A few days before the end of the year, I wish to send you, on behalf of the Board of Directors and all the workers of the Club, our best wishes for this Christmas and the coming Year 2022.
As you all know, it has been a better year, but not without difficulties due to the pandemic situation. A year that has allowed us, once again, to continue with our sports programs and carry out our most emblematic regattas. Unfortunately it has not been possible to recover social events, because health protocols have not allowed it.
I would like to thank once again all those who have made it possible for Monte Real to continue to be a benchmark for their good work. Of this we can feel proud.
To the sponsors, both institutional and private. To the sailors, they are always ready to compete. To the students of our sailing schools for their interest in getting to know and delving deeper into our sport. To the media that, with their help, make it possible for the sport of sailing to reach society in general.
Our memory, too, for those who have left us, and for the families who have lived through a year of difficulties and uncertainties, our most sincere affection.
· The Marías of the Cunha family won the final victory of the AEDAS Homes J80 Autumn League held since last October in Baiona
· The Okofen of Javier de la Gándara from Vigo tried to revalidate the title achieved in the previous edition but finally had to settle for silver
· Completed the winners’ podium of the one-design championship organized by the MRCYB el Cansino led by the young woman from Vigo Alejandra Suárez
· With the AEDAS Homes J80 Autumn League, the Monte Real Club de Yates puts an end to a regatta season that included a total of 11 trophies
This Saturday, the Marías became the winner of the AEDAS Homes J80 Autumn League, the one-design championship that had been held in the waters of Baiona since last October under the organization of the Monte Real Yacht Club.
The Cunha family’s sailboat, armed by José Valentím Cunha, skippered by Manel Cunha and crewed by José María Cunha, Vasco Tinoco and Marta Ramada, managed to prevail over the total of 20 with partial 2-2-1-1-2 participants.
Crew of the Marías winner of the Autumn League AEDAS Homes J80 – Photo Yago Crespo
Especially significant for the Portuguese team was having beaten its most direct rival, Javier de la Gándara’s Okofen, from Vigo, who had come ready to revalidate the victory achieved in the previous edition of the Autumn League, but who finally had to settle for the competition silver.
“Having beaten Javier, who for us is an idol, and from whom we have also learned a lot, is a milestone,” said Manel Cunha, crew leader, at the end of the competition. “Our goal is to continue preparing for the World Class to be held in Baiona in 2023 and this victory encourages us and drives us to continue training and improving” .
Javier de la Gándara collecting the Okofen prize, second classified in the AEDAS Homes J80 Autumn League – Photo Yago Crespo
The Marías and the Okofen, which alternated the provisional podiums during the five days that the competition lasted, finished first and second with 8 and 9 points, a minimal separation of just one point that demonstrates the great quality of both crews, who fought until the end to hang the laurels.
The bronze of the championship went to the Cansino, another of the boats that knew how to maintain itself throughout the league in the positions of honor thanks to the balance that involved the good work of the young Alejandra Suárez from Vigo and the boards and experience of Nano Yáñez and Ignacio Sánchez Otaegui.
Cansino crew, third in the AEDAS Homes J80 Autumn League – Photo Yago Crespo
El Cansino came third in the standings and on the last day consolidated that position with 22 points, 16 points above fourth-placed Luis de Mira’s Namasté (38 points). Fifth place went to Bernardo Macedo’s Mondo, with 41 points.
Marías, Okofen, Cansino, Namasté and Mondo finally made up the TOP 5 of a competition that experienced very complicated days due to the weather, with suspensions, postponements, shortenings, waiting times, route changes, calls to the general classification, protests… there were everything from the beginning and the end was no different.
In the last stage, held this Saturday, only one of the three tests on the program could be held. A second was started, but could not be completed due to a drop in the wind. The winner of the sleeve was Juan Carlos Ameneiro’s Fuss.
The AEDAS Homes J80 Autumn League ended with a fraternization dinner organized by the Monte Real Club de Yates for all the crews. Previously, the award ceremony for the winners was held, in which the General Secretary for Sports of the Xunta de Galicia, José Ramón Lete Lasa, participated; the deputy mayor of Baiona, Óscar Martínez; the president of the MRCYB, José Luis Álvarez and the directors of AEDAS Homes Pablo Rodríguez-Losada and Pablo de la Torre.
With the closing of the one-design championship, Monte Real put an end to its 2021 sports calendar, which included the celebration of the traditional Prince of Asturias, Count of Gondomar, Repsol and Comunica Trophies, a new edition of the National Awards for Sailing, the Autumn and Winter Leagues, the Galician Two-Handed Championship, the Spanish Optimist Championship and the Final of the National Women’s Sailing League. This year the club also organized the Ruta Rías Baixas, to complete the Camino de Santiago by sea; and suffered the postponement due to COVID19 of the 52 SUPER SERIES, which will finally arrive in Baiona in 2022.
· The AEDAS Homes J80 Autumn League comes to an end with the fifth and last day of competition this Saturday starting at three in the afternoon in Baiona
· Except for last minute surprises, the final victory will be debated between Manel Cunha’s Marías and Javier de la Gándara’s Okofen
· The Portuguese and the Vigo lead the classification separated by just two points and with a margin of 13 and 11 points over the third-placed team
· After the last heats that are disputed in the water, Monte Real will host the awards ceremony for the winners and a dinner for the crews
The J80 fleet that has been competing in the AEDAS Homes Autumn League since last October will compete this weekend in Baiona for the title of champion of the one-design competition organized by the Monte Real Yacht Club.
Starting at three in the afternoon, the twenty J80s that aspire to the final victory will compete in the last tests that will take place in the bay of Baiona. If the wind allows it, forecasts will be played in the program and a discard will come into play that will allow the crews to eliminate their worst result from the classification.
Despite this possibility, and barring any last-minute surprises, victory will be debated between Manel Cunha’s Marías and Javier de la Gándara’s Okofen. The Portuguese and Vigo have alternated the provisional podiums in the different days held so far and lead the table separated by just two points. They also have a wide margin of 13 and 11 points respectively over Alejandra Suárez’s Cansino, who is third.
In intermediate positions they are grouped in a handkerchief the Mondo de Bernardo Macedo, with 41 points; Francisco Martínez’s SND Cormorant, with 45 points; Luis de Mira’s Namasté, with 46 points; and Yago Marquina’s Miudo, with 47 points.
The weather forecasts for this weekend are good and everything indicates that the regattas will be able to take place and that the sailboats will be able to navigate comfortably. Light winds are announced that will blow from the south component with the possibility of turning to the east as the afternoon progresses.
Once the water tests are over, the crews will meet on land to applaud the winners at the awards ceremony and to share a fellowship dinner and end of the event at the Monte Real facilities. Both events will be attended by different managers from AEDAS Homes, sponsor of the league.
· The historic club from Baiona has become part of the exclusive International Council of Yacht Clubs (ICOYC), the association that brings together the 44 clubs -now 45- most prestigious in the world
· The social responsibility activities that the MRCYB promotes through its Adapted Sailing School and the maritime route created to complete the Camino de Santiago by sea were two of the most valued aspects for its inclusion.
· Entering the ICOYC was an old aspiration of Monte Real to have its own voice in one of the most important nautical forums in the world where experiences about the world of sailing are debated and shared
The historic Monte Real Club de Yachts de Baiona joins the best yacht clubs in the world after being included in the exclusive International Council of Yacht Clubs (ICOYC), the association that brings together 44 clubs (now 45 with the MRCYB) most prestigious in the world.
The social responsibility activities that the Baiona club promotes through its Adapted Sailing School for people with functional diversity, children with behavioral problems, the elderly or women victims of sexist violence were one of the most valued aspects for their inclusion in the ICOYC.
The member clubs were also attracted by the maritime route that Monte Real organizes to complete the Camino de Santiago by sea, a route that can generate important tourist-sports synergies with other clubs in northern Europe attracted by the Jacobean route.
Joining this prestigious nautical entity was an old aspiration of the club directed by José Luis Álvarez, who was always interested in having his own voice in the best forums worldwide. “The incorporation of Monte Real to the ICOYC is not only -says Álvarez- good news for the club but also for all of Galicia, because we will echo everything that is done here and may be interesting for the rest of the world” . “We will be the transmitters -concludes the president of Monte Real- of culture, sports, gastronomy and the good work of the Galician people” .
The International Council of Yacht Clubs is an association created to promote sailing and improve the organization of nautical activities and events worldwide. It includes, among others, prestigious clubs such as the San Diego Yacht Club (USA), the Clube Naval de Cascais (Portugal), the Yacht Club de Monaco, the Societe Nautique de Marseille (France), the Royal Yhames Yacht Club (London), the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron (New Zealand), the Royal Natal Yacht Club (South Africa) or the Royal Canadian Yacht Club (Canada).
In the list of member clubs there are two Spanish clubs: the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona, which last October was in charge of organizing the ICOYC 2021 EUROPEAN CONFERENCE, in which Monte Real participated as speaker from the club’s commodore, Ignacio Sánchez Otaegui.
It was precisely the presentation made at that event that gave the final impetus for the ICOYC to accept the inclusion of the Baiona club among its members. “This arrives -says Otaegui- in a very important year for the club, at the gates of hosting the 52 SUPER SERIES and the World Championship of the J80 class ”. For the commodore of Monte Real “sharing experiences with these prestigious clubs, which also have a great commitment to sport and major sporting events, will be a great boost to continue working and bringing the best sailing to Galicia” .
In the letter in which the International Council of Yacht Clubs announces its inclusion in the association to Monte Real, the president of the ICOYC, David Mead, highlights the synergies and opportunities that can be created with the inclusion of such an outstanding club as the MRCYB .
