and the other one in the ORC, both the Regatta Committee and the teams gave their best and spent the whole day at sea. In the beginning, the day showed more promise than the day before, as clear skies indicated thermals that could potentially show mercy on the competitors and provide them with enough wind for some real action. It seemed the Regatta would have an auspicious start as the Open group began their race just a bit before 11 o'clock in the morning with the constant south wind of 6 to 11 knots. A short navigational regatta of 13 nautical miles took place with the start in Vodice, a long windward sailing around the islands of Zlarin and Prvić and back to the finish of the course in Vodice.

Yesterday's winner Barba Branko was in the lead for almost the entire course of the race, and the advantage his team gained by windward sailing was almost enough for them to win and thus ensure them the overall first place in the Open group. However, on the way back from Zlarin, the wind turned to the right and the sailboat Vola Vola suddenly held the better position, sailed on a close reach, used its gennaker, and overcame Zoričić and his crew to cross the finish line first. The third place was taken by Šime Stipaničev with his boat Fulcrum. The overall winner is therefore still unknown, as well as the runner up. Pay close attention to these three leading teams tomorrow, as we are expecting a stronger south wind and the situation at sea should become most interesting. The ORC group had to start in three regattas, but had only managed to finish one, as the wind was constantly losing its force. The first regatta of the day began with a good south wind of 11 knots, but it soon lost its force and the boats reached the goal zone on a shortened race course at the second windward part of the course with a weak wind of 5 to 6 knots. The regatta itself was a truly nerve-wracking event for both us and the competitors. The wind was once more a bit stronger at the left side of the course, but remained constant during the first close hauling. After a lousy start, Marina Kaštela quickly reached its "target" speed and the first mark in the first place, followed by the Slovakian Quabremar in front of the favorite Teuta.  A group of 40 ft. sailboats reached the mark with very little distance between them, and the downwind sailing didn't influence their ranking a lot. On the other hand, Teuta made up for the lost time and overcame Quabremar, which was leaning too much to the west, and Anđela X with its skipper Branko Ilijadica Rapo reached the leading group by sailing fast and expertly. The second windward part of the course decided the outcome of the race. Marina Kaštela took the lead by taking advantage of the last stronger gust of wind, while Teuta and Quabremar had their own private regatta, vying for the second and third place. Mareus from Split successfully decided to try out the right side of the course, and Teuta left Quabremar behind it, enough to make the third corrected time. Anđela X deservedly overcame the second place Marina Kaštela and is now the most serious contender for the win. Tomorrow's conditions at sea will influence the race a lot, as the winners in their groups, Marina Kaštela and Mareus, have better chances with a stronger wind. For now, with the sea as it is, everything is possible. As always, the last day of sailing will decide the winner.

Branko Ilijadica Rapo, skipper of the sailing boat Anđela X:

We won our first regatta as our tactic was the best and it paid off. We maintained the top speed and were helped a lot by Zvonko Jelačić who joined us for this race. Also, I know this area very well, as I sail here every weekend, so this had an impact on our sailing as well. At tomorrow's conditions, and they predict a strong jugo, we will try at least to keep the second place, it's doubtful we can beat Mareus at strong wind.

Robert Sandalić, skipper of the sailing boat Gringo 2:

The fleet has shrunk, there are not a lot of us, but we give it our best and really get into it, and that's a good thing. It's a real battle out there, and we get mean, but in the end it's all for fun, and we respect each other and play fair. You can't relax at sea even for a moment, today we slipped up and it cost us 50 meters, veered us to the wrong side of the course and we stayed there, we are still there. There can't be any mistakes, the 40 ft. boats sail similarly, Teuta and Marina Kaštela are the fastest, but with the corrections the results are pretty evened out.

The first day of sailing at this year's Easter Regatta did not pass in ideal weather conditions for sailing, but there was plenty of excitement, and it announced beautiful and exciting races in the remaining two days of competition. The wind started blowing relatively late for the Šibenik archipelago, and the usual change of direction to the west did not happen on time. Just when the race committee decided to use a light southward wind, the wind 'withered' and after a long break began to blow from the expected direction.

When it seemed that the usual mistral will get a bit stronger, the wind again changed its mind and completely ceased to blow. Just when we all thought that the race will not be continued, the wind blow from the south and 'saved the day' at the sea. Only the group Open managed to start the race after 3 p.m. in light and variable wind. Given the lack of wind at the beginning of the race, the arrival of the first heavier gust of wind was decisive for the course of the race. The situation was best assessed by the crew Barba Branko that used the lee of its competition to reach the new wind, took a lead after tacking, and kept it till the end of the race.

Being a little behind Zoričić and his crew, Šime Stipaničev repeated the same tactics and arrived second at the first windward mark, followed by a sailing boat Vola Vola but with large delay. However, the wind turned left and Stipaničev and Zoričić's  sail to the right was too long, so Bojan Božić was back in the game. Vola Vola almost took the lead from Zoričić at the leeward mark and it reached the goal zone second on a shortened race course. Stipanićev was third. Not only the wind changed its direction, but it completely dropped. The competition resumed in the afternoon thanks to the patience of the race committee and the prompt reaction when the new wind appeared on the left side of the race course.

The second race in the Open group was much more exciting. Although Barba Branko again took the lead, it barely managed to defend itself from the "attack" of Fulcrum and Vola Vola, sailing boat type Millenium 40, which turned up to be the fastest in a wind of ten knots, but could not compensate for the loss from the first upwind leg  and finished third, just a few meters behind the crew of Fulcrum and thus made the struggle for the throne more precarious. It is important to be fair to other sailing boats in the group Open who had close and interesting duels and reached the goal zone before their competitors with great difficulties.

On the other hand, the ORC group had a very interesting race full of twists. After the start, wind shifted to the left which was smartly used (and predicted) by Teuta crew, which after tacking, passed across the bow of the entire fleet. Due to change in wind direction, most of the boats also tacked and began a long side of sailing upwind port tack. Some sailing boats have gone more to the left, but with no use as they sailed in the   unfavourable direction  to the side which was a bit more windy. Marina Kaštela, superior by speed, was the first to turn the first windward mark, followed by Teuta and Quabremar, who along the boat speed smartly 'read' the rest of sailing upwind by sailing in the middle of the course, and Mireo from Pula from the left side of the course.

When it seemed like the end of the race is quite obvious, the real excitement started. The long leeward side brought Gringo and Mareus back into play and in the second windward side, left side of the course did not 'pull' so much any longer so the cards were shuffled. In the last leeward side, the leading boats came first into the zone with less wind. Boats with better handicap reached them and recorded valuable results in the corrected time.  The fleet seems to be fairly equal and no one can be sure of the placement until the end of the race. Quite enough excitement on the very beginning of the race. It is nice to see three female crews competing on this event . The best result at the start of the competition was recorded by Ana Gojčeta on 'her' Stribor.

Filip Zoričić, skipper of the sailing boat Barba Branko:

These were good conditions for us, given the number of crew members. We have the boat under control up to 9 knots. Later is a bit difficult because of the weight of the sailboat, but also because our competitors are very fast downwind, and start gliding when the wind intensifies. However, this was a good start of the Easter regatta.

Armano Zekan, skipper of the sailing boat Marina Kaštela:

We lost the first place due to a slightly weaker start. Everything else was good. Everything went just fine and downwind, but at one point we broke into the calm sea and the smaller boats came with stronger wind and that was it. To win the race, this boat must be driven smoothly. From start to finish the crew must give their maximum, including me.