Igor Marenić (born 2 January 1986) is a

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

n professional sailor. Competing in the 470 class with

Šime Fantela Šime Fantela (born 19 January 1986) is a Croatian professional sailor. Competing in the 470 class with Igor Marenić, he won gold at the 2016 Summer Olympics, the 2009 World Championships, and three European Championships (2009, 2011, 2012). ...

, he won gold at the

2016 Summer Olympics The 2016 Summer Olympics ( pt, Jogos Olímpicos de Verão de 2016), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad ( pt, Jogos da XXXI Olimpíada) and also known as Rio 2016, was an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 20 ...

, the 2009 World Championships, and three European Championships (2009, 2011, 2012).

Life and career

A resident of

Zadar Zadar ( , ; historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian: ); see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited Croatian city. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar serv ...

, where he moved in 2001, Marenić was born in Mali Lošinj, Croatia, and is originally from

Cres Cres (; dlm, Crepsa, vec, Cherso, it, Cherso, la, Crepsa, Greek language, Greek: Χέρσος, ''Chersos'') is an Adriatic island in Croatia. It is one of the northern islands in the Kvarner Gulf and can be reached via ferry from Rijeka, ...

. He started sailing in his native Cres with JK Reful in 1995, in the

Optimist class Optimism is an attitude reflecting a belief or hope that the outcome of some specific endeavor, or outcomes in general, will be positive, favorable, and desirable. A common idiom used to illustrate optimism versus pessimism is a glass filled w ...

. He trained in his native city, and on the day he turned 24, Marenić was awarded by the city of Cres one of its greatest recognitions, Pro Insula, for achievements and contribution of importance for the development of the City of Cres, and especially for the exceptional sports results achieved in sailing. From 1998 to 2001 he was a member of the Croatian national team, and in 2000 he was fifth at the World Championships. In 1999 he competed in the

Optimist World Championship Optimist World Championship are annual World Championship sailing regattas in the Optimist Optimism is an attitude reflecting a belief or hope that the outcome of some specific endeavor, or outcomes in general, will be positive, favorable, and ...

Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...

. At the 470 World Championships in 2009 in Rungsted, Fantela and Marenić became the first Croatians to win a gold medal at the ISAF World Championships. In 2011 in Helsinki, the two won gold in the

470 class The 470 (Four-Seventy) is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with a centreboard, Bermuda rig, and centre sheeting. Equipped with a spinnaker, trapeze and a large sail-area-to-weight ratio, it is designed to plane easily, and good teamwork is ...

at the European Championships. Marenić competed at the

2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...

and

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

in the men's

event, both times competing with Fantela.

Acknowledgements

Order of Danica Hrvatska with face of Franjo Bučar: 2016 * City of Zadar Award: 2005, 2009, 2016

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Marenic, Igor 1986 births Living people Croatian male sailors (sport) Olympic sailors for Croatia Olympic gold medalists for Croatia Olympic medalists in sailing Sailors at the 2008 Summer Olympics – 470 Sailors at the 2012 Summer Olympics – 470 Sailors at the 2016 Summer Olympics – 470 Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics Mediterranean Games gold medalists for Croatia Mediterranean Games silver medalists for Croatia Mediterranean Games medalists in sailing Competitors at the 2009 Mediterranean Games Competitors at the 2013 Mediterranean Games Universiade medalists in sailing FISU World University Games gold medalists for Croatia Medalists at the 2005 Summer Universiade 470 class world champions World champions in sailing for Croatia People from Mali Lošinj