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maltatoday SUNDAY 21 JANUARY 2018 53 FOOTBALL Sports SAILING Schultheis clinches his Second EuroMed WILFRED SULTANA MALTA'S twelve-year-old Rich- ard Schultheis is the winner of the 18th Edition of the Mapfre Mid- dlesea EuroMed Regatta 2017 held at Mellieha Bay. A total of 154 young sailors from 20 countries participated in this 18th Edition which gave Malta its seventh overall title. Russia and Italy follow with three victories each, having Sweden cherishing two wins, concluding the prestig- ious eighteen winners' line-up with Great Britain, Iceland and Turkey showing-off one triumph each. Taking results by categories the top three sailors in each category were: Optimist Open GOLD Fleet – 56 participants: 1st OVERALL. Richard Schultheis (MLT), 2nd. Saul Vassallo (MLT), 3rd. Maksim Shaposhnikov (RUS). Optimist Open SILVER Fleet – 55 participants: 1st. Noela Petesic (CRO), 2nd. Saverio Tosto (ITA), 3rd. Jake Mallia (MLT). Optimist Novice Fleet – 16 partic- ipants: 1st. Jean Paul Zahra (MLT), 2nd. Timmy Vassallo (MLT), 3rd. Demir Demirsoy (TUR). Laser 4.7 Fleet – 15 participants: 1st. Thomas Westerhof (NED), 2nd. Thomas Van-Ofwegen (NED), 3rd. Timo Bonnici (MLT). Laser Radial Fleet – 12 partici- pants: 1st. Jack Aitken (PUR), 2nd. Eric Malach (GER), 3rd. Karl Miggiani (MLT). From above listed Top-Three winners of each category one finds eight foreign and seven Mal- tese sailors. Amongst these stand out Jack Aitken, a member of the RNYC, who raced for the Carib- bean island of Puerto Rico which indeed shows the international popularity the Mapfre Middlesea EuroMed Regatta enjoys. From a local aspect the overall results obtained are also encour- aging. "I am very satisfied that MYSC sailors managed a 1st and 2nd and a 4th place. Furthermore the Overall trophy has another Maltese (MYSC) sailor's name on it. I was hoping to have five sailors in the top 10 but on the last day the first race was sailed in very light and shifty winds and this up- set our results. My team was made up of 12 sailors and somehow I expected some better results from some of the others; but hopefully they will continue to work hard to improve in the coming months.", remarked Jean Paul Fleri Soler, the Malta Young Sailors Club Youth Devel- opment Officer. EuroMed is held during the schools Christmas holidays where winter sailing in the Centre of the Mediterra- nean, with pleasant daytime and sea temperatures, clear and blue waters attract foreign compet- ing youngsters to travel to Malta accompanied by other members of their families to race and also taste the holiday values of our country. The Mapfre Middlesea Eu- romed Regatta is organised by the Malta Young Sailors Club and sponsored by Mapfre Mid- dlesea p.l.c. under the patronage of the Malta Sailing Federation. The db Seabank Resort + Spa once again was the official hotel of the Regatta. At the end of the four-day Re- gatta Giorgio Grech, Head of the Mapfre Middlesea Luqa Regional Office, presented the trophies to the various winners. Malta's Richard Schultheis sails to victory in the 18th Edition of the Mapfre Middlesea EuroMed Regatta 2017. Richard also won EuroMed in 2015 (Photograph: Andrea Schultheis) United keep up chase, Arsenal and Chelsea hit four M ANCHESTER United kept up the chase at the top of the Premier League with an An- thony Martial goal giving them a narrow 1-0 win at Burnley, while Arsenal and Chelsea en- joyed comfortable wins. With leaders Manchester City facing Newcastle United later on Saturday, United have closed the gap to nine points, for a few hours at least. Martial blasted home off the under-side of the bar in the 54th minute after brilliant work from Romelu Lukaku, who held off two challenges before finding the Frenchman with a sweeping cross-field pass. Burnley, who slip to eighth with the loss, fought hard for an equaliser and Icelan- dic winger Johann Berg Gud- mundsson struck the bar with a free kick. "It was certainly a battle and that is what you get when you come to Turf Moor - it is about character and we showed that in abundance today," said United defender Phil Jones. Manager Jose Mourinho said after the game that he "thinks" Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez will complete his move to Old Trafford. The disappointment of Arsenal fans will have been eased by their attacking display against Crystal Palace in a 4-1 win at the Emirates. Arsenal, who hadn't won in their last five games in all competitions, struck their four goals inside the first 22 min- utes. Nacho Monreal headed in from a Granit Xhaka corner and then turned provider for close range goals by Alex Iwo- bi in the 10th and central de- fender Laurent Koscielny three minutes later. French striker Alexandre Lacazette made it four for the home side in the 22nd minute, collecting a clever backheel from Mesut Ozil in the area be- fore turning to curl his strike around outstretched Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey. Palace captain Luka Milivo- jevic pulled one back for the visitors in the 78th minute. Eden Hazard scored twice as Chelsea enjoyed a 4-0 victory at Brighton and Hove Albion -- giving Antonio Conte's side their first league win of 2018. Hazard and Willian struck inside six minutes to set them on their way. With Brighton pushing forward, Hazard bril- liantly netted a third 13 min- utes from time before Victor Moses made it four late on. The win took Chelsea above Liverpool -- who play on Mon- day -- into third. With one win in 13 league games, Brighton are 16th, just two points above the relegation zone. Stoke City got themselves out of the bottom three, with new manager Paul Lambert enjoy- ing a 2-0 win over Hudders- field Town. Fellow strugglers West Brom- wich Albion picked up a useful point at Everton in a 1-1 draw. Manchester United's Romelu Lukaku shoots at goal