· The Monte Real Club de Yates and the Real Club Náutico de Vigo are the clubs with the highest number of applicants for the regional title, to which crews from Bouzas, Portosín, Canido, Punta Lagoa and Sada also compete.
· In addition to the general prizes for Galician Champions of A Two, awards will be given to the best female and mixed teams for which 8 teams of the total of 30 that will participate in the test are registered
· The Galician A Dos Championship is held within the framework of the MRW Trophy and will be the eighth edition of the Rafael Olmedo Memorial
The Galician A Dos Championship will be held this Saturday in the Rías Baixas – Photo Clara Giraldo
Some thirty boats will compete this Saturday in the Rías Baixas for the Galician A Dos Championship, which will crown the best crews in a reduced format in Galicia. The Monte Real Club de Yates and the Real Club Náutico de Vigo are the clubs with the highest number of applicants for the regional title, to which teams from Bouzas, Portosín, Canido, Punta Lagoa and Sada also compete.
All the candidates for victory, in boats manned by two sailors, will face a round trip of more than 35 miles between Baiona and the island of Ons, which will start at eleven in the morning and end well into the afternoon. , with a forecast of northerly component winds that will move between 7 and 14 knots.
The competition, sponsored by MRW, will be divided into two different classes: ORC, which will qualify after applying time compensation; and J80, which will compete in real time. And within each of them several categories will be established.
In ORC there will be, in addition to the general, there will be a mixed category, in which the teams formed by Carolina Martínez and Miguel Ángel Fernández (CN Sada), Elena Raga and Miguel Sterner (MRCYB), Jacobo Vecino and Brenda Maure (RCN Vigo), and José Luis Ríos and María Jesús Montes (RCN Vigo).
In the general classification of this class, almost 20 teams will enter the fray, including, among others, the crews formed by Jean Claude Sarrade and André Amorín, who won the title of Galician champions in 2017; or that of the vice president and sports director of Monte Real, Alejandro Retolaza and Roy Alonso, who already participated in previous years with good results.
In J80 there will be no mixed category but there will be a female category, with four crews competing for the title of Galician Champions of A Two. They are the teams of Marta Ramada and Ana Sardiña, Africa Alonso and Carolina Terrón, Hilda Martín and Dunia Reino, and Rebeca González and Helena Benito. Although made up of sailors from different clubs, they will all race through the Monte Real Club de Yates.
A large part of the Monte Real eight-meter fleet will come into play in the general classification of this class, which continues to prepare for the Spanish Championship of the class that the club will hold in September; and for the 2023 World Cup, which will also be held in Baiona. They will be, among others, Cansino by Fernando Yáñez and Manuel Fernández; the Namasté by Luis de Mira and Susana Baena; or the Spaco by Javier Martínez Valente and Alberto Diz.
The Galician Two-Handed Championship, organized by Monte Real by delegation of the Royal Galician Sailing Federation, is part of the MRW Trophy and will also be the eighth edition of the Rafael Olmedo Memorial, with which Monte Real honors the one who was its president for more than 40 years. The competition (which will start at eleven in the morning with the regatta and will end at eight in the afternoon with the awards ceremony) can be followed live on the Monte Real website (www.mrcyb.es) thanks to a virtual reality system.
· Next Saturday the Galician Two-handed Sailing Championship will be held in the Rías Baixas with a route between Baiona and las Ons in which crews made up of only two people will compete
· This is the eleventh consecutive year that the Royal Galician Sailing Federation delegates the organization of a test with which the club pays tribute to its historic president Rafael Olmedo to the Monte Real Club de Yates
In addition to a general category from which the name of the new autonomous champions of the class will come out, the titles of mixed champions and female champions will be put into contention
A hand in hand sailing through the Rías Baixas. That will be the Galician Two-handed Championship that will be held next Saturday under the organization of the Monte Real Club de Yates and with the sponsorship of MRW.
The Royal Galician Sailing Federation has delegated, for yet another year -and there are now eleven- in the Baionese club the organization of one of the most exciting sailing events in Galicia, not so much because of its route, but also because of the characteristics of the competition, in which only two people will go on board the sailboats.
A skipper and a single crew member who must take care of both the tactics and the maneuvers of the boat throughout the more than 35 nautical miles that it takes to complete the route between Baiona and the island of Ons, which the sailboats must reach before return back to Bayonne.
In their navigation they will pass by the Carallones and La Negra beacons and will continue to climb, leaving aside the archipelago of the Cíes Islands and the Onza Island before reaching the Camouco lighthouse, northeast of the Ons Island, in front of Cova do Wolf. Once there and after turning the lighthouse, they will start the descent to Baiona, where the finish line will be waiting for them.
With a few days to go before the registration deadline closes, there are already more than twenty boats registered to participate in the championship and the organization hopes to reach thirty. They will be grouped into two classes: cruiser and J80; and in both there will be -if a minimum of inscriptions is reached- three categories: general, mixed and feminine.
In the cruise class we will see people like Javier Pérez and Esteban Gañete aboard the Orión; Javier Rey and Jorge Justo at the Secolite; Jacobo Vecino and Brenda Maure crewing the Salaño Dos; Vicente Cid and Javier Fernández-Ahuja in Deep Blue 2.1; or Agustín Marquina and Fernando Rey in the Erizana, among others.
They will compete in compensated times making the difference with the J80, the other class in contention, which will do it in real time. On board the 8 meters there will be some of the usual sailors from the Monte Real one-design leagues, such as the couple formed by Luis de Mira and Susana Baena, from the club itself; Juan Martínez Pazó and José Ignacio Correa, from the Bouzas Maritime School; or Rafael Blanco and Alejandro Vázquez, from the Real Club Náutico de Portosín.
In addition to the prizes of the MRW Trophy and the Galician Two-Handed Championship, the competition will deliver two special trophies, those related to the Rafael Olmedo Memorial, with which the Monte Real Yacht Club honors its former president for more than 40 years. They will be taken by the best classified in cruiser and J80.
The competition, which can be followed live on the Monte Real website (www.mrcyb.es) thanks to a virtual reality system, will begin on Saturday at eleven in the morning. Previously, the day on Friday will be devoted to measurements, security controls and meeting of patterns. And the awards ceremony will take place at eight o’clock on Saturday afternoon in the gardens of the Baiones club.
Some of those who have already confirmed their attendance at the award ceremony are the president of the Monte Real Yacht Club, José Luis Álvarez; the executive director of MRW Vigo and sponsor of the competition, Santos Almeida; the mayor of Baiona, Carlos Gómez; and the deputy for Sports of the Pontevedra Provincial Council, Gorka Gómez. It is also expected that a representative of the Xunta de Galicia will attend, yet to be confirmed.
GALICIAN CHAMPIONSHIP OF TWO · MRW TROPHY VIII RAFAEL OLMEDO MEMORIAL
Friday, June 10 16:00 – 20:00> Security reviews, registrations and delivery of documentation 19:00> Pattern meeting
Saturday, June 11 11:00> Start of the regatta (bay of Baiona) 20:00> Awards
· The first visit of the 52 SUPER SERIES to Galicia closed with a last day of show in the waters of the Vigo estuary that brought together a large crowd of people
· American Quantum Racing took the final victory after four excellent days of racing and claimed its first title since 2019
· The TP52 fleet leaves Baiona with a great taste in the mouth due to a perfect combination of conditions, surroundings and the excellent reception of the Monte Real Club de Yates
After five days of testing and one of training, this Saturday the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · BAIONA SAILING WEEK, the great nautical event of the year in Galicia that the Monte Real Club de Yates organized with the sponsorship of ABANCA and Tourism, ended this Saturday of Galicia through the Xacobeo.
The TP52s said goodbye to Galicia with eight partials out of ten possible in the boxes of the nine teams that were able to sail every day and start the season testing their boats in a wide range of winds: from light breezes of 8-9 knots, at intensities well above 20 knots.
The combination of a magnificent regatta course located in front of the majestic Cíes Islands, with extraordinary weather and the warm welcome from the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona, venue of the event, convinced the 52 SUPER SERIES on their historic first visit to the Rías Baixas.
On the last day played this Saturday, the nine teams in contention went out on the water with a program of two tests on the agenda and a forecast of good conditions in the regatta field.
The TP52s once again gave a show in the Rías Baixas – Photo Nico Martínez
A hundred boats of spectators came to enjoy the choreography of the TP52 manned by a selection of the best sailors in the world, a historical image for sailing in Galicia.
After four days of northerly component winds, the fleet said goodbye to the Rías Baixas with a southwest breeze and intensities that varied between 17 knots in the first outing of the day and nine in the second, which had to be canceled by a radical wind roll.
Three teams went out on the water with mathematical chances of a title challenge, with Quantum Racing the strongest contender thanks to a four-point lead over Platoon and seven over Phoenix.
The eighth test of the week (after all, the last) presented excellent conditions for the sailing competition. Britain’s Gladiator, Turkey’s Provezza and Thailand’s Vayu all crossed the line early and had to re-start, reducing traffic for their six rivals in the opening stages of the event.
The last departure of the Baiona Sailing Week – Photo Nico Martinez
Once again, the tacticians were forced to resort to all their magic to read a field full of nuances and with no clear path. After an intense exchange of positions, the Alegre of the owner and helmsman Andy Soriano rounded the first buoy of the course in the lead, leading the rest of the race until scoring his first partial victory of the season.
After suffering for a good part of the route, Quantum Racing got a creditable second place that served to extend its advantage at the head of the provisional thanks to the third of the Phoenix and the fifth of Platoon, the only ones who could jeopardize their Galician victory.
Quantum Racing entered the final with a seven-point lead on the provisional table, a comfortable lead but not enough in such a competitive fleet, and an off-line made things very exciting.
With Phoenix leading the charge and Quantum Racing closing the field, at times the Baiona title seemed to go to the South African team, but a radical role of the wind in the middle of the course forced the main race official, María Torrijo, to cancel the test and send the fleet back to the pontoons of the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona.
Quantum Racing collecting the prizes for the winners of the Baiona Sailing Week – Photo Nico Martínez
Quantum Racing was officially proclaimed the first champion of the 52 SUPER SERIES in Galicia. The team led by the setter and helmsman Doug DeVos, the tactician Terry Hutchinson (patron of the American Magic team of the America’s Cup) and the strategist Luca Calabrese (bronze of 470 in London 2012) won their first title since June 2019 in Baiona.
The Quantum Racing crew celebrating victory in the water – Photo Nico Martínez
This is an important first step for the American team in its goal of achieving its fifth crown of circuit champions, after those achieved in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018. In Baiona they have been able to verify that their rivals will not make it easy for them.
The awards ceremony for this first appointment with the SUPER SERIES was held at the Monte Real Club de Yates with a large audience. The president of the club, José Luis Álvarez; the general director of the 52 SUPER SERIES, Agustín Zulueta; the director of Private Banking of ABANCA, Francisco Javier Rivero; the mayor of Baiona, Carlos Gómez; the Deputy for Sports of the Pontevedra Provincial Council, Gorka Gómez; and the delegate of the Xunta de Galicia in Vigo, Marta Fernández-Tapias. Awards were also presented by TP52 class manager Rob Weiland.
The next event of the 52 SUPER SERIES 2022 will be held in the Portuguese town of Cascais. Meanwhile, at the Monte Real Club de Yates they will continue with their usual sports program, which includes the celebration of the Galician Two-handed Championship, on June 11; the Rías Baixas Route, from July 4 to 9; and the Conde de Gondomar Trophy, from July 22 to 25. In September, the other two major events of the club will arrive in 2022, the Prince of Asturias Trophy, from September 2 to 4, with the usual delivery of the National Sailing Awards; and the Spanish J80 Championship, from September 15 to 18.
Rain of champagne to celebrate the victory – Photo Nico Martínez
Final Classification ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES Baiona Sailing Week
José Luis Álvarez, president of the Monte Real Yacht Club of Baiona:
“The event has been a complete success and I am very happy because it is the award that deserves the work and commitment of each and every one of the members of the Monte Real Club de Yates. From the first moment we understood the importance of this appointment for the international projection of our club, Baiona and the Rías Baixas, and I think we have fulfilled it. We have returned to the international circuits and have made it clear that Galicia is an ideal setting for holding this type of top-level events. In fact, next year we will host the J80 World Cup”
Agustín Zulueta (ESP), general director of the 52 SUPER SERIES:
“A magnificent event. I would tell you that for the first time we have come to Baiona, and on top of that at the beginning of the season, outstanding. Outstanding for the club and outstanding for all the people who have been part of this great team, both in the water and on land. If they give us the opportunity, we will return, of course”
Terry Hutchinson (USA), Tactician for Quantum Racing (USA):
“Our first experience in Baiona has been spectacular. The race course is impressive, being new to all the teams, it presented new challenges and opportunities, and you come ashore and everyone in the club and in the area welcomes us with open arms. I am looking forward to returning. It has been an excellent test, very difficult, quite a challenge for all the teams due to the subtleties of the route. We are very, very happy. For me this victory is super important, it reflects the work done by the team during the winter, but we still have a lot of room for improvement. There is a lot to compete this season, and the fleet is really competitive.”
Víctor Mariño (ESP), Platoon trimmer (GER):
“The week has exceeded expectations, and by far. The organization has been incredible, the Real Club de Yates de Baiona has surpassed itself. People have been delighted. The conditions have been exquisite, despite having been able to do only one regatta each of the last two days, I think the ones done have been perfect. Very open conditions. It has been shown that we have a great place to sail here, we have to try to bring level fleets, because they enjoy it. It was a great test for all the teams. The third day, with more than 25 knots, was impressive, the perfect day: what foreigners call ‘champagne sailing’”
María Torrijo (ESP), Principal Regatta Officer:
“Today I was left with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. We had a weather report that said we were going to have a spectacular day with the southwest, and yes, it came in strong. We did the first very nice test, but then, it must be because of the heat, with so many islands and so much land, that as soon as you got a little closer to land, the wind killed it. It was very difficult. I moved, I tried to get away from one land, and I came close to another, I had a stable wind and it killed me. I had to cancel the last race because the wind had dropped completely and had changed more than a hundred degrees” / “The week has been spectacular: super fun regattas in which it was not clear who could win, whether the one on the right or the one on the the left. It wasn’t like in other places, where you know that whoever wins the start, wins the race; here, each test was different, even on the same day the conditions changed. All the sailors have told me that they have been super fun regattas”
· The American team won the only event held on the fourth and penultimate day of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · BAIONA SAILING WEEK
Quantum leads the provisional classification with four points ahead of Platoon, which is second, and seven points ahead of Phoenix, which is third
· A collision between the Gladiator and the Sled at the start ended with the withdrawal of both boats from the test leaving the fleet reduced to seven boats
· The competition organized by the Monte Real Yacht Club will experience its last day of tests tomorrow and will award the prizes to the winners
With the end of the competition just around the corner and only two more races pending, the Quantum Race is about to win the victory of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week, which since the past Monday is celebrated in the Rías Baixas under the organization of the Monte Real Yacht Club.
This Friday, on the fourth and penultimate day of the competition, the 52 SUPER SERIES fleet showed that they also know how to compete and create a show in light winds. With an intensity below ten knots and under the influence of unusual heat, the crews moved with the lightest breeze of the whole week and could only contest one race, since the second round of the day did not take place for lack of wind
The American Quantum Racing was the winner and will face the last day of competition at the head of the provisional classification, with a four-point advantage over the German Platoon, a minimum income among a fleet so evenly matched.
As in the previous day, the breeze delayed the first departure until after two in the afternoon, but this time it arrived with a range of 8-9 knots, the lowest of the week. An incident between Gladiator and Sled at the start caused the collision and subsequent withdrawal of both, resulting in a black flag for the British team, which scored ten points plus three penalties. The American received 4.5 repair points, but was left without enjoying this seventh round of the championship.
A great start by Quantum Racing to the left of the field allowed the leader to initially take the lead. It soon became clear that the pressure was on the right side of the pitch, and the entire climb to the first mark was concentrated in that area of the pitch. Platoon came in the lead at the first passing point of the course, followed closely by the intense battle between Quantum Racing and Phoenix.
The turning point of this seventh round was in the decision of where to start the first downwind section, and here Quantum Racing was right when they went to the left in search of better speed and angle to get ahead and dominate the rest of the Test.
After a brief wait in the water, and given the evidence that the minimum conditions to compete would no longer exist, the main regatta officer María Torrijo decided to end the day and sent the fleet back to the pontoons of Monte Real Bayonne Yacht Club.
There, at the facilities of the club that organizes the competition with the sponsorship of ABANCA and Turismo de Galicia through Xacobeo, the crews were able to enjoy a special dinner on an evening that included a live musical performance; and the tents set up by Terras Gauda, Martin Miller’s Gin, Estrella Galicia and Coren.
The ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week is decided this Saturday. The forecast indicates a wind that has not been seen all week, with a south-westerly component and intensities around 14-15 knots. This new scenario poses new challenges for the fleet and adds drama to the final day, scheduled for two rounds.
Three teams start with mathematical options to share the positions on the first Galician podium in the history of the circuit: Quantum Racing, owned by Doug De Vos, leads with 17 points and a magnificent card that includes three partial victories and a fifth worst result, followed by four points behind Harm Müller Spreer’s Platoon and seven points behind Hasso Plattner’s Phoenix.
In a regatta without discards, the pressure is maximum between the crews to avoid mistakes that could ruin the work of the whole week. The identity of the winner of the first of the five events of the 52 SUPER SERIES 2022 will be revealed in an afternoon in which the trophies will also be presented to the winners. It will be at five in the afternoon.
Provisional classification ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES Baiona Sailing Week
“It was easier than I thought. The wind has always been the other way around: the first of the day was weaker and the second was good. Today I doubted at first whether to start at 2:00 p.m. or wait a bit thinking that the strongest wind could come, but my sixth sense told me: ‘girl, start, put one in your pocket, we never know what it can happen’, and indeed, I have been very lucky, because that regatta has been good. There were roles, but a little less than yesterday, and it wasn’t very intense but enough to compete. For the second, it simply died: four different winds entered and it was very easy to decide to return to land. Tomorrow the wind is forecast from the southwest and 14-15 knots early. We will start at 1:00 p.m. and we will try to do two heats”
Pedro Mas (ESP), Interlodge bow (USA):
“The southern part of the field was very calm today and calm was coming towards us, we saw it coming. Today we have had 8-9 knots, even a little more. From 7 knots we can sail. Each wind has its story: with more than 20 knots you have your problems and with less than ten you have your other problems. But we can adapt the boat to each condition: we have high and low wind mainsails, specific sails for each type of wind. The regatta field has been very complicated every day, the issue is to get out well and see the pressure quickly, before anyone else. Then there is the luck factor, that sometimes you go behind, you play it to one side and it hits you, and sometimes it doesn’t. The key is to always start well and ride in the top three.”
· The American team rose to the top of the provisional classification of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week after chaining a new day with the best results in the fleet
· The Quantum Racing crew will face the last two stages of the competition, scheduled for this Friday and Saturday, with a two-point advantage over the German Platoon and six over the South African Phoenix
The ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week crossed its equator this Thursday with a day in which two new tests were held in a regatta field located in front of the Cíes Islands. The American team Quantum Racing was the clear winner of the day after taking both heats and moving to the top of the provisional standings.
After completing three days and six races, and with the last two stages of the competition organized by the Monte Real Club de Yates remaining, the American Quantum Racing will face the second part of the regatta with two points ahead of the German Platoon and six over the South African Phoenix, who are second and third respectively.
The TP52 fleet off the coast of Vigo – Photo Nico Martínez
In the third phase played this Wednesday, the wind was slow to establish itself in the Vigo estuary and the fleet had to wait until almost three in the afternoon to take to the pitch. El Alegre crossed the line early and was forced to repeat the start while his rivals began to spread out on the field.
The Gladiator owned by the British owner Tony Langley, who this week has the Spaniard Xabi Fernández on board, soon showed the bow by betting on the right of the field, but it was the Thai Vayu who came in first at the first buoy pass, and the Gladiator who finally finished first. They were followed at the finish line by the Americans Interlodge and Quantum Racing.
Gladiator winner of the first round – Photo Nico Martinez
For the second leg of the day, the wind rose above 15 knots. The Gladiator attempted to repeat the choreography of the previous test, but was kicked off the start line by the Interlodge and had to return to start the course from the tail of the pack.
The best on the climb to the first buoy was Quantum Racing and the rest of the race ended up being a recital by the American boat, skippered in Baiona by its owner Doug DeVos and with the tactics of the America’s Cup expert, Terry Hutchinson.
A change of route in the middle of the test did not affect the performance of the quadruple champion of the 52 SUPER SERIES, who signed a resounding victory to consolidate a well-deserved leadership. They were followed on arrival by the Platoon and the Alegre.
Quantum Race leader of the Baiona Sailing Week – Photo Nico Martinez
Looking ahead to the fourth day of competition of the 52 SUPER SERIES in the waters of Galicia, Quantum Racing leads the provisional with two points ahead of the German Platoon and six over Phoenix, which lost two positions in the most discreet day of the week (8+6).
The ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week is held at the Monte Real Club de Yates with the sponsorship of ABANCA and Turismo de Galicia through the Xacobeo until Saturday. Before the awards ceremony scheduled for that final day, the crews will be able to enjoy a dinner offered by the organizing club in the regatta village, where Terras Gauda, Martin Miller’s Gin, Estrella Galicia and Coren tents are set up. among other.
Provisional classification ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES Baiona Sailing Week
Xabi Fernández (ESP), Gladiator crew member (USA):
“The day has been much better. We know that no two days are the same, and although we haven’t made any changes, the truth is that the boat has been better today. We make the training of the week profitable, I think that the owners sail so little that they improve day by day. Today was a slightly easier day. Paul (Goodison, tactician) wanted to fight a little more on the right than we had in the previous days, and we made a great start on the good side. When you go ahead, everything is much easier. In the second round we wanted to do the same but we couldn’t, because Interlodge closed the place for us and we left late, but without going to a comfortable place we managed to go with the fleet and fight. We have made an eighth, which is not a good result, but the positive part is that we have been in the fight “
Luca Calabrese (USA), Quantum Racing (USA) strategist:
“A difficult day, with little wind. Luckily we were able to read the conditions well before the first regatta and know what we had to do, so we’re happy to get to the top of the standings. But this bay is very difficult. In the second we had the discussion on board about which side of the line to exit from, and in the end we decided to try to jump over the pin, over the fleet, and it ended up working. But nervous all the way to the right side of the field. The route was quite flawed until reaching the right side of the field, because everyone wanted to do the same “
Santiago Lange (ARG), helmsman of Provezza (TUR):
“The ship is a barge, very nice to steer, to feel and coordinate with the crew. The regattas are super entertaining, as I always experienced as a tactician and in any position. The fact of having broken the boat and today running without being able to reach the maximum gross tension is not easy. With my new job as helmsman I have adapted very easily: I don’t feel that we are making bad starts, we are doing well. It is not easy, because we have a tension limit, but we will continue working on the trim of the mast and the mainsail to be able to navigate better in these conditions”
· The second day of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week allowed the TP52 fleet to unleash its full potential and offer a magnificent sailing show of the highest level in the Vigo estuary
Two fast and exciting tests were held in ideal weather conditions and the South African Phoenix returned to the Monte Real Club de Yates with a reaffirmed leadership and a four-point lead over the second
· A growing fleet of spectator boats enjoyed live the magic of the best international monohull circuit, which throughout the week turns the Rías Baixas into the world center of sailing
Second and intense day in the waters of the Vigo estuary for the spectacular TP52. The fleet of the ABANCA 52 Super Series · Baiona Sailing Week, organized by the Monte Real Club de Yates, completed two new tests this Wednesday at the regatta course located in front of the Cíes Islands, and it did so quickly as it had some unbeatable wind conditions.
With a total of four tests accumulated in the pigeonholes, Phoenix continues to lead the standings, now followed by Quantum Racing, which has significantly improved its results from the first day, and Platoon, which occupies the third place on the provisional podium.
The new ration of two races held this Wednesday allowed the crews to enjoy a wind that at times exceeded 20 knots of intensity, combined with little waves and a sun that cut out the silhouette of the boats on the magnificent background of the islands Cies.
The Turkish Provezza, who suffered a broken stay on the first day of racing, was unable to recover from her injuries and reduced the fleet to eight boats.
After two days and four disputed races, the provisional of the first event of the 52 SUPER SERIES 2022 is still headed by the South African Phoenix of Hasso Plattner, with four points ahead of the tie between the American Quantum Racing of Doug DeVos and the German Platoon by Harm Muller Spreer.
A growing fleet of spectator boats enjoyed live the magic of the best international monohull circuit, which throughout the week turns the Rías Baixas into the world center of sailing.
The dispute is maximum between the crews – Photo Nico Martínez
Hard-fought victory for Quantum Racing
The third scoring test of the week, the first this Wednesday, began with 16-17 knots of northwest wind and a wind direction that varied up to 20 degrees in its little more than 50 minutes of duration. An unstable environment that put the skill of the crews to the test and allowed interesting changes of position throughout the test.
The best at the start was the American Interlodge, who managed to lead the fleet in the first half of the course. But in the second section against the wind, Quantum Racing took advantage of a role of the wind to take the lead and did not give up the lead until achieving its first partial victory of the season. Second on the finish line was Platoon, followed by a Phoenix that staged a spectacular comeback from the last position with which he mounted the first buoy on the course.
The second test of the day started with winds well above 20 knots. On this occasion, the Briton Alegre made the best start from the far left of the line, staying in the lead until Quantum Racing came from the right to take the lead at the first mark. The fast stern was taken advantage of by Phoenix to overtake the American boat and take the lead in passing through the equator of the course, a position that it would not abandon until signing its second partial victory of the week. The South African boat has earned the status of rival to beat in Galician waters, and seems to have extra speed in all kinds of conditions. They were followed at the finish line by Quantum Racing and Alegre.
A first and a second allowed Quantum Racing to return to Baiona with the best card of the day and rise from fifth to second place in the provisional standings. In his debut in Galician waters, the quadruple champion of the 52 SUPER SERIES could not get past the middle of the table on the opening day (4+5), but the rise in wind intensity seemed to suit the armed and helmed boat by Doug DeVos, who is assisted on board by tactician Terry Huchinson, skipper of the American America’s Cup team. Hutchinson is recognized as a lover of the environment that hosts this week the 52 SUPER SERIES: “This race course is impressive. I came here many, many years ago to train with the illbruck round-the-world program and I remember how beautiful it was. It’s an awesome place to haggle.”.
The village of Monte Real enlivens the afternoons of the Baiona Sailing Week
Every afternoon the village of Monte Real brings together participants, shipowners, sponsors and collaborators in the nerve center of the social activity of the regatta, where attendees can enjoy music and tastings by Coren, Estrella Galicia, Terras Gauda and Martin Miller .
This Wednesday, in addition, the Board of Directors of the Baiona club invited the owners of the nine participating teams to a dinner with typical products of the land, while on Friday, at the end of the penultimate day of regatta, the long-awaited crew dinner will be held .
The final touch of the social agenda of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week, organized by the Monte Real Club de Yates with the sponsorship of ABANCA and Turismo de Galicia through the Xacobeo, will be the delivery of trophies, scheduled for this next Saturday afternoon.
“We made a lot of mistakes in the first half of the first race, but then we got it right in the second and that’s how it all worked out. The second race was really impressive: the boat was going really fast, and once we got into the lead we managed to break away. We have confidence in ourselves, our crew work is good, and we know that three very difficult days await us, with little wind, and in this fleet that can be very hard”
Javier Plaza (ESP), Platoon trimmer (GER):
“It was a good day for us, with a second and a fourth: I think that if we finish in the top four in all the races, we have a good chance of winning the championship. Today we had a bit of luck on the second beat of the first regatta, with a left hand roll. In the second we did not go very well, we rode the first passage through the buoy sixth, but in the end we were fourth. I hope we get a few days with a little less wind, because I think the boat goes a little better with less intensity. But this is a long-distance race: we are scoring points for the end of the season, to try to win the league and the world championship”
Joan Vila (ESP), Interlodge navigator (USA):
“It was a day of typical north wind from the bay of Vigo, excellent conditions, very beautiful. In the second regatta we had about 20 knots on average, with gusts of 22, sometimes going down to 17. Perfect conditions for sailing. The key is to do the little things well, not to fail at anything, and the most important thing is consistency in the results; It seems that at the moment Phoenix has it, it is going very fast and they are doing things very well. In the first two days of the regatta, the field has not had a clear side, and that is very good because it gives you opportunities, it gives you possibilities to pass other boats at any stern and upwind. It is not a place where a caravan is formed and everyone goes to the same place because there is a geographical role”
Francesco Bruni (ITA), Sled tactician (USA):
“Today’s conditions have served as training for Cascais. For our team the most important thing is to learn what works for you in Cascais in strong winds. An interesting route, it does not have a clearly favored side. It is also interesting to see how Phoenix have stepped up this week and understand what they have done again, because they have impressive performance.
· The last team to join the circuit of the prestigious 52 SUPER SERIES gave a surprise this Tuesday by placing second tied with the leader
Hasso Platner’s South African Phoenix is first in the provisional classification thanks to some risky decisions that led him to take different paths from the rest of the fleet
Despite the fact that the start of the tests had to be delayed for an hour due to lack of wind, the Rías Baixas finally offered the fleet splendid conditions for sailing
Spectacular start of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week. The Galician Rías Baixas lived this afternoon with great expectation the first tests of the competition that arrived in Galicia at the hands of the Monte Real Club de Yates and thanks to the sponsorship of ABANCA and Turismo de Galicia through the Xacobeo.
After the official practices on Monday, the appointment with the TP52 took a more serious turn this Tuesday with the entry into play of the first scores and the surprise of the day was given by the Thai boat Vayu, debutant on the circuit. The Thais had an exceptional performance in Galician waters and left much more experienced teams behind.
Led by Don Whitcraft and with the tactics of the British Olympic medalist Nick Rogers, the team reinforced its crew in Baiona with the incorporation of Antonio “Ñeti” Cuervas-Mons, who lives in Vigo.
“The key today has been that we have had a couple of very good starts that have allowed us to be in the leading group at the first mark, and from then on it is easier to maintain that position. The tactician has read the course very well, especially in the first sterns, always going to the right, but above all it should be noted that Don, the helmsman, has handled the boat like a true professional. Today he has had nothing to envy the other skippers, he has taken the boat that gives pleasure”, explained Cuervas-Mons at the end of the regatta.
The TP52s fought hard for victory – Photo Nico Martínez
The debut of the 52 SUPER SERIES in Galician waters was a complete success. The regatta area located at the entrance to the Vigo estuary presented very good northwesterly wind conditions that made it possible to hold the first two races of the ten that make up the program in Baiona. The contest began with winds of 8-9 knots at the start of the first heat of the day and increased to 13-14 at the start of the second, always with practically flat seas, ideal conditions for the TP52 competition.
Despite Vayu’s surprise, the first test of the season was quite a show of strength for Hasso Platner’s Phoenix. Olympic champion Tom Slingsby, tactician for the South African boat, knew how to read a race course unprecedented on the circuit better than his rivals when he pointed to the right side of the course against the decision of the rest of the fleet to go to the left.
After an initial few minutes led by Interlodge at the head of the bulk of the field, Phoenix emerged from the opposite end of the field and took the lead midway through the first stage to start a rare breakout in the 52 SUPER SERIES arena. More than two minutes of advantage in the finish line confirmed the candidacy of the Phoenix to the group of favorites in this start of the season.
Second came the Vayu of the Whitcraft family, the great surprise in Baiona. The Thai boat was at the head of the chasing group from the first pass through the buoy and knew how to defend itself from the attacks of rivals with more experience in the circuit, signing a solid second ahead of the winner of the 52 SUPER SERIES 2021 and current world champion of TP52, the American Sled, who today recovered his owner Takashi Okura at the helm.
The second round of the day went to Harm Müller-Spreer’s Platoon, who opted for the right side of the field, an area that was once again the winning bet of the day, although not as decisive as in the previous test. The tandem formed by the American tactician John Kostecki and the Mallorcan strategist Jordi Calafat managed to make up for the discreet fifth of the first assault with a valuable victory that allowed him to rise to third place in the provisional standings.
Behind the German boat, Phoenix and Vayu staged an exciting duel for second place, which opted for the Thai boat by only three seconds at the finish line. The sum of the two partials of the day allowed Phoenix (1+3) to return to Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona (MRCYB) as the first leader of the season, tied on points with Vayu (2+2).
The action of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES Baiona Sailing Week returns tomorrow, Wednesday, Wednesday, starting at one in the afternoon, with the first tests. Prior to the competition, moments of relaxation in the village of Monte Real, with breakfasts and meetings of the crews and technical teams; and in the afternoon, at the end of the tests, the village opens again for tastings of Terras Gauda, Martin Miller’s Gin, Estrella Galicia and Coren, among others.
“It is a complex course that does not usually host regattas, but it is really spectacular: With conditions like those of today’s second regatta, it is a regatta course that is difficult to improve, with about 15 knots, flat sea, and above all in an environment as incredible as the Cíes Islands and the Vigo estuary. On days like today, there are few places in the world that can beat it.”
Víctor Mariño (ESP), Platoon trimmer (GER):
“The first one didn’t go well, they squashed us quickly, in the first two decisions we weren’t right and we had to come back. It is a difficult course, in all these races the first quarter of the race is everything, you have to make the decision where to go, the course is very open and even for the locals it is not easy. It all depends on that first room. In the first one we were a little scared because it was the beginning of the day, and sometimes the right doesn’t pay that much, but by the time we wanted to change to the right it was too late. In the second, with the wind already established, we had a very clear right and we were right, but we had to fight a lot. A little strange days, but that’s the beauty of this place.
Paul Wilcox (RSA), Phoenix (RSA) mainsail trimmer:
“I think we’re picking up where we left off last year, which is good. The boat is running well and this new keel fin seems to be doing what it is supposed to. And we have some new candles, which always helps. Today was all about linking up the roles, there was a very gusty breeze and Tom (Slingsby, tactician) did a good job. I think we have a little confidence. We know that we can do well, that we have good boat speed. We have been practicing maneuvers, penalties, spinnaker changes. We have confidence in him (Slingsby) and he has confidence in us. This is very important, people make an effort and do their job very well”.
Terry Hutchinson (USA), tactician for Quantum Racing (USA):
“It has been quite a challenge. Today we did a fourth and a fifth. It is a difficult place to navigate. At the first mark of the second regatta we were third, halfway through the course we were last and we were fifth again. The disappointing thing about the second race is that we started pretty well and failed on the first stern, but we weren’t the only ones so you feel better about that. But you want to be perfect in all your decisions. In that sense, it is a very complicated course, with many challenges and we were not aggressive enough. Our room is representative that we play it too safe. Phoenix has played well, they bet on the right and that’s where they left. We didn’t come out of the water with a good feeling, but we probably didn’t lose the race today and there is a lot to play for on that race course. It’s complicated and very subtle.”
“We will see who wins the competition. The best will win, for sure. But those of us who have already won with the arrival of the 52 SUPER SERIES are the club, Baiona and Galicia”
“Bringing Baiona to the TP52s means fulfilling one of the most important commitments I made to the partners I represent. It is a dream come true”
“We are a club with small facilities but we have a very good human team, with long and proven experience in organizing events”
One of José Luis Álvarez’s commitments to the members of the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona when he assumed the presidency of the club was to once again organize an international regatta at the highest level. The Baionese club, one of the most prolific in terms of sports on the Spanish nautical scene, had been organizing all kinds of competitions practically since its creation, but international events had been significantly reduced in its program of events.
This changed in 2020, in the midst of the COVID pandemic, when in a press conference with masks and safety distances, the club announced that it had managed to become the venue for the 52 SUPER SERIES. After months of negotiations and hard work to meet all the requirements demanded by the organization, Monte Real finally achieved the goal of bringing Baiona to the prestigious TP52.
The date of the event was set for the summer of 2021, but the complications derived from the coronavirus forced it to be postponed for a year, a period that the club took advantage of to seek financial support. He found them in two regular collaborators of Monte Real, the financial entity ABANCA and Turismo de Galicia through Xacobeo, who decided to join the adventure.
Thus, the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES – BAIONA SAILING WEEK was born, destined to put Galicia back in the spotlight of world attention, in which it had not stood out since the start of the Sailing Tour of the World from Vigo, in 2005.
Today, 17 years after that milestone, Galicia once again writes a new page in the history of sailing with the celebration of the Super Series, something that fills the president of Monte Real with pride, with whom we spoke a few hours after the start the competition.
What does the arrival of the 52 SUPER SERIES mean for the club in general and for you in particular?
For the Club it represents returning to the path of the great international circuits. For me in particular, fulfilling one of the most important commitments with the partners I represent. Of course, with the invaluable work of my colleagues on the Board of Directors.
The club has been organizing multiple regattas throughout its history, its calendar is today one of the most complete of the Spanish clubs, but the truth is that it has been a long time since they organized a competition at this level. How do you take on this challenge?
With great enthusiasm and optimism. Organizing an event of these characteristics is complex. And it also requires significant resources. We must not forget that we have gone through a series of years of economic crisis and that the priorities were different.
What do you expect from Baiona Sailing Week? What are we going to find at the event?
I expect a great event for the world of sailing. The fact of having among us the best sailors in the world with the best boats in their category, will make all fans and non-fans of this sport enjoy a few unparalleled days.
Organizing a competition of this type involves great organizational, economic, logistical, personnel complications… Was Monte Real prepared for the arrival of the SUPER SERIES or did they have to make a special effort? What have been the biggest difficulties?
That’s right, I’m sure we all understand how complex it is to organize this type of competition. It is also true that the MRCYB human team has a long and accredited experience in organizing events of the highest level. As you know, we are a Club with small facilities. Space is a handicap that we find ourselves with, but we use everything we have to the millimeter. Regarding the economic section, we have the collaboration of the sponsors. They make these events possible. From here, my thanks on behalf of all the members of the Club.
It is not the first time that ABANCA and the Xunta de Galicia support them in their initiatives. They have been collaborating hand in hand for years, in a period in which getting sponsorships is not as easy as it used to be. What does the club offer its collaborators so that they continue betting on it?
Both ABANCA and the Xunta de Galicia (Galician Tourism through Xacobeo), as well as the Pontevedra Provincial Council and the Baiona City Council have been and are a very important support throughout these years. When the MRCYB organizes events of these characteristics, we think of the enormous repercussion that projecting our companies abroad has. There is no doubt that putting our Galician community and the Rias Baixas in particular in the international spotlight has a very direct impact on tourism with high purchasing power. This benefits us all.
Along with you, one of the key figures in the organization of the event has been, without a doubt, the club’s vice president, Alejandro Retolaza, who has been involved from the greatest to the smallest details. Tell us, how does the Álvarez-Retolaza tandem work?
I would not have enough space to express what the figure of Vice President Retolaza represents not only for me, but for the Club. The communication and communion of ideas with him is so fluid that sometimes we are surprised. It seems that we think the same things at the same moment. He knows the Club down to the last corner and in matters of logistics, he is always ahead of all of us. Every day I learn something new with him. In this sense, I also want to highlight the sincere commitment that the Board of Directors has with the Club. A team that dedicates many hours and many days of the year to develop the different areas as much as possible. I think I have people by my side who give their best and I always say that they make everything flow with great professionalism. For me a gift.
In recent days there has been a lot of talk about the astronomical figures on which the event revolves, in which boats of 2.5 million euros participate with sports campaigns that exceed one million euros… but we are more interested in knowing the economic impact that going to have in Baiona and its region. There is talk of more than 2 million euros. Is it a realistic figure?
So is. From my point of view and knowing the figures that we usually manage for each person who in one way or another participates in the event, that figure will probably be exceeded.
To finish, we would like you to “get wet” and tell us which team or teams are your favorites and who you think will win in Baiona. Do you dare?
I, like everyone else, have my favourites, but the level of the sailors is so high that I don’t dare to make a prediction. Any of them could be, but in the world of sailing nothing is predictable. The sea, the wind etc… gives many surprises. I’m sure the best will win.
· The Monte Real Club de Yates hosted this Friday the official presentation of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · BAIONA SAILING WEEK that will be held in the Rías Baixas for a whole week starting this Saturday
· Three American teams, two English, one German, one Turkish, one South African and a ninth Thai will compete in the first round of the season of the most important monohull circuit in the world
· The nine sailboats valued at more than 22 million euros are waiting in the waters of the bay of Baiona for the crews to take them out this weekend to carry out the first training sessions prior to the regattas
· Some of the teams have recruited the most outstanding strategists of the Galician nautical scene to help them better understand the navigation area, the winds and conditions that can be found
· The economic impact that this sporting event sponsored by ABANCA and Turismo de Galicia through the Xacobeo will have in the Val Miñor region is valued at more than two million euros
Two years after the announcement that Galicia would be the new venue for the circuit and after having overcome the worst moments of the COVID pandemic, which forced its celebration to be postponed for a year, the most important monohull circuit in the world, the prestigious 52 SUPER SERIES , hoists its sails in Baiona.
Starting tomorrow, Saturday and for a whole week, the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week, organized and officially presented this Friday by the Monte Real Club de Yates, will bring together nine international teams : three North Americans (Sled, Quantum Racing and Interlodge), two English (Alegre and Gladiator), one German (Platoon), one Turkish (Provezza) and one Thai (Team Vayu).
The nine sailboats that will enter the competition, each valued at more than two and a half million euros, will be led by their millionaire owners, businessmen from different sectors united by their love for sailing and top competition. They are Doug DeVos, Austin and Gwen Fragomen, Takashi Okura, Andy Soriano, Tom Langley, Ergin Imre, Hasso Platner, and Tom and Kevin Whitcraft.
In each of the SUPER SERIES campaigns in which they participate, these owners They invest close to two million euros , which they allocate to research and development of technologies for their boats and to hire the best sailors, including Olympic medalists, world champions and America’s Cup winners.
Among this select group of athletes there is a small but outstanding number of Spanish sailors . People like Xabi Fernández (Gladiator), Joan Vila and Pedro Mas (Interlodge), Juan Meseguer, Joan Fullana and Nacho Postigo (Provezza), and Jordi Calafat, Javier Plaza, Víctor Mariño and Pablo Torrado (Platoon). These last two, Mariño and Torrado, will act as ambassadors in their land, since they are both Galician.
Galicia will be present in the competition through them and also thanks to the signing, by certain teams, of some of the best regatta strategists in the Galician estuaries , such as Pablo Iglesias, Gonzalo Araujo or Antonio Otero, among others. They will be in charge of giving the teams that have hired them the keys to better understand the navigation area, the winds and the conditions that can be found in the Cíes Islands anchorage.
The Atlantic Islands National Park will be the main venue for the tests, which will last from next Tuesday the 24th to Saturday the 28th, after the free practice sessions on Saturday the 21st and Sunday the 22nd; and the official training on Monday 23.
The nine boats in competition will compete in windward-leeward tasks between buoys , with four sections (two upwind and two downwind), and a total distance that will move between one and a half miles and two nautical miles.
There is also the possibility that one day the windward-leeward will be changed for a coastal regatta through the Rías Baixas, with a route yet to be determined. Both in one type of test and in the other, the boat that completes them first wins, without any type of time compensation.
This real-time competition , without any type of final adjustment, is the one that most attracts the crews and the one that will make the regattas more attractive and exciting for the public. With practically identical boats, which follow fixed measurement rules (sail area, length, beam, displacement, draft, mast height and weight), the innovations that have been applied to the boats and the expertise of the crews will be the ones that mark the differences, although these will be practically minimal and the victories will be very disputed.
The ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week, presented this Friday at the Monte Real Club de Yates, will be theThe first of the five TP52 events in 2022 : Baiona in May, Cascais (Portugal) in June, Puerto Portals in July, Scarlino (Italy) in September and Barcelona in October. It will also be the first time that the competition has landed in Galician waters, and it will do so in a very special year, a decade after its creation, in 2012.
The sporting event, sponsored by ABANCA and Turismo de Galicia through Xacobeo , and supported by the Pontevedra Provincial Council and the Baiona City Council, will leave an economic impact on the Val Miñor region valued at 2 million euros. Accommodation, restaurants, facilities, transport, logistics, nautical or design companies are some of the sectors that have benefited from the arrival of the 52 SUPER SERIES in Galicia.
“When I was chosen to preside over Monte Real, I assumed with our partners the commitment to rewrite a new chapter in the history of Spanish sailing, and that is precisely what we are doing here today, bringing to Galicia one of the most important circuits of the world. Organizing the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · BAIONA SAILING WEEK has been a challenge for the club. Our people have been doing their best for months so that everything turns out perfect, and we have no doubt that it will. The responsibility and commitment that characterize Monte Real, and the unique environment that Baiona, the Rías Baixas and Galicia will offer are, without a doubt, guarantees of success. We’ll see it in a few days and I’m sure we’ll remember it for years to come.”
José Luis Álvarez President of the Monte Real Yacht Club
“Baiona is a very attractive place for the owners of the SUPER SERIES because it is a new place in which they have not competed and because the area is spectacularly beautiful. Those were two of the main reasons why we chose the Monte Real proposal to celebrate one of the circuit’s phases here, the inaugural stage of our tenth anniversary. The logistics have not been easy, but we are sure that it will be a great show. Sailing conditions at this time of year are good and the crews are ready to give everything on the water”
“From ABANCA we have been collaborating with the Monte Real Yacht Club for years and this time, with this great event, it was not going to be less. The tenacity, professionalism and rigor with which they always do things in this club will allow us to transmit the best image of Galicia to the whole world. We understand the sport in a transversal way, from the grassroots to top-level competitions like this one, and we are proud of them. This occasion is even more special, if possible, because we will not only spread the sporting potential of our country, but also the rest of the wonders of our land”
Gabriel González Eiroa Executive Director ABANCA Commercial Network
“Sailors from all over the world, from the five continents, participate in this event and will be great ambassadors of the Xacobeo, of the Camino de Santiago and of our land in their countries of origin and in the ports where they sail. Many visit us for the first time and I have no doubt that they will soon return to Galicia accompanied by their family and friends”
Marta Fernández-Tapias Delegate in Vigo of the XUNTA DE GALICIA
“The Monte Real is now a benchmark not only at a national level but also worldwide and the Pontevedra Provincial Council could not fail to support it, as we have always done. Our commitment to sport is constant and with this type of event we not only position ourselves at the world epicenter of sailing, but we also project the best image of Galicia”
Gorka Gómez Deputy for Sports of the PONTEVEDRA COUNCIL
“Thanks to the 52 SUPER SERIES for having trusted the Monte Real Club de Yates and for having opted for Baiona, the most beautiful town in the world. This competition is a great challenge for the club and also for Baiona and we will be up to it. The future is up to us to write it ourselves, and we will do it together”
Carlos Gómez · Mayor of the CITY COUNCIL OF BAIONA
“Anyone who wants to can enjoy the competition because there will be a large screen installed in the area of La Palma to see the end of the SUPER SERIES in virtual reality and a shipping company that will offer the possibility of going out to sea to watch the regattas . What we want is everyone to have the opportunity to see this event that is unique in the world”
All those who wish to follow the development of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES – BAIONA SAILING WEEK , from May 23 to 28, know that you will have several options.
FROM THE MOBILE, TABLET OR COMPUTER: VIRTUAL REALITY
Through the website of the 52 SUPER SERIES ( www.52superseries.com ) and thanks to a virtual reality system, you will be able to follow each and every one of the tests live, every day of competition from the start of the same (scheduled for 12:30)
FROM GROUND: GIANT SCREEN
As of Friday 27 there will be a village installed in the area of La Palma, in Baiona, so that anyone who wishes can see the outcome of the competition through a large screen that will reproduce the latest tests in virtual reality.
FROM THE SEA: CATAMARAN
A Naviera Nabia catamaran will follow the test from the sea on May 26, 27 and 28. The boat will leave from the Baiona maritime station and will approach the regatta area. It will be in the water for approximately 4 hours and passengers will be able to follow the tests with live comments. The price of the tickets is 15 euros for adults and 10 euros for children.
FROM THE SEA: PRIVATE BOATS
People who have their own boat and want to approach the regatta area must meet a series of requirements. It must be located more than 200 meters from the starting line or more than 100 meters from the windward buoy. Those who want to position themselves between one point and another must always stand outside the lay line, at least 200 meters away.
This afternoon began in Baiona the operation of unloading and placing the 18 containers of the crews and organization of the 52 SUPER SERIES that arrived in Vigo last week aboard the same freighter that brought the TP52.
The logistics operation, led by the international company Peters & May, will last throughout the day and tomorrow, Tuesday, all the containers are expected to be perfectly installed in the parking lot of the Monte Real Yacht Club.
It is a complicated operation due to the limited space and because it is an area of special heritage interest. Also due to the need to avoid disturbances in traffic flow in Baiona.
“The difficulty of this logistics operation for the 52 SUPER SERIES is to regulate the traffic of the trucks so that the town is not blocked. We have a truck inside the Parador and another outside working, and on the outskirts of Baiona there will also be a filtering area for trucks so that they enter little by little and their circulation has the least impact. Inside the Monte Real, where the containers are being unloaded and placed, is the critical point of the operation, since the space is very small and everything is calculated to the millimeter” , Justo Gosalbes, manager of Peters & May for Spain and Portugal and responsible for this operation, told us.
With the placement of the containers and the installation of the village tents in the Monte Real gardens, the club will be practically ready to host the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES – Baiona Sailing Week.
The ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES – Baiona Sailing Week will premiere the 2022 season of the prestigious 52 SUPER SERIES from May 23 to 28
· The Monte Real Club de Yates will host the nine teams of the circuit that will make their debut in the surroundings of the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia
Víctor Mariño, from Vigo, crew member aboard the double world champion Platoon, is eager to compete in the waters in which he learned to navigate
· The president of the MRCYB assures that the arrival of the SUPER SERIES in Baiona will be a milestone in the history of sport in Galicia
· The event will be officially presented next Friday, May 20 at 1:30 p.m. at the Monte Real Club de Yates facilities
The countdown begins for the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES – Baiona Sailing Week. The popular Galician fishing village will host the first round of the 52 SUPER SERIES season from May 23 to 28, and will bring together the nine candidates for the 2022 title.
In Baiona, the German Platoon owned by Harm Müller-Spreer will compete; the Americans Quantum Racing (Doug DeVos), Interlodge (Austin and Gwen Fragomen) and Sled (Takashi Okura); the British Alegre (Andy Soriano) and Gladiator (Tom Langley); Turkish Provezza (Ergin Imre); the South African Phoenix 11 (Hasso Platner); and the Thai Team Vayu (Tom and Kevin Whitcraft).
It will be the first regatta in which they will face each other since the Rolex TP52 World Championship, with which the 2021 season closed last November with the Sled as TP52 world champion, champion of the 52 SUPER SERIES and team to beat in 2022.
The Sled will defend both crowns this year against the likes of Quantum Racing (four-time circuit champion and three-time world champion, who finished just one point behind Sled in 2021) or Platoon (two-time world champion and third in 2021, two points behind the winner), although given the quality of the crews on board each of the TP52s and the fine-tuning of the boats during the winter, it is early to speak of clear favorites.
For the Baiona event, the TP52s arrived at the port of Vigo aboard a Peters & May freighter and are now resting on the pontoons of the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona (MRCYB) finalizing preparations to start training next weekend (Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 have free training).
The competition program will begin with the traditional official training regatta on Monday, May 23. This non-scoring test will act as a dress rehearsal for the organization and participants for the five days of competition that will complete the sports program of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES – Baiona Sailing Week between Tuesday 24 and Saturday 28 May.
An impressive regatta field and an excited Galician
The Regatta Committee led by the Spanish María Torrijo will establish the battlefield in front of the majestic archipelago of the Cíes Islands, turning the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia into a spectacular backdrop for the action of the TP52.
Víctor Mariño, from Vigo, a crew member aboard the double world champion Platoon, is excited to compete in the waters in which he learned to navigate: “I’m looking forward to the 52 SUPER SERIES being held in my home waters, it’s kind of a dream come true. The weather is quite unstable at this time of year depending on the systems, one week can be bad and another good. At the end of May, the usual wind is from the northwest with an average of around 15-16 knots. It’s a very even race course, so there’s no real advantage I can give from my local knowledge. I don’t feel the pressure of having to perform well in my waters with the Platoon, but we are aware that if we sail at our best we can achieve a good result. What I feel is pressure for us to have good weather.”.
Baiona, looking forward to 52 SUPER SERIES and for everything to be perfect
Among the actions devised by the organizers of the event, the initiative to take the business out into the street and summon its people to a village installed in the park of La Palma, a few meters from the MRCYB, the operations center of the 52 SUPER SERIES, stands out. The village will be open to the public the weekend of May 26 to 28, and will have a giant screen where you can enjoy the best images of the competition and a wide range of entertainment and gastronomy.
In the opinion of José Luis Álvarez, president of the MRCYB: “Having been chosen by the SUPER SERIES to open the 2022 season is a source of pride for the club, but also a huge responsibility. Monte Real is used to organizing big events, but this competition is a new challenge for us, at all levels. The club’s staff has spent months making every effort to ensure that everything goes perfectly and we are sure that it will be what we want it to be: a milestone in the history of sport in Galicia, an unforgettable date for sailing lovers, a new opportunity to demonstrate how we do things at Monte Real and a unique opportunity to promote Baiona, the Rías Baixas and Galicia beyond our borders”.
The official presentation of the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES – Baiona Sailing Week will be next Friday, May 20 at 1:30 p.m. at the Monte Real Club de Yates facilities.
· This morning the sailboats that will compete in the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES will arrive at the Monte Real Yacht Club throughout the day · Baiona Sailing Week
· They are TP52-type boats, monohulls built in carbon fiber, light and high performance, considered authentic “flying machines”
· The logistics company Peters & May was in charge of bringing them to Galicia from the port of Sagunto (Valencia), unloading them in the port of Vigo and will also be in charge of the logistics of moving the containers to Baiona
The port of Vigo hosted this morning one of the most peculiar unloading and unloading operations so far this year, that of the sailboats that at the end of this month will compete in the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES – Baiona Sailing Week, organized by Monte Royal Yacht Club.
These spectacular boats, Transpac 52 or TP52, are carbon fiber monohulls, 15.85 meters long, with a large sail area and long, thin keels. Light and high-performance sailboats, considered authentic “flying machines” over the sea, the authentic “Formula One” of current cruising sailing.
Under the supervision of the logistics company Peters & May, in charge of bringing them to Galicia from the port of Sagunto (Valencia) aboard a freighter, the sailboats were unloaded one by one until they touched the waters of the Rías Baixas.
“More than a complicated operation, it is a delicate operation due to the type of boats, which although they are easy to load and unload, are very delicate due to the carbon fiber with which the sailboats are built,” says the manager of Peters & May for Spain and Portugal, Justo Gosalbes.
“The greatest difficulty in this type of operation -says Gosalbes- is customs, because all the teams are foreign, many of them are not European, and there is a lot of customs and port paperwork that is also very laborious”.
Today’s was the first contact of the TP52 with the Vigo estuary, in which in less than two weeks one of the most important nautical competitions on the planet will be held, an event that will bring to Galicia some of the most prestigious, including world champions and Olympic medalists.
In addition to the sailboats, which once unloaded continue their journey by sea to Baiona, this Wednesday the 18 containers of each of the crews and the organization are also unloaded in Vigo, which later, on the 16th, will be transferred by land to the Monte Real Yacht Club.
Its entry into Baiona will be another of the complicated phases of the logistics operation. “Here the difficulty -explains Justo Gosalbes, from Peters & May- It is in regulating the traffic of trucks so that the town is not blocked. We will have a truck inside the Parador and another outside working, and on the outskirts of Baiona there will also be another filtering area for trucks so that they enter little by little and their circulation has the least impact. Inside the Monte Real, where the containers will be unloaded and placed, will be another of the key points of the operation, since the space is reduced and everything is calculated to the centimeter”.
In Baiona they have been clearing and preparing the entire entrance surface of the Parador Nacional and the Monte Real Club de Yates for days to be able to place the containers there. In addition, the club’s marina has had to carry out a major restructuring of the boats in order to reserve an entire pontoon for the TP52s.
A great organizational and logistical display for what will undoubtedly be one of the sporting events of the year in Galicia. In the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES – Baiona Sailing Week, the teams Allegre (UK), Gladiator (UK), Interlodge (USA), Phoenix (South Africa), Platoon (Germany), Provezza (Turkey) will compete from May 23 to 28. , Quantum Racing (USA), Sled (USA) and Team Vayu (Thailand).
· The countdown begins for the arrival in Galicia of the most important monohull circuit in the world that will open its season at the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona
· From May 23 to 28, the Galician Rías Baixas will host the initial tests of a competition in which some of the best sailors from the 5 continents participate
· ABANCA and the Xacobeo 21-22 sponsor what will undoubtedly be the nautical event of the year in Galicia, for which everything is already prepared.
The countdown begins for the arrival in Galicia of the 52 SUPER SERIES, the most important monohull circuit in the world, which will open its regatta season at the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona.
From May 23 to 28, the Galician Rías Baixas will host the initial tests of a competition in which some of the best sailors from the 5 continents participate. Allegre (UK), Gladiator (UK), Interlodge (USA), Phoenix (South Africa), Platoon (Germany), Provezza (Turkey), Quantum Racing (USA) and Sled (USA) are the teams that will compete in Galicia.
To make their arrival in Baiona possible, the Monte Real Yacht Club has been working tirelessly for months. The organization of the event alone moves about 500 people, including crews and support staff, and at the club, despite being used to hosting massive events, they have had to deal with very complicated logistics.
In addition to the necessary restructuring of the mooring points in the club’s marina to be able to place these large sailboats, Monte Real has had to plan in detail the location of the large containers with which each team will arrive in Baiona.
They will all be located inside a historic site such as the Parador Nacional de Baiona, where the club is located, and to the technical and usability requirements of the organization and the different crews, the need to guarantee the protection of the place is added. , of high heritage value.
Aerial view of Baiona, one of the most spectacular fishing villages in Spain
The great technical and technological deployment of the event also implies the coordination of operations, the movement of trailers and cranes, the restructuring of spaces, the management of supplies, the preparation of the staging and an infinity of other tasks that Monte Real is carrying out, in addition, without paralyzing or altering its sports and social programming.
“If bringing SUPER SERIES to Baiona was a challenge, organizing the event while maintaining our usual activity is proving to be quite a challenge”, says the vice president of Monte Real, Alejandro Retolaza. “The organizational and logistical demands are enormous, but we will be up to the task of such an important event -assures-, and not only for all that it means for the club, but also because Baiona and Galicia will be the focus of international attention during those days. The responsibility is very great.”
The arrival of the 52 SUPER SERIES in Baiona thanks to the efforts of the Monte Real Yacht Club and the sponsorship of ABANCA and the Xacobeo 21-22 will undoubtedly be the nautical event of the year in Galicia. And in the small Galician fishing village they already have everything ready for the Baiona Sailing Week to cast off.
Aerial view of the Monte Real Yacht Club of Baiona
· The Magical of the Real Club Náutico de Vigo, the Sagar V of the Ro Yacht Club of Combarro and the Secolite, the Yess, the Alboroto and the Bouvento of the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona were the winners of the different classes in contention
The special sponsorship prize of 7,000 euros for the best J80 went to Javier Aguado’s Alboroto and Ángela Rodríguez’s Silleiro won the trophy for the best female crew
The weather was the protagonist of the 44th Spring Regatta, affecting the first two days with little wind and fog, and leaving the third and last stage blank, in which the planned test could not be held
· After the Repsol Trophy, the MRCYB is already focusing on its great event of the year: the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES – Baiona Sailing Week, the most prestigious monohull circuit in the world that will stop in Galicia at the end of the month
Baiona, Vigo and Combarro shared out the prizes of the last edition of the Repsol Trophy held these days in the Rías Baixas, a competition in which the weather played a major role and marked the three days of regattas.
After a first day in which the scarce wind only allowed the holding of one of the three scheduled tests in the bay of Baiona and a second stage in which the fog forced the coastal route between Baiona and Combarro to be shortened and made it difficult for the the fleet; This Sunday, on the third and last day of competition, the lack of wind left the markers blank. The last test of the program, a coastal route between Combarro and Baiona, was canceled and the final classification was defined with two tests for the J80 class and a single test for the rest of the classes.
In ORC 1-2-3 , the winner was Julio Rodríguez’s Magical. Their victory just a few weeks ago in the Comunica Trophy and this new victory in the Repsol Trophy make it clear that the crew of the Real Club Náutico de Vigo will be one of the teams to take into account in the Galician regatta season. The Sailway by Rodrigo Ojea (CM Canido); and Aceites Abril, from Jorge Pérez Canal (RCN Vigo), were second and third respectively.
On ORC 4 , the Sagar V of Rolando Andrade, of the Ro Yacht Club of Combarro, took the laurels of a class in which the Deep Blue 2.1 of Vicente Cid (RCN Vigo) and the Maracaná of Carlos García (RCM Aguete), they made with silver and bronze.
In ORC 5 , two boats from Monte Real finished in first and second position: Javier Rey’s Secolite and Óscar José Comesaña’s Bouvento. Antonio Francisco Gómez’s Marcolfo, from the Vigo yacht club, took third place on the podium.
In ORC A2 , the good heads-up between the Portuguese Rui Ramada and the Galician Óscar Peixoto aboard the MRCYB’s Yess, allowed them to win and beat Luis Vidal and Eva Fernández’s Vagalume, who came second.
In J80 , Javier Aguado’s Alboroto was crowned the deserved winner of the class, after signing two first places in the two races held. He left the silver and bronze to Javier de la Gándara’s Okofen and Alejandra Suárez’s Cansino.
Special prizes for the best female crew and the best J80
In addition to the trophies in the different categories, two special prizes were up for grabs at this year’s Repsol Trophy. One, for the best female crew in the competition, went to the crew of Ángela Rodríguez’s Silleiro.
The other special prize, for the best J80, which was won by Javier Aguado’s Alboroto, consisted of a sponsorship of 7,000 euros so that the crew can attend the European Championship of the class that is being held this summer in France. With this initiative, the Monte Real Club de Yates intends to continue encouraging the J80 fleet ahead of the Spanish and world championships that the club will organize this year and next
Point and end to the Repsol Trophy and focus now on the SUPER SERIES
Thus, the Monte Real Club de Yates Spring Regatta said goodbye to its forty-fourth edition, reaffirming itself as one of the most interesting competitions on the Galician nautical scene, both for the number of participants and for the changes that are introduced year after year, which allows to give freshness to one of the most traditional regattas in Spain.
After culminating the nautical event with the awards ceremony for the winners, in which the manager and the head of Marine and Fishing of Repsol, Carlos Sánchez Nieto and Inés González Megido, participated; the mayor of Baiona, Carlos Gómez; and the president and vice president of the Monte Real Yacht Club, José Luis Álvarez and Alejandro Retolaza; Monte Real is already focusing on its great event in 2022: the ABANCA 52 SUPER SERIES · Baiona Sailing Week.
The most prestigious monohull circuit in the world will call at the Galician fishing village between the 23rd and 28th of this month and the Baion club already has everything ready for what will undoubtedly be the nautical event of the year in Galicia, sponsored by ABANCA and Xacobeo 21-22.
REPSOL TROPHY 2022 44th SPRING REGATTA Final general classification after holding 2 tests
ORC CLASS 1-2-3
1. MAGICAL · JULIO RODRÍGUEZ · RCN VIGO · 1 POINT 2. SAILWAY RODRIGO OJEA CM CANIDO 2 POINTS 3. APRIL OILS JORGE PÉREZ CANAL RCN VIGO 3 POINTS
ORC-CLASS 4
1. SAGAR V ROLANDO ANDRADE RO YC 1 POINT 2. DEEP BLUE 2.1 VICENTE CID RCN VIGO 2 POINTS 3. MARACANÁ · CARLOS GARCÍA · RCM AGUETE · 3 POINTS
ORC-CLASS 5
1. SECOLITE · JAVIER REY · MRCYB · 1 POINT 2. BOUVENTO · OSCAR JOSÉ COMESAÑA · MRCYB · 2 POINTS 3. MARCOLFO · ANTONIO FRANCISCO GÓMEZ · RCN VIGO · 3 POINTS
CLASS A2
1. YESS RUI RAMADA + ÓSCAR GONZALEZ PEIXOTO MRCYB 1 POINT 2. VAGALUME · LUIS VIDAL + EVA FERNÁNDEZ · INDEPENDENT · 2 POINTS
J80 CLASS
1. ALBOROTO · JAVIER AGUADO · MRCYB · 2 POINTS 2. OKOFEN · JAVIER DE LA GANDARA · MRCYB · 5 POINTS 3. TIRED · ALEJANDRA SUÁREZ · MRCYB · 9 POINTS
FIGARO CLASS
1. BOUVENTO · OSCAR JOSÉ COMESAÑA · MRCYB 2. SILLEIRO ANGELA RODRÍGUEZ MRCYB 3. ERIZANA · MARTA QUINTÁNS · MRCYB
SPECIAL PRIZES
SPONSORSHIP 7,000 EUROS TO THE BEST J80: ALBOROTO · JAVIER AGUADO · MRCYB
AWARD FOR THE BEST FEMALE CREW OF THE REPSOL TROPHY: SILLEIRO ANGELA RODRÍGUEZ MRCYB
The weather once again altered the development of the Repsol Trophy for the second consecutive day and the more than 40 sailboats competing in the competition in the Rías Baixas had to face intense fog this Saturday
· Julio Rodríguez’s Magical (RCN Vigo), Rolando Andrade’s Sagar V (Ro Yacht Club) and Javier Rey’s Secolite (MRCYB) were placed at the head of the different ORC categories
· In the A Dos competition, with reduced crews, Yess led by Rui Ramada and Óscar Peixoto (MRCYB) is leading; and in J80 Javier Aguado’s Alboroto (MRCYB) gets even closer to the final victory after signing a new victory today
· The Repsol Trophy – 44th Spring Regatta organized by the Monte Real Yacht Club will be decided this Sunday on a single card with the start of the return route from Combarro to Baiona
The fog put in check this Saturday the fleet of more than 40 boats that these days are competing in the Rías Baixas for the Repsol Trophy – 44th Spring Regatta organized by the Monte Real Yacht Club.
After an opening day in which it was the wind that put the crews to the test, in this second stage the sailboats had to deal with fog, which forced the regatta committee to delay the start time and reposition the start until Two occasions.
Despite the difficulties registered in the first moments, once the test began, the sailboats sailed without too many problems during the journey of just over 17 miles from the north of Cíes to the island of Tambo, inside the Pontevedra estuary.
The 5 or 6 knots on average that were registered in the first moments increased in intensity as the hours passed and already in the last sections, with the fog already dissipated, they reached 18 and 19 knots, which speeded up the end of the competition.
In the ORC 1-2-3 class, the boats from Vigo and Canido went straight to the top of the standings. Julio Rodríguez’s Magical (RCN Vigo) was the fastest to complete the test, in 2 hours and 14 minutes, and holds provisional gold. In second position was Rodrigo Ojea’s Sailway (CM Canido); and Aceites Abril, skippered by Jorge Pérez Canal (RCN Vigo), is third.
In ORC 4, Rolando Andrade’s Sagar V (Ro Yacht Club) scored the best score of the day, rising directly to first place. The list of the three best of the day is completed by Vicente Cid’s Deep Blue 2.1 (RCN Vigo) and Carlos García’s Maracaná (RCM Aguete).
The ORC 5 competition was resolved with a victory for Javier Rey’s Secolite (MRCYB). Óscar José Comesaña’s Bouvento (MRCYB) will face the last day from second position and Antonio Francisco Gómez’s Marcolfo (RNC) will come third in the final.
The crew made up of the Portuguese Rui Ramada and the Galician Óscar González Peixoto was the best in the ORC A2 class, which entered the fray with teams made up of only two people. The Vagalume by Luis Vidal and Eva Fernández is second.
In the J80 class, Javier Aguado’s Alboroto faced this second day from the lead position and did not disappoint. He sailed very well again and achieved a new victory that allows him to maintain his dominance and brings him even closer to his laurels. With 2 points in the provisional classification, he is far from the 5 that Javier de la Gándara’s Okofen has, second in the table; and of the 9 of Cansino by Alejandra Suárez, which occupies the third drawer.
In the Figaro category , which although it competes within the ORC will receive prizes as its own class, Óscar José Comesaña’s Bouvento was the best. Ángela Rodríguez’s Silleiro and Marta Quintáns’s Erizana, all from Monte Real, are second and third.
The titles will be decided this Sunday to a single letter
After the celebration of the poles on Friday for the J80 and the regatta to Combarro this Saturday, the Repsol Trophy only has one day left to discover its winners. The titles will be decided this Sunday with a single letter, a single test of about 23 miles between Combarro and Baiona for the more than 40 crews aspiring to the different trophies.
Once the regatta is over, the Monte Real Club de Yates will host, starting at half past six in the afternoon, the awards ceremony for the winners. The Deputy Director and the Head of Marine and Fisheries of Repsol, Carlos Sánchez Nieto and Inés González Megido, will participate in it; and the president of the Monte Real Yacht Club, José Luis Álvarez. They will be accompanied by representatives of local, provincial and regional administrations.
The winners of the last edition of the Repsol Trophy were Rui Ramada’s Yess Racing (ORC 1-2), Ramón Ojea’s Bosch Service Solutions (ORC 3), Víctor Álvarez’s Nahela (ORC 4), Javier’s Q Talento Rey and Jorge Justo (A2), Javier de la Gándara’s Okofen (J80) and Miguel Montes’ Tutatis (Figaro).
REPSOL TROPHY 2022 44th SPRING REGATTA Provisional classification after the second day
ORC CLASS 1-2-3
1. MAGICAL · JULIO RODRÍGUEZ · RCN VIGO · 1 POINT 2. SAILWAY RODRIGO OJEA CM CANIDO 2 POINTS 3. APRIL OILS JORGE PÉREZ CANAL RCN VIGO 3 POINTS
ORC-CLASS 4
1. SAGAR V ROLANDO ANDRADE RO YC 1 POINT 2. DEEP BLUE 2.1 VICENTE CID RCN VIGO 2 POINTS 3. MARACANÁ · CARLOS GARCÍA · RCM AGUETE · 3 POINTS
ORC-CLASS 5
1. SECOLITE · JAVIER REY · MRCYB · 1 POINT 2. BOUVENTO · OSCAR JOSÉ COMESAÑA · MRCYB · 2 POINTS 3. MARCOLFO · ANTONIO FRANCISCO GÓMEZ · RCN VIGO · 3 POINTS
CLASS A2
1. YESS RUI RAMADA + ÓSCAR GONZALEZ PEIXOTO MRCYB 1 POINT 2. VAGALUME · LUIS VIDAL + EVA FERNÁNDEZ · INDEPENDENT · 2 POINTS
J80 CLASS
1. ALBOROTO · JAVIER AGUADO · MRCYB · 2 POINTS 2. OKOFEN · JAVIER DE LA GANDARA · MRCYB · 5 POINTS 3. TIRED · ALEJANDRA SUÁREZ · MRCYB · 9 POINTS
FIGARO CLASS
1. BOUVENTO · OSCAR JOSÉ COMESAÑA · MRCYB 2. SILLEIRO ANGELA RODRÍGUEZ MRCYB 3. ERIZANA · MARTA QUINTÁNS · MRCYB
· The J80 built by Juan Carlos Ameneiro and skippered by the former Spanish 8-meter champion was placed this Friday at the head of the Repsol Trophy, the 44th Monte Real Club de Yachts Spring Regatta
· The 8-meter sailboats were the only ones that competed on the first day of the competition, in which the scarce wind only allowed the celebration of one of the three scheduled tests
· Tomorrow, Saturday, we will see the entire fleet on the water, more than forty crews that will compete in a coastal route of about 23 miles between Baiona and Combarro
Javier Aguado’s Alboroto was placed at the head of the Repsol Trophy this Friday after winning the first and only test that could be played on the opening day of the competition organized by the Monte Real Yacht Club.
The sailboat armed by Juan Carlos Ameneiro and skippered by the former Spanish champion of the class, sailed the double windward-leeward course designed by the regatta committee in a very solid way, always at the head of the fleet, without giving a second of truce to its rivals.
Manel Cunha’s Marías and Javier de la Gándara’s Okofen chased him tirelessly throughout the route, approaching him on multiple occasions, but although the distances were minimal at times, and despite both knowing how to read the wind very well and not they failed in the maneuvers, neither one was able to overcome it.
Thus, the Alboroto is the first leader of the Repsol Trophy, a trophy that did not get off to a very good start due to the wind, which only allowed the holding of one of the three tests scheduled in the program. The sleeve was disputed with about 5 knots on average, even reaching 6, but little by little the wind dropped and it did not allow more tests to be put into play.
After Alboroto go Marías and Okofen, second and third respectively; and Manuel Jiménez’s Solventis and Chisco Catalán’s Hullmaxx close the ranking of the top five in a competition that still has two days to go.
The J80s were the undisputed stars of the day as they were the only ones to compete on this first day of the Repsol Trophy – 44th Spring Regatta. The 8 meters have more tests than the rest in this year’s competition as a formula for imposing the fleet ahead of the Spanish Championship that will be held next September in Baiona and the World Cup that the Galician fishing village will host in 2023.
In addition to the three trophies that will be awarded to the top finishers, the monotypes are also eligible for a special prize of 7,000 euros with which Monte Real will sponsor the trip and the competition of the winning boat to the European class to be held in July in France.
On the second day of the trophy, which will begin at twelve noon this Saturday, we will be able to see the entire fleet on the water. The more than 40 registered will fight on a route of about 23 miles to Combarro. Among the participants, a whole cast of boats with high-level sailors who will guarantee the show in the Rías Baixas.
One of the winners of the previous edition, the Portuguese Rui Ramada, will go out on the water with the aim of winning a new trophy, although this time in the A Two category, in which he will compete aboard the Yess together with Óscar González Peixoto . They will face off against teams like those from Salaño Dos, led by Jacobo Vecino and Brenda Maure, recent winners of the Comunica Trophy; or the Vagalume, by Luis Vidal and Eva Fernández.
Ramada will no longer be a rival to beat in the ORC competition, in which there will be crews as powerful as those of the Aceites Abril of the brothers Luis and Jorge Pérez Canal; or the Magical by Julio Rodríguez, both from the Real Club Náutico de Vigo. The Portuguese Ifaclinic.com, by Joao Allen, from the Yacht Clube do Porto; the Bon III of Víctor Carrión, of the Club Náutico Punta Lagoa; Deep Blue 2.1 by Vicente Cid, from the Real Club Náutico de Vigo; or Victor Álvarez’s Nahela, from Club Deportivo Alagua, will be other teams that we will see tomorrow heading to Combarro.
The 6 Beneteau Figaros that the Monte Real Yacht Club brings out to competition with crews made up of students from its Sailing School, including some exclusively female, will compete within the ORC class, but will also be eligible for prizes as a specific category.
Once this test is over, the only one of the day, the Repsol Trophy will still have one last day ahead of it, on the Sunday of the first of May, in which the boats will be measured by completing the reverse route, from Combarro to Baiona.
REPSOL TROPHY 2022 44th SPRING REGATTA Provisional classification after the first day (only for J80)
J80 CLASS
1. ALBOROTO · JAVIER AGUADO · MRCYB · 1 POINT 2. MARÍAS MANEL CUNHA MRCYB 2 POINTS 3. OKOFEN · JAVIER DE LA GANDARA · MRCYB · 3 POINTS 4. SOLVENTIS MANUEL JIMÉNEZ MRCYB 4 POINTS 5. HULLMAXX CATALAN CHISCO MRCYB 5 POINTS
The rest of the classes (also including the J80) will go out to compete tomorrow, Saturday, on a coastal route between Baiona and Combarro that will start at noon.
· The classic event of the Monte Real Yacht Club in which more than 40 boats will participate recovers in 2022 the program of round-trip coastal regattas between the Vigo and Pontevedra estuaries linking Baiona and Combarro
· Another novelty of this competition, one of the most traditional events in the Spanish nautical calendar, is the inclusion of the windward-leeward courses that had been stopped in recent years
· The most outstanding crews from Galicia will participate in a trophy in which the J80 fleet will play, in addition to the title, a sponsorship of 7,000 euros to travel to the European class that takes place in July in French Brittany
Authorities attending the presentation of the Repsol Trophy – Photo Antía Martínez
The Monte Real Yacht Club and Repsol are putting together the classic Spring Regatta, one of the longest-running events on the Spanish nautical calendar, which this year celebrates its forty-fourth edition with the participation of more of 40 boats and novelties in its sports program.
Among the changes introduced in the competition, the first and most notable is that the round-trip coastal regattas between the Vigo and Pontevedra estuaries are recovered. The last competition with this design was held in 2016, with a navigation to Sanxenxo; and after years moving through the Vigo estuary and the Cíes and Ons archipelago, in this 2022 the Monte Real Yacht Club chose Combarro as the port of destination.
The participating crews will arrive at the picturesque town of Pontevedra from Baiona on Saturday, April 30, and a day later, on Sunday, May 1, they will make the reverse route, back to Monte Real, where the trophies of the different classes will be waiting for their respective winners.
The two coastal regattas will be held over the weekend, but the 2022 Repsol Trophy will include three more races on Friday afternoon. There will be three windward-leeward type routes in which only the J80 fleet will participate.
The return of the poles to the competition program is another novelty this year and the special prominence given to the 8-meter crews is motivated by the fact that this is one of the most numerous classes in the competitions held in Galicia, and due to the proximity of the Spanish Championship and the World Class to be held in Baiona.
Thus, the J80 that is the winner in the Spring Regatta will be sponsored with 7,000 euros by the Baiona club so that it can travel to the European class that takes place in July in French Brittany.
Ignacio Sánchez Otaegui, Commodore of the MRCYB – Photo Antía Martínez
The Commodore of Monte Real, Ignacio Sánchez Otaegui, who is also part of the J80 fleet, assures that it is “a necessary boost for the Galician monotypes to continue growing and improving in the face of the big events in which Galicia will be the protagonist and in which we hope that our crews give the best of themselves and the best image for the world” .
Inés González Megido, Head of Marine and Fisheries at Repsol – Photo Antía Martínez
This was what he said at the official presentation of the event held this Thursday in Baiona, in which Repsol’s Head of Marine and Fisheries, Inés González Megido, highlighted “The close relationship the club and the company have been able to maintain over the years to consolidate a competition as important for Galicia as the Spring Regatta” .
The president of the MRCYB, José Luis Álvarez, in his speech at the presentation – Photo Antía Martínez
The president of Monte Real, José Luis Álvarez, influenced the same idea, for whom the Repsol Trophy is undoubtedly “one of the most important regattas of the club, not only because of its 44 years of life, but also because it has been with the same sponsor for more than 20 years, something unusual” that “makes us feel very proud -he said- of the trust placed by Repsol in us” .
The General Secretary for Sport of the Xunta de Galicia José Ramón Lete Lasa – Photo Antía Martínez
The Repsol Trophy is part of the Monte Real “Sailing for Women” program and this will involve the participation of three crews made up exclusively of women. This boost to women in sailing was something that the General Secretary for Sport of the Xunta de Galicia highlighted in his speech. José Ramón Lete Lasa said that “the number of sports licenses grew by 12 percent last year and that of women by 33 percent, which reveals – he assured – the good work that Galician sport is doing in promoting women ” .
The Sports Deputy of the Pontevedra Provincial Council, Gorka Gómez – Photo Antía Martínez
The increase in female crews also occupied part of the speech by the Sports Deputy of the Pontevedra Provincial Council, Gorka Gómez, who pointed out the “nice coincidence” that it will mean seeing more women than usual competing on Mother’s Day, which will be celebrate this weekend. The head of provincial sports also wanted to recognize “the enormous effort and work done by the club and the administrations to keep the sport in very good health – he said – during the COVID years”.
The mayor of Baiona, Carlos Gomez, was in charge of closing the event – Photo Antía Martínez
The person in charge of closing the official presentation of the competition was the mayor of Baiona, Carlos Gómez, who referred to the high level of competitions that Monte Real will include this year, in which it will bring to Baiona such prestigious events as the Super Series. “Our town – said the alderman – It will continue to be a clear benchmark at the international tourism level and with that ambition we work both from the club and from the town hall” .
Official presentation of the Repsol Trophy – 44 Spring Regatta – Photo Antía Martínez
The opening of the Repsol Trophy – 44th Spring Regatta is scheduled for this Friday at four in the afternoon, the time at which the starting horn will be given for the first of the day’s three races. On Saturday and Sunday the competition will start at noon, and the awards ceremony is scheduled for the last day at half past six in the afternoon.
REPSOL TROPHY 2022 44th SPRING REGATTA Monte Real Yacht Club, April – May 2022
FRIDAY, APRIL 29
12:00 Regatta office: documentation and delivery of instructions 16:00 CANES – CLASS J80
SATURDAY, APRIL 30
10:00 Regatta office: documentation and delivery of instructions 12:00 COASTAL COURSE BAIONA – COMBARRO – ALL CLASSES 19:30 Tasting in Combarro
SUNDAY, MAY 1
12:00 COASTAL ROUTE COMBARRO – BAIONA – ALL CLASSES 18:30 Awards ceremony at the Monte Real Yacht Club
