The awards sponsored by Terras Gauda wineries celebrate their thirtieth edition, rewarding the most outstanding sailors and teams on the Spanish nautical scene
The winners of this edition of the National Awards – Photo Lalo R Villar
Some of the most outstanding athletes on the Spanish nautical scene were honored this Saturday in Baiona at the National Sailing Awards gala, which were delivered at the Monte Real Club de Yates within the framework of the 37th Prince of Asturias Trophy.
In a club decorated for the occasion and in front of a crowd of spectators, José María “Pichu” Torcida, Nuria Sánchez, María Perelló, Marta Cardona, Javier Banderas, Piti Estébanez and Rafael Díaz went up on stage to collect their awards for best sailor , the best project, the best dinghy sailing team and the best boat. The only one who could not attend was the Spaniard Pablo Santurde, winner of the award for best sailor, whose tribute coincided with his wedding day.
Hosted by the Galician Television presenter, Carlos Macía; and the head of communication at Monte Real, Rosana Calvo; The event began with welcoming speeches by the president of the organizing club, José Luis Álvarez; and the president of Bodegas Terras Gauda, José María Fonseca Moretón, sponsor of the national awards. Both agreed to point out the importance of an event that celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and that throughout its history has served to recognize the successes of Spanish sailing.
After the welcome speeches, the winners followed one another on stage to collect their award. The first to do so was José María “Pichu” Torcida from Santander, who received the award for the best sailor for his victories in the Spanish and European J80 Championships. He thanked all those who accompanied him in the world of sailing for so long for the award. “Crew, owners, sponsors, family and especially my wife.” He had a souvenir also for his J70 crew, without which, he said, “This award would not have been possible.” And he ended by congratulating Monte Real for next year’s J80 World Championship and for the work it is doing to promote the J80 fleet.
The Mariano Aguado Communication Award went this year to the program “Atando Cabos” from the production company TacTic Audiovisual, and it was its director, Vicente Robles, who was in charge of collecting it. “After 20 years giving coverage and support to sailing, we thought that this sport did not have a specific program -said Robles- and thus Tying Cabos was born. And almost 200 shows later, what we’ve achieved has been amazing. This National Award is the icing on the cake”.
The next award of the night, for the best female project, was collected by Nuria Sánchez, for her initiative “We want to make history” , a proposal that, for years, has tried to spread and promote the figure of women in the world of sailing. In her speech, the sailor from Alicante said that they will continue working to be messengers of equality. “In these four years we have worked hard, creating and reaping the fruit that we are now. We involve the smallest, we bet on young promises and we also reach out to veterans and legends. And we can only thank all those who bet on us”, said.
With a sporting career spanning a quarter of a century behind them, the people from Malaga at the Teatro Soho Caixabank, led by Javier Banderas, collected the award for best ORC boat after achieving their sixth victory in the Copa del Rey. Accompanied by sports director Piti Estébanez and crew member Rafael Díaz, Banderas thanked Monte Real and Terras Gauda for an award that, he said, is the fruit of long experience. “The secret of our crew is that we have been sailing together for 25 years and it is now that we are reaping the rewards. It is a pride for all of us to collect this prestigious award in Baiona” .
The last prize of the night went to the youngest of the gala, the Majorcan sailors, 17 years old, María Perelló and Marta Cardona. They were distinguished by their gold medals in the World and European 420 class. “Values such as teamwork, the desire to excel, respect, perseverance, overcoming limits, self-discipline or responsibility are some of the values that make sailing for us more than just a sport, which be a whole lifestyle”, assured before concluding that “We have achieved many things this year, but we like to think that the best is yet to come”.
Moments before the start of the National Sailing Awards gala – Photo Lalo R Villar
To this thirtieth edition of the National Sailing Awards, in addition to the presidents of the Monte Real Yacht Club and Terras Gauda wineries, organizer and sponsor of the event; the commanding director of the Naval Military School, Pedro Cardona; the territorial director of ABANCA, Walter Álvarez; the mayor of Baiona, Carlos Gómez; the territorial delegate of the Xunta de Galicia in Vigo, Marta Fernández-Tapias; the deputy for sports from the Pontevedra Provincial Council, Gorka Gómez, and the widow of Mariano Aguado, Pilar de Sas.
A display of fireworks and a party enlivened with live music put an end to the gala held within the framework of the Prince of Asturias Trophy, which will hold its final tests tomorrow, Sunday, and will crown its winners.
· With all the participating categories already in contention, this Saturday the Prince brought together almost ninety teams divided into eight classes and three regatta fields
· Xekmatt, Marías, Urbapaz and Deep Blue 2.1 enter the final day leading in ORC divisions 1 to 4
· The Gadis ORC 5 and Vanguard Open classes premiered their locker with the first coastal regatta of their program
· GB Bullhound and Silleiro, are the first leaders in the Solventis J80 and Gestilar Ladies Cup classes
Spectacular second day of regattas in the Rías Baixas. The thirty-seventh edition of the Príncipe de Asturias Trophy, a test organized by the Monte Real Club de Yates and the Marín Naval School, successfully completed its planned test program this Saturday and even made up some of the races that were not disputed on Friday. Xekmatt, Marías, Urbapaz, Deep Blue 2.1, Cinco Islas Albariño, Salseiro, GP Bullhound and Silleiro will face the final day at the top of the podium in their respective categories.
The wind did comply with the fleet in this second day of regattas in the waters of the Vigo estuary. He did it with mild conditions at the start, enough so that the Race Committee could honk the start for all classes between half past twelve and one in the afternoon. Winds of between six and eight knots from the southwest component was the general trend in the three regatta fields at the beginning of the day, although as the hours passed they reached an average of up to thirteen knots.
The ORCs haggled at the Cíes anchorage – Photo Lalo R Villar
In total, the second day of the Prince was resolved with three new tests for the ORC 1 to 4 divisions, a coastal one for ORC 5 and Open, three tasks for the Figaros that compete in the Gestilar Ladies Cup and four for the J80 monotypes.
Xekmatt maintains the lead in ABANCA ORC 1
There were no changes in the general classification of ABANCA ORC 1 after adding up to three tests in a windward-leeward format this Saturday. The Portuguese Xekmatt de Hugo and Joao Prista tied with the Magical in the lead in the first race of the day and added another partial victory in his locker plus a third, results that allow the ship of the Naval Association of Lisbon to occupy one more day the leadership of the general ahead of Julio Rodríguez’s Magical (Real Club Náutico de Vigo), who once again scored two seconds in addition to the tie in the first round, and Aceites Abril of the brothers Jorge and Luis Pérez-Canal, who again occupy the third place with two third positions and one first in the last test of the day. Therefore, everything will depend on what happens tomorrow, and that is that only three and a half points separate the top three classified.
Tie for the lead in the Volvo Autesa ORC 2 class
In Volvo Autesa ORC 2, the same team that did it on Friday, Marías de Manuel María Cunha del Monte Real Club de Yates, also continues to lead. This Saturday, the Marías scored a first and two thirds with which they managed to defend the first position, tying on points with the Arroutado of the Real Club Náutico de Portosín. José Manuel Pérez’s team was third, second and first in the three tests completed on this second day. It did change the third position on the podium, which is now occupied by Mirfak from the Ferrol Naval Regatta Commission, relegating Rui Ramada’s Yessito to provisional fourth place.
The ORCs played three tests on the second day – Photo Lalo R Villar
Urbapaz takes the lead in April ORC Oils 3
In the Aceites Abril ORC 3 class, the second day ends with a new leader in the general classification. José Francisco Edreira’s Urbapaz (Club Náutico Cabanas), who was second yesterday, shone today in the regatta field and, with three partial victories in the three races held, comes to dominate ahead of Ramón Ojea’s Sailway (Club Marítimo de Canid). With three seconds scored, Ojea’s men now occupy second position with six points ahead of the third, Diogo Talone’s Milaneza (Clube de Vela Atlántico).
Deep Blue 2.1 stays ahead of Martin Miller ORC 4
It was more difficult today for Vicente Cid’s Deep Blue 2.1. The boat from the Real Club Náutico de Vigo began the day by winning the first test and continued with a second and a third in the two remaining races. Their regularity, however, allowed Cid’s men to maintain first position ahead of Alberto Javier Pérez’s Orión (Monte Real Club de Yates), who stormed the podium this Saturday with a great day in which they sealed a second and two victories partials. Behind, the third position is occupied by the Alma do Mar by Sadamar of the Club Náutico de Cabanas.
Gadis ORC 5 and Vanguard Open debut with a coastal
They are the two ORC divisions that remained to inaugurate markers in the thirty-seventh edition of the Príncipe de Asturias, and they did so by completing a coastal route as it appeared in their regatta program.
In Gadis ORC 5, the partial victory was scored by Iñaki Carbajo’s Cinco Islas Albariño, who sails representing the Club Náutico de Beluso. They are followed in the general by Antonio Francisco Gómez’s Marcolfo in second place (Real Club Náutico de Vigo) and Juan Carlos Sicre’s Salao (Liceo Marítimo de Bouzas), which is third.
In the Vanguard Open, the best of the day was Manuel Blanco’s Salseiro from Coruña, who with a time invested of three hours was also the fastest in real time. Second, for its part, is the Portuguese Porto de Aveiro of Delmar Conde and the fourth position is occupied by the Albarellos of Fernando Rey (Club Náutico de Portonovo). The Monte Real adapted sailing team also competed in the Open division this Saturday, in which a crew from the Juan María de Nigrán Center sails.
Solventis J80 and Gestilar Ladies Cup
Up to four tests completed the fleet of the Solventis J80 class. After not having been able to open their pigeon holes on Friday due to the instability of the wind, the one-designs that will play for the national title in two weeks finally faced each other at the regatta course located inside the Bay of Baiona.
Spectacular image of the J80 fleet – Photo Lalo R Villar
Solventis Ría de Ribadeo, GP Bullhound and Okofen shared the four wins up for grabs, with the second being the first overall leader with two first, one second and one fifth. The team commanded by Per Roman dominates with a three-point advantage over Ignacio Camino’s Solintal of the Real Club Marítimo de Santander, which with a 2-2-3-5 split is in second position. Third, meanwhile, is the Okofen del Monte Real led by Javier de la Gándara.
The Gestilar Ladies Cup signed three tests this Saturday – Photo Lalo R Villar
For their part, the Figaros of the Gestilar Ladies Cup also opened their program this Saturday with the dispute over three races. With two partial victories and a third, the Marina Burriananova team led by Carlota Hernández, Silleiro, is at the head of the general classification with only one point ahead of Tutatis de Pilar Casares (Real Club Náutico Puerto Pollensa), who They added three second positions. Completing the provisional podium are the sailors from the Real Club Náutico de Palma who sail aboard the Serralleiras with Helena Alegre at the helm.
Everything is decided on Sunday
With the first two days completed and after the celebration on Saturday night of the Terras Gauda National Sailing Awards gala, the Prince of Asturias will put an end to its thirty-seventh edition this Sunday. The start, scheduled for twelve o’clock in the morning for all classes, the provisional leaders will try to defend their positions to win one of the most important titles of the regatta season in Galicia. The delivery of trophies with which the emblematic The regatta will be held at Monte Real at half past six in the afternoon.
The J80s are competing with great intensity as the Spanish championship approaches – Photo Lalo R Villar
The 37th Prince of Asturias Trophy is being held under the organization of the Monte Real Yacht Club and the Escuela Naval Militar and thanks to the sponsorship of ABANCA, the Xunta de Galicia through Xacobeo, Terras Gauda and Gestilar. The competition also has the collaboration of the Pontevedra Provincial Council and the Baiona City Council; the Royal Spanish and Galician Sailing Federations; and the support of companies such as Solventis, Volvo Autesa, Aceites Abril, Zelnova Zeltia, Paradores, Vanguard Marine, Gadis, Foxy, Onda Cero, Musto, the Solitium group, HOLA, Tuypan, Coca Cola and Martin Miller’s Gin.
37th PRINCE OF ASTURIAS TROPHY Monte Real Yacht Club Naval Military School Baiona, 2-4 September 2022
ABANCA ORC 1 class
1. Xekmatt Hugo and João Prista Lisbon Naval Association 2. Magical · Julio Rodríguez · Royal Nautical Club of Vigo 3. April Oils Jorge and Luis Pérez Canal Real Club Náutico de Vigo
VOLVO AUTESA ORC 2-Class
1. Marias Manuel Maria Cunha Monte Real Yacht Club 2. Arroutado · José Manuel Pérez · Royal Nautical Club of Portosín 3. Mirfak · Diego López · Ferrol Naval Regatta Commission
Class OILS APRIL ORC 3
1. Urbapaz · José Francisco Edreira · Cabanas Yacht Club 2. Sailway · Ramón Ojea · Maritime Club of Canido 3. Milaneza Diogo Talone Atlantic Sailing Club
MARTIN MILLER ORC 4 class
1. Deep Blue 2.1 · Vicente Cid · Royal Nautical Club of Vigo 2. Orion Javier Pérez Monte Real Yacht Club 3. Alma do mar by Sadamar · José Manuel Enríquez · Cabanas Yacht Club
GADIS ORC 5 class
1. Five Albariño Islands Iñaki Carbajo Beluso Yacht Club 2. Marcolfo Antonio Francisco Gómez Royal Nautical Club of Vigo 3. Salao · Juan Carlos Sicre · Bouzas Maritime Lyceum
VANGUARD ORC OPEN class
1. Salseiro · Manuel Blanco · Real Club Náutico Coruña 2. Porto de Aveiro · Delmar Conde 3. Albarellos · Fernando Rey · Portonovo Yacht Club
SOLVENTIS J80 Class
1. GP Bullhound · Per Roman · Club Nautico de Sevilla 2. Solintal · Ignacio Camino · Royal Maritime Club of Santander 3. Matrako · Ricardo Díaz-Munio · Royal Nautical Club Castro Urdiales
GESTILAR LADIES CUP class
1. Silleiro Carlota Hernandez Marina Burriananova 2. Tutatis Pilar Casares Royal Yacht Club Puerto Pollensa 3. Serralleiras · Helena Alegre · Royal Yacht Club of Palma
· Six of the eight participating categories inaugurated this Friday the thirty-seventh edition of the event organized by the Monte Real Club de Yates and the Escuela Naval de Marín
· Xekmatt, Marias, Sailway and Deep Blue 2.1 are the first leaders of the four ORC divisions that competed today in the waters of the Vigo estuary
· The Solventis J80 and Gestilar Ladies Cup classes will open on Saturday after not having been able to complete any test due to the instability of the wind
The Gadis ORC 5 and Vanguard ORC Open divisions will complete tomorrow a fleet of almost ninety teams fighting for the prestigious Prince of Asturias title
The most awaited regatta of the cruise season in Galicia started in Baiona. The 37th Prince of Asturias Trophy, organized by the Monte Real Yacht Club and the Naval Military School, completed the first of three days of competition this Friday, and did so by inaugurating the ABANCA ORC 1, Volvo Autesa ORC 2 class markers , Oils April ORC 3, Martin Miller ORC4.
As the reports pointed out, the wind did not miss its appointment in the regatta area located in the Cíes anchorage. Although it did so with less intensity than expected, the Regatta Committee was able to complete the first windward-leeward race with the start around half past three off Cíes, and did so in conditions of between eight and ten knots of intensity which diminished as the afternoon progressed.
The monotypes, for their part, did not have the same luck and it will be tomorrow when they open their boxes in the star competition of Galician sailing.
Portugal rules in ABANCA ORC 1
In the ABANCA ORC 1 division, the first day of the Prince was resolved with victory for the Portuguese Xekmatt, led by Hugo and João Prista and representing the Lisbon Naval Association. The IMX 45, which also has the Olympic Afonso Domingos among its ranks, was the third to cross the finish line in real time, but in compensated they achieved a tight advantage of less than a minute over Julio Rodríguez’s Magical (Real Club Náutico de Vigo), who placed second in the provisional general standings. Behind, the absolute winner of the last edition, the Aceites Abril of the brothers Luis and Jorge Pérez Canal (Real Club Náutico de Vigo), started the thirty-seventh edition of the Prince closing the provisional podium in the third drawer.
The Portuguese Xekmatt hopes to win his second Prince of Asturias – Photo Lalo R Villar
“We are very happy with today’s result and the crew was very good”, explained Hugo Prista at the end of the day. The patron of the leader in ORC 1 also added that “it has been ten years since we got our first and only Prince title, so without a doubt we are going to do everything possible to get it again, although for this it is also necessary that the rivals win it. allow”.
ABANCA sponsors this thirty-seventh edition of the Prince – Photo Lalo R Villar
The Marías del Monte Real, first in Volvo Autesa ORC 2
Just as tight was the Volvo Autesa ORC 2 division with three leading teams separated by just one minute and fourteen seconds. The local team Marias, commanded by Manuel Maria Cunha, became the first leader of the class after crossing the line in third position and obtaining almost a minute of advantage over the second with the compensation of times. Second place is currently held by the Arroutado del Real Club Náutico de Portosín, led by José Manuel Pérez Santamaría, while third place goes to the Yessito del Monte Real Club de Yates, which has a Portuguese crew led by Rui Ramada.
The Aceites Abril ORC 3 class starts with dominance of the Sailway
The partial victory for the Aceites Abril ORC 3 division was not easy either. Ramón Ojea’s Sailway (Club Marítimo de Canido) became the first overall leader this Friday after a very tight first round.
Behind, just 30 seconds behind those from Ojea, the second position in the race and therefore in the general classification went to José Francisco Edreira’s Urbapaz (Club Náutico Cabanas), who managed to beat the Portuguese Milaneza by Diogo Talone for just a second.
Martin Miller ORC 4-class
There were no surprises in Martin Miller ORC 4. Vicente Cid’s Deep Blue 2.1 from Vigo opened the classification by placing at the top, although he did so with an Alma do mar by Sadamar by José Manuel Enríquez (Club Náutico Cabanas) squeezing into second place, three seconds behind those of Cid. third position, on the other hand, was this Friday for the Unus of Luis García Trigo, also of the Real Club Náutico de Vigo.
Blank day for Solventis J80 and Gestilar Ladies Cup
Less lucky were the participants of the Solventis J80 and Gestilar Ladies Cup classes. Although the weather forecasts indicated that it would be a good windy day, Eolo did not get involved in the regatta course located in Cabo Silleiro or inside the bay of Baiona, so after several attempts and with a test already underway, the Regatta Committee was forced to end the day without being able to complete the first scheduled tests.
The J80 fleet made several starts but could not complete any tests – Photo Lalo R Villar
Alfredo González, crew member of the J80 GP Bullhound and recently proclaimed Snipe world champion in Cascais, explained after returning to land that “Although the wind was very difficult, the Committee did very well and we were able to have a good attempt that helped us to see which boats are going to be ahead. We come here with the aim of getting in tune for the World Cup in Newport, winning or not winning will depend on how we do it, although it is not our main objective now “.
The Gestilar Ladies Cup went blank on the first day – Photo Lalo R Villar
It will therefore be tomorrow, Saturday, when the monotypes open their competition program to fight for the thirty-seventh Prince of Asturias.
Tomorrow, second day of regattas and delivery of the prestigious National Sailing Awards
Tomorrow, Saturday, the Gadis ORC 5 and Vanguard ORC Open categories will join the fleet that already debuted today on the regatta field, which will inaugurate their markers by completing the first of the two coastal regattas that they have in their program.
With the eight categories in contention, there will be a total of eighty-nine teams that will take to the water to fight for one of the most coveted titles of the cruise season in Galicia. One more year the Open fleet will include the club’s adapted sailing team with a crew from the Juan María de Nigrán Center.
The event will also feature the celebration of the Terras Gauda National Sailing Awards gala. At 8:00 p.m., the village of Monte Real will host a new edition of the prestigious awards, where the best athletes and teams of the season will meet. The gala will be attended by José María Fonseca Moretón, president of Terras Gauda; José Luis Álvarez, president of the Baionese club; Naval Captain Pedro Cardona, Commander Director of the Naval School; Walter Álvarez, territorial director of ABANCA; Gorka Gómez, Deputy for Sports; Marta Fernández-Tapias, delegate of the Xunta in Vigo; and Carlos Gómez, mayor of Baiona.
The 37th Prince of Asturias Trophy is being held under the organization of the Monte Real Yacht Club and the Escuela Naval Militar and thanks to the sponsorship of ABANCA, the Xunta de Galicia through Xacobeo, Terras Gauda and Gestilar. The competition also has the collaboration of the Pontevedra Provincial Council and the Baiona City Council; the Royal Spanish and Galician Sailing Federations; and the support of companies such as Solventis, Volvo Autesa, Aceites Abril, Zelnova Zeltia, Paradores, Vanguard Marine, Gadis, Foxy, Onda Cero, Musto, the Solitium group, HOLA, Tuypan, Coca Cola and Martin Miller’s Gin.
37th PRINCE OF ASTURIAS TROPHY Monte Real Yacht Club Naval Military School Baiona, 2-4 September 2022
ABANCA ORC 1 class
1. Xekmatt Hugo and João Prista Lisbon Naval Association 2. Magical · Julio Rodríguez · Royal Nautical Club of Vigo 3. April Oils Jorge and Luis Pérez Canal Real Club Náutico de Vigo
VOLVO AUTESA ORC 2-Class
1. Marias Manuel Maria Cunha Monte Real Yacht Club 2. Arroutado · José Manuel Pérez · Royal Nautical Club of Portosín 3. Yessito Rui Ramada Monte Real Yacht Club
Class OILS APRIL ORC 3
1. Sailway · Ramón Ojea · Maritime Club of Canido 2. Urbapaz · José Francisco Edreira · Cabanas Yacht Club 3. Milaneza Diogo Talone Atlantic Sailing Club
MARTIN MILLER ORC 4 class
1. Deep Blue 2.1 · Vicente Cid · Royal Nautical Club of Vigo 2. Alma do mar by Sadamar · José Manuel Enríquez · Cabanas Nautical Club 3. Unus · Luis García Trigo · Royal Nautical Club of Vigo
· In Baiona, everything is ready for the celebration of an event that releases moorings this Friday under the organization of the Monte Real Yacht Club and the Naval Military School.
· A storm from Greenland is approaching the peninsular northwest and the instability it announces could condition the competition tests
· If the competitive models of previous years are repeated, the opening day will already be one of the most exciting of the trophy with the crews giving their all on the water
Everything is ready in Galicia for the celebration of the 37th Prince of Asturias Trophy, which will cast off in Baiona under the organization of the Monte Real Yacht Club and the Naval Military School.
With the weather pending from a storm coming from Greenland, a huge influx of boats that left the club’s pontoons without space and the presence of world and Spanish champions among the crews, this Friday the first tests of the competition will be held.
On the previous day, the closing of registrations left a majority of Galician, Portuguese and Cantabrian boats on the lists, and an Olympic sailor raffling the sailboats for the Ladies Cup.
A storm from Greenland will mark the weather and the tests
Although there are only a few hours left before the start of the competition, and by now the weather forecast is usually clear, no one from the regatta committee has yet dared to give an exact forecast of what is going to happen these three days of the Prince of Asturias Trophy .
A storm from Greenland is approaching the peninsular northwest and a period of instability is expected, although it is not known with certainty when it will reach Galicia. For now, from the organization they trust that the rain will give the sailors a break and the wind, which in principle looks like it will blow from the west, will remain above 9 or 10 knots, with peaks of up to 14.
If it remains boarded and the conditions are favorable, the fleet of the largest boats, grouped in the different ORC classes, will complete two windward-leeward runs, between buoys. Two upwind and two stern in each of the tests will serve to begin to measure forces and release the markers.
In the event that the wind does not pick up and there are difficulties in designing the course, the regatta committee has prepared up to ten different coastal routes, all along the Vigo estuary although with different obligatory passage points.
Intensity and emotion from minute zero
If the competitive models of previous years are repeated, the opening day will not only serve to take the pulse of the regatta fields and will already be one of the most exciting in the trophy. The crews usually arrive in Baiona with a lot of energy and try to demonstrate their power by putting all the meat on the grill from the first tests.
The starting signal will be, on the first day, the latest of the three days. The ORC fleet will hear it at three in the afternoon and half an hour later, at half past three, it will be the turn of the J80 and the girls of the Gestilar Ladies Cup.
Once the tests are over, the well-deserved rest of the fleet in the village located in the club’s gardens will complete the opening day on Friday.
Ahead, the Prince of Asturias Trophy will still have two more days to define the winners’ podiums.
A fleet with a Galician, Portuguese and Cantabrian accent
Galician, Portuguese and Cantabrian, will be, in this order, the accents that will be heard the most in a Prince of Asturias Trophy that, favored by the arrival of boats for the Spanish J80 Championship to be held in Baiona in just a few days, has brought together more than 80 sailboats.
“This year we have achieved a very good number of boats. There was a certain fear about the downward evolution that is being seen in many of the regattas that have been held in recent months in Galicia, but the truth is that the Prince never fails. People want to come to Baiona not only to compete, but also to enjoy with friends”, assures the sports director of Monte Real, Roy Alonso.
The figure of 70 boats that the club established as a participation limit to ensure the comfort of the crews in the club’s space, was finally exceeded and the organization looked for alternatives for the location of the boats. “We have requested the pontoon of the caravel Pinta and placed buoys so that all those who wanted to be here, yes or yes, could be” , says Roy Alonso, who appreciates the understanding of the owners and crew to be in the regatta despite the lack of space.
Among the participating boats, the first to open the competition, this Friday from three o’clock, will be the ORC grouped in the classes ABANCA ORC 1, Volvo Autesa ORC 2, Aceites Abril ORC 3 and Martin Miller ORC 4. Among them we will see, among others, the April Oils and the Magical de Vigo; to the Arroutado de Portosín; the Corsario de Vilagarcía, the Mirfak de Ferrol, the Lambaix de Cabanas, the Sailway de Canido, or the Orión de Baiona, among many others.
There is also a great presence of Portuguese boats, with 12 sailboats in competition and a large number of Portuguese crew members, such as the Yessito by Rui Ramada, the Marías by Manel Cunha, the Xekmatt by Hugo and Joao Prista, the Defender by Nuno Vasconcelos or the Farofino by Edgar Pimenta.
World and Spanish champions in the J80 fleet
With more than 30 registered units, the Solventis J80 class is the most numerous in the trophy and from which a greater spectacle is expected due to the quality of the crews. They will sail inside the bay of Baiona, they will compete in real time and they will compete, if the wind allows it, three double courses of the windward leeward type between buoys.
Among the participants we will see the Etnia Barcelona de Peru Múgica (RCM Santander), current champion of the Prince and defender of the title; the Andalusian GP Bullhound led by Per Roman, who in the last European event of the class was one step away from getting on the podium and who this time has the recent snipe world champion Alfredo González on board; the Spanish runner-up Biobizz, led by José Azqueta (RCM del Abra RSC), or the Cantabrian Solintal, of the former J80 world champion Ignacio Camino.
All of them will have to face each other with a very powerful local fleet, among which the boats of the Monte Real Club de Yates predominate and in which there are two crews that, due to their trajectory and victories in recent seasons, stand out above the rest. They are those of Okofen by Javier de la Gándara and El Alboroto by Juan Carlos Ameneiro.
The women’s 6×6 of the GESTILAR LADIES CUP
The J80 will share the regatta field and direct judging inside the bay of Baiona with the 36 sailors of the Gestilar Ladies Cup, which in its twenty-sixth edition reaffirms itself as the most traditional women’s sailing competition on the Spanish nautical scene.
The six crews competing this year come from Alicante, Mallorca, Baionao, Madrid, the Basque Country and Santander. Six teams of six sailors aboard six identical boats, the Figaro Beneteau that the Monte Real Club de Yates gives them for the competition.
This Thursday, on the previous day, the draw was made for them, and the Olympic sailor Nico Rodríguez, who is also sponsored by Gestilar in his race to the Paris Olympics together with Silvia Más in 470, participated as an innocent hand. mixed.
“The existence of the Gestilar Ladies Cup is one more push that we have to give to promote women’s sailing and equality in the world of sailing. Before, I already saw it like that and now, that I am part of a mixed couple with Silvia, well, much more. Women have great potential and the Ladies Cup is a golden opportunity to make them known so that in the future they can be part of larger or professional projects”Rodriguez assured.
Great institutional and business support for the trophy
The 37th Prince of Asturias Trophy is being held under the organization of the Monte Real Yacht Club and the Escuela Naval Militar and thanks to the sponsorship of ABANCA, the Xunta de Galicia through Xacobeo, Terras Gauda and Gestilar.
The competition also has the collaboration of the Pontevedra Provincial Council and the Baiona City Council; the Royal Spanish and Galician Sailing Federations; and the support of companies such as Solventis, Volvo Autesa, Aceites Abril, Zelnova Zeltia, Paradores, Vanguard Marine, Gadis, Foxy, Onda Cero, Musto, the Solitium group, HOLA, Tuypan, Coca Cola and Martin Miller’s Gin.
· The star sailing competition in Galicia celebrates its thirty-seventh edition from September 2 to 4 under the baton of the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona and the Escuela Naval Militar
· Although the organization had limited the number of boats that could participate in the regatta to 70 in recent days, it was forced to increase the number due to the large influx of crews who requested to register
· Of the 8 classes in contention, the largest will be the J80, with more than 30 units from different parts of Spain that will take advantage of the competition to prepare for the National Championship that will be held in Baiona in the middle of the month
· The 37th Prince of Asturias Trophy, sponsored by ABANCA and the Xunta de Galicia through Xacobeo, will include the Gestilar Ladies Cup and the delivery of the Terras Gauda National Sailing Awards
Official presentation of the Prince of Asturias Trophy – Photo Antía Martínez
The star sailing competition in Galicia, the Prince of Asturias Trophy, returns one more year to the waters of the Rías Baixas under the baton of the Monte Real Club de Yates and the Naval Military School, which organize it hand in hand and in a uninterrupted since 1986.
Thirty-seven springs celebrates in this 2022 one of the most beloved appointments by the sailors of the peninsular northwest, which nobody wants to miss. This year, in fact, will be one of the most massive editions. Although the organization had limited the number of boats that could participate in the regatta to 70, in recent days it was forced to increase the number due to the large influx of crews who requested to register.
Finally, there will be more than 80 sailboats that will compete, from September 2 to 4, in the three days of scheduled regattas, which will have as scenarios the interior of the Bay of Baiona, different points of the Vigo estuary and the anchorage of the Islands Cies.
Of the 8 classes that will compete (ABANCA ORC 1, Volvo Autesa ORC 2, Aceites Abril ORC 3, Martin Miller ORC 4, Gadis ORC 5, Vanguard OPEN, Solventis J80 and Gestilar Ladies Cup), that of the J80 will be the most numerous, with more than 30 units arriving from different parts of Spain. The fact is that the crews of these 8-metre sailboats have the perfect opportunity at the Príncipe de Asturias to finish their training for the National Championship to be held in mid-September in Baiona and to continue studying the peculiarities of the winds, waters and Galician tides for the 2023 World Cup.
After the official presentation of the event, this Tuesday at the Monte Real Club de Yates, the starting signal for the trophy will be given by the draw for the boats of the Gestilar Ladies Cup , the women’s competition included in the competition, which this year celebrates its twenty-sixth edition. The distribution will take place on Thursday afternoon at the Baionese club and there will be the patron saints of the participating crews, who this year arrive from Alicante, Mallorca, Madrid, the Basque Country and Santander. Along with the Baiona team, there will be a total of six, with six sailors aboard six identical boats.
Those of the Gestilar Ladies Cup will be one of the many trophies that come into play in the Prince of Asturias Trophy, in which the President of the Xunta Trophy will also be awarded (to the winner of the Regatta Infanta Elena de Coruña, the Mar de Finisterre de Portosín and the Prince of Asturias de Baiona); the Conde de Barcelona Trophy (for the best boat with a Portuguese crew in the competition); and the Juan Sebastián de Elcano Trophy (for the best female crew).
The awards ceremony for the competition will be held on Sunday, September 4 at half past six in the afternoon in the gardens of Monte Real, and the day before, on Saturday, September 3 at eight in the afternoon, that same location will host the gala of the Terras Gauda National Sailing Awards , which for 30 years have recognized the best athletes and teams on the Spanish nautical scene.
On this occasion, the winner of the prestigious Transat Jacques Vabre, the Cantabrian Pablo Santurde (Best Navigator); the world champions María Perelló and Marta Cardona (Best dinghy sailing team); the Teatro Soho Caixabank, put together by Javier Banderas from Malaga and six-time winner of the Copa del Rey (Best Boat); José María “Pichu” Torcida from Santander for his victories in the Spanish and European J70 Championships (Sailor of the Year); the initiative “We want to make history” led by Nuria Sánchez from Alicante (Best female project); and the nautical outreach program Tying Cabos (Mariano Aguado Communication Award).
Transoceanic, light, cruise, women’s, one-design sailing… and in the Príncipe de Asturias there will also be room for adapted sail, for which the Monte Real Club de Yates has been betting for years with courses and activities for people with physical, mental and sensory functional diversity, children with behavioral problems or women victims of sexist violence. A crew from ASEM Galicia, the Galician Association against Neuromuscular Diseases, will sail on the second and third days of competition alongside the Open class boats.
And so, with 3 days of regattas in 3 different fields, more than 80 boats registered, 8 classes in contention, multiple trophies at stake, a specific women’s section, an inclusive boat, 6 national sailing awards, tastings, galas and fireworks , among many other things, the 37th Prince of Asturias Trophy is presented, which is being held once again this year under the organization of the Monte Real Yacht Club and the Naval Military School and thanks to the sponsorship of ABANCA , the Xunta de Galicia through Xacobeo , Terras Gauda and Gestilar .
The competition also has the collaboration of the Pontevedra Provincial Council and the Baiona City Council; the Royal Spanish and Galician Sailing Federations; and the support of companies such as Solventis, Volvo Autesa, Aceites Abril, Zelnova Zeltia, Paradores, Vanguard Marine, Gadis, Foxy, Onda Cero, Musto, the Solitium group, HOLA, Tuypan, Coca Cola and Martin Miller’s Gin.
OFFICIAL PRESENTATION DECLARATIONS
“For the 36 editions that have been held so far, the best boats have passed, with the best skippers and the most outstanding sailors… and this year will be no different. In this thirty-seventh edition we will have sailing in its purest form in an event that has always been, is, and will be, much more than sport. Tourism, economy, feminism, social inclusion, nature, gastronomy, equality, sustainability, fun, radio, television… An appointment, as you can see, essential” – José Luis Álvarez, president of the MRCYB
“Through the twinning with the MRCYB, this regatta allows us to get closer to civil society, to work and cooperate with you, and that has a very important value. My main goal is to train future naval officers, and I can’t think of a better way to start the academic year than by reconnecting with all those values that the world of sailing transmits, teamwork, the desire to excel and overcoming difficulties” Naval Captain Pedro Cardona, Commander Director of the Naval School
“It is a pride for us to collaborate one more year with the MRCYB. Thanks for another year to the entire organization, to those who make this event possible, and I congratulate you in advance because I am sure it will be a complete success. At ABANCA we have been supporting the world of sport for years, from top competition to grassroots schools, and we will continue to do so because we understand that values that our entity shares one hundred percent are transmitted” – Walter Álvarez, territorial director of ABANCA
“Giving the National Sailing Awards within the framework of a regatta as important as this one, and doing it hand in hand with the Naval School and this beloved club, is undoubtedly an honor for us and I hope we can continue to do so for many years” – José María Fonseca Moretón, president of Bodegas Terras Gauda
“This year the one-designs, between the Figaros that will compete for the Ladies Cup with six female crews, and the J80s with a very high participation of more than 30 boats, are going to be very protagonists. The J80, in addition to the large fleet that the club already has, will be completed this year with a large number of boats arriving in Galicia for the Spanish Championship that we will celebrate in 15 days” – Ignacio Sánchez Otaegui, Commodore MRCYB
“Any event held at the MRCYB is a sure win, and that is thanks to the club’s president and the entire human team that surrounds him. Monte Real is a guarantee of success and proof of this is the collaboration and support that they always have in their events, both from public administrations and private entities, which make events of this type, with their consequent economic, social and sporting repercussions , they can continue to be celebrated” – Gorka Gómez, sports deputy of the Pontevedra Provincial Council
“The Ladies Cup has been a firm commitment to women’s sport for many years, when the competition began and the club showed a spectacular vision of the future. In this promotion and defense of women’s sport you will always find me and the Xunta de Galicia, to show that collaboration between administrations, sports entities and companies is a very beneficial model for society” – Marta Fernández-Tapias, territorial delegate of the Xunta de Galicia in Vigo
“Once again we come to Monte Real, a benchmark club in our country, to present the 37th edition of the Prince of Asturias Trophy and the Terras Gauda National Sailing Awards. I want to recognize not only the work that is done in this club, but how it is done. As I always say, the MRCYB is an added value for Baiona and a mirror in which to look at ourselves to learn about how things are done” – Carlos Gómez, Mayor of Bayonne
……………………… THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1 ………………………
10:00 · Opening of the race office. Registration of participants, delivery of documentation, reviews, measurements and weighing
17:30 Gestilar Ladies Cup boat draw
……………………… FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2 ………………………
10:00 – 14:00 Opening of the race office. Registration of participants, delivery of documentation, reviews, measurements and weighing
10:00 Family photo of the crews of the Gestilar Ladies Cup
12:00 Live radio program with Onda Cero in the club’s village
· The boat from Puerto Deportivo de Benalmádena has been distinguished with the National Sailing Award for the best ORC boat after achieving its sixth victory, absolute and class, in the Copa del Rey
· The project of the shipowner from Malaga Javier Banderas, brother and partner of the well-known actor Antonio Banderas, will receive the award in a year in which he celebrates 25 years of sporting career
· The Terras Gauda National Sailing Awards will be presented on September 3 at a gala to be held at eight in the afternoon at the Monte Real Yacht Club in Baiona
The Soho Caixabank Theater in the Copa del Rey
The National Sailing Awards gala will sound this year with a Malaga accent after the Soho CaixaBank Theater was awarded the prize for the best ORC boat of the season. The boat, armed and led by Javier Banderas, will receive the prestigious award after achieving its sixth victory -the second in a row- in the Copa del Rey, in which, both last year and this year, it took the absolute and class wins.
The crew of the boat, a Swan 42 CS from the Puerto Deportivo de Benalmádena, includes, in addition to Javier Banderas as owner and navigator on board with the electronics, and Daniel Cuevas at the helm; Olympic medalists Luis Doreste with tactics and Domingo Manrique with spi. Also Ángel Medina as mainsail trimmer, Piti Estébanez acting as sports director and Genoa trimer, Pipe Ruiz on mast, Fernando Valderrama as free, Rafael Díaz on piano, Ángel Medina Jr. as libero, Nicolás de Virgilis in the bow and Pablo Gauna as bow helper.
A computer teacher, a terrace waterproofer, a hotel worker, a physiotherapist, a student… different professions and different origins (the majority are from Malaga but there are also Canarians) in a team that stands out for its solidity, progression and adaptability.
“The perseverance of maintaining a sports project for 25 years is not something very common today and that continuity is perhaps the most outstanding thing about this crew, which has known and been able to stay together going through many different classes and boats”, assures the sports director of the Soho CaixaBank Theater, Piti Estébanez.
The crew of the Soho Caixabank Theater receiving their Copa del Rey award – Photo Laura G Guerra
Their sixth victory, this year, in the Copa del Rey, in which a hundred boats from twenty countries competed, allowed them to climb once again to a podium that, since 2009, they have already stepped on 13 times; and get closer, more and more, to the legend. On September 3, in Baiona, they will receive the award for the best ORC boat of the year.
· After being distinguished as the best skipper of the year in 2020, this time Santurde will receive the award for the best sailor, as a result of his victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre aboard the Class40 Redman
At just 35 years old, the sailor from Santander has achieved multiple successes in some of the most outstanding and complex ocean regattas on the international nautical scene
· “I have followed ocean sailing since I was a child and I never thought I would do the things I have done” , declared Santurde after learning that he was deserving of a new National Sailing Award
In November 2021, after sailing 5,502 miles in 21 days, 22 hours, 33 minutes and 30 seconds, Pablo Santurde from Spain crossed the finish line of the prestigious Transat Jacques Vabre. He did it ahead of all the boats he was competing against, aboard the Class40 Redman and accompanied by Frenchman Antoine Carpentier.
His victory in the prestigious competition allowed him to write a new chapter in the history of transoceanic sailing, and almost a year after that feat, the echoes of his triumph still resonate in the Spanish nautical scene, which next September will yield a new and deserved tribute.
Pablo Santurde aboard the Redman with which he won the Transat Jaques Vabre
Santurde will receive the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona the Terras Gauda National Sailing Award for the best sailor, an award that, as soon as he heard the news, the sailor wanted to dedicate to his family and those who supported him from the beginning.
“In this profession we spend a lot of time away from home and the family is the one that suffers the most. I am very lucky because they support me unconditionally, and that is why they are also deserving of this award”, assured Santurde before looking back to also remember its beginnings. “Since I was little I have followed ocean sailing and I never thought I would do the things I have done. Many times the most difficult thing is to get a first opportunity that opens doors for you, and this is where I will always be grateful to Gonzalo Botín” .
With just 35 springs, this year will be the second National Sailing Award received by Pablo Santurde, who in 2020 was distinguished as the best skipper after the successes achieved aboard the M&G Tressis of the Real Club Marítimo de Santander, with which he managed to be J80 class world champion.
Pablo Santurde – Photo A Champy McLean
For this ocean sailing enthusiast, his four world championships (two in Class40 and two in J80) and his European championship (in J70) weigh as much as his victories in the Transat Jacques Vabre, the Rolex Fasnet Race, the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland and the RORC Caribbean 600.
“Despite the fact that ocean sailing in Spain does not have the following that it has in other countries, there are Spanish sailors who have achieved very important things, and the National Sailing Awards have been able to give them the support and promotion they deserve. For me it is an honor to be distinguished in this category”Santurde concludes.
TERRAS GAUDA NATIONAL SAILING AWARDS GALA Saturday, September 3, 2022 8:00 p.m. Monte Real Yacht Club (Baiona)
In 1972, the Monte Real Yacht Club organized the most important ocean regatta of those held until then in terms of the number of participants. 48 ships from 35 clubs from 11 countries with some 500 people on board left Bermuda on June 29 for Baiona with the aim of replicating the navigation that 479 years earlier, in 1493, had been carried out by La Pinta de Pinzón on its return to Spain. to announce a new continent, which would be called America. Known as the Discovery Regatta, Discovery Race or BB (Bermuda-Baiona), some of the most prominent American businessmen of the time participated in it, people such as the press magnate Beaver Brook; and a single Spaniard, Alfredo Lagos from Vigo, who with his presence helped to silence the comments of the press that branded the Spanish sailors as not very adventurous for not being part of the crossing. Today, 50 years after that competition, the archives of the organizers (MRCYB, New York Yacht Club, Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and The Cruising Club of America) barely keep a few documents and photographs of its celebration but everyone remembers very well what was: one of the most important regattas in the history of navigation, with the highest number of participants to date.
It is a report by Rosana Calvo, communication manager of the MRCYB
Pendants of the organizing clubs and route of the test (in red) and of the Pinta (blue)
“Battered the ship by the storms but not the hearts” . This is how the historical documents (and also the commemorative monolith erected in the fishing village of Baiona) describe the arrival, on March 1, 1493, of the Pinta caravel of Martín Alonso Pinzón to the Galician port with one of the most important news in history of mankind: the discovery of America.
479 years after that chapter, the Monte Real Club de Yates, one of the most outstanding clubs in Spain at that time, promoted the most important regatta of the time in his honor, a competition of more than 3,200 miles in which the participants would replicate the journey of the caravel across the Atlantic.
They called it, as it could not be otherwise, the Discovery Race, Discovery Race or BB (for Bermudas-Baiona), and in its organization they collaborated hand in hand with Monte Real, the New York Yacht Club, the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and The Cruising Club of America.
It is difficult to attribute a paternity to the initial idea of the regatta. Many speak of Fernando Solano, who advanced in the sponsorship negotiations with Fraga and the organization with the clubs involved. Other names that appear in the records as main promoters are those of Richard B. Nye (chairman of the regatta committee), Hugh CE Masters (commodore and chairman of the committee of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club), and José María de Gamboa (chairman of the committee Spanish of the regatta).
They also promoted the celebration of the competition and the former mayor of Vigo, José Ramón Fontán, was part of the Spanish committee; one of the historical figures of sailing in Galicia, recently deceased, Fernando Massó; the patriarch of the Gándara, José de la Gándara; Jose Maria Padro; the Vigo industrialist Alfredo Lagos; the president of Monte Real until 1971, Alfredo Romero (who would be succeeded by Carlos Zulueta between 71 and 73); and the commodore of the Baionese club until 1971, Manuel Varela.
A regatta simmering for a decade
It was a regatta that was simmering for nothing more and nothing less than 10 years, since 1962, when people began to talk about its celebration; until 1972 when it was finally played. In between, the project was formally presented to the then Spanish Minister of Information and Tourism, Manuel Fraga Iribarne, who would end up approving its patronage; it was exposed to the American clubs that would finally be involved in the event together with the Monte Real (the New York Yacht Club and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club); and in 1969 the first official meeting with the Spanish Sailing Federation was held.
In 1970, two years before its celebration, there was already a propaganda brochure for the regatta, for which, initially, the name “The Race of Discovery for La Pinta Trophy TransAtlantic” was proposed, which would eventually be simplified to ” The Discovery Race” . In it all the details of the competition were explained. It would be a test of about 3,000 miles of route that would be carried out with the only condition that a minimum of 15 boats register for it.
The most important and massive regatta of the time
Participation forecasts, not very high at the beginning, ended up exceeding all expectations and the Discovery Regatta finally had a total of 57 registered (of which 48 ended up starting), becoming the most important regatta held to date. date, with the highest number of participants of all time.
Manuscript with data from some of the test participants
Among the boats entered, the majority between 40 and 60 feet (between 12 and 18 meters), the smallest was the French Penélope III, owned by Alain Maupas Trinidad, with a length of 40 feet / 12 meters; and Patrick E. Haggerty’s Beayondan, at 81 feet long / 24.6 meters, the largest.
As a curiosity, it should be noted that there were sailboats, such as the 43-foot / 13-meter New World, by North American Phillip Davies, which was built specifically for the regatta; and that in the test, which was attended by important American businessmen, the second Baron Beaverbrook, son of the well-known British press magnate William Maxwell Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook), founder of newspapers such as the Daily Express or the Sunday Express, also participated.
Alfredo Lagos (left) with Jim Pugh at the 1972 Discovery Regatta (Courtesy of the Lagos family)
Alfredo Lagos, the only Spaniard on board
Among all those registered there was only one Spaniard: the renowned industrialist from Vigo and experienced sailor Alfredo Lagos, son of the founder and director for more than 50 years of Astilleros Lagos, one of the most prestigious companies worldwide for its work in the construction and restoration of classic wooden boats.
With his presence as a crew member aboard the Dora, Lagos helped to silence the comments of the press of the time, which branded the Spanish sailors as “not very adventurous” for not wanting to participate in the regatta (or for not daring, as they even came say some, for “risk and fear” ).
Illustration of the Discovery Regatta with sailboats and caravels
A regatta marked by the weather
The Discovery Regatta was set to start on June 28, 1972 from the historic Gulf of Las Flechas (named for the arrows launched by members of the Ciguayos tribe against the Spanish in what is considered the first incident against the European invasion in America), just as the Pinta had done on January 16, 1493, but for technical reasons they ended up setting sail a day later from the port of Hamilton.
Bermuda before departure (Photo courtesy of the Lagos family)
Ahead, the 500 participants aboard 48 boats from 35 clubs from 11 countries, had a journey of 3,200 nautical miles / 5,926 kilometers (according to the official route), although everyone expected it to be more (about 4,000 / 7,408 km) per the winds and currents that would influence their journey. And the truth is that the weather ended up affecting, and a lot, the test.
En route from New York to Bermuda for the start of the race, some boats were hit by a typhoon, forcing four of them to abandon the competition and delaying the start for a day so that the rest could make some repairs. Later, once the journey had begun, the poor state of the sea made navigation difficult. And a few days later, more problems. There were several days of calm that would cause a considerable delay in the completion of the test.
The Nieto Antúnez fishing nautical school produced a brochure on meteorological factors
The Discovery Regatta was the first international competition that forced the crews to give their situation every day, something that, in addition to generating security, facilitated the tasks of the regatta committee to control the fleet and the work of the press of the time to narrate the evolution of the test. But what initially worked smoothly soon went awry. The participants stopped complying with the requirement because they also provided information to their rivals and the test was carried out practically in its entirety, with few exceptions, without real and continuous monitoring of the sailboats.
It is known, from the data provided in the early days, that the sailboats took three different navigation routes. Some opted for the shortest and most direct route, others went north in search of more favorable winds and the rest sailed south. But when they really began to distance themselves from each other, the calm ones arrived and the crews were unable to establish important advantages, practically all remaining grouped in a platoon while the lack of wind lasted.
Four days into the test, the radiograms sent to New York announced Tom Clark’s Buccaneer (New Zealand) in the lead. On the island of Flores (Azores), the only record set on the regatta’s transatlantic route (850 miles / 1,574 km from the finish line), Charisma captained by Jessie Phillips (Dayton, Ohio) was first, followed by Carina of Richard S. Nye and the Jubilee III, of the United States Naval Academy, captained by Commander Howard Randall.
In mid-July, a Canadair CL-215 seaplane from the Search and Rescue Service arrived in Vigo to carry out its first exploration operation within a radius of action of some 200 miles / 370 km. Baiona, but the results were negative. On a second outing he managed to locate one of the participants, the Solution, 6 miles / 11 km from A Guarda, but the crew had lowered sails and headed for the port of Vigo, implying that they had withdrawn from the competition. Somewhat further away, a group of fishing boats sighted, off the Berlengas Islands (north of Lisbon), the bulk of the crews.
The Blackfin, first. The Carina, winner.
Although the Discovery Regatta boats were scheduled to arrive in Baiona on July 14, it was not until July 18, at 12:15 when the Blackfin (US-flagged, sail number 8910, 73 feet long / 22 , 25m and 16 adventurers on board), led by Kenneth W. DeMeuse, crossed the finish line, an imaginary line that left the Prince’s Tower (where some of the snipe boys and cruisers like the Fontán brothers stood guard , Quico Arbones, Humberto Cervera and others) at 180º magnetic. With the exception of the calm one that was found at the exit of Bermuda, the sailboat sailed practically the rest of the route without problems, taking advantage of a wind channel. He did it alone, investing a total of 453 hours, and upon arrival, the 15 crew members threw their captain overboard to celebrate the victory.
The Blackfin, designed by Bill Tripp for Ken DeMeuse of San Francisco
DeMeuse, exhausted and with his hair messed up from the dip, called his country to say that he had arrived, ordered a cubalibre with lots of ice and attended to the media. He commented that the regatta “was not as difficult as it was long”, he explained that it became complicated at times when crossing with very strong winds or with no wind, but that both the crew and the boat ( “which is good and fast” , he assured) they worked very well.
News published in La Voz De Galicia on July 19, 1972
Hours later, around eight in the afternoon, the second ship, the Jubilee III, of the United States Naval Academy, a 22.25-meter sailboat and the number 1800 on its sails, arrived on the old continent. It was manned by 17 people, skippered by Commander Howard Randall and, as had happened to the Blackfin, it also played against the basses of Carallones.
On July 21, three days after the first boats had crossed the finish line, there were still sailboats to finish the journey and among them were some of those that could be proclaimed absolute winners (due to the time compensation system that would be applied for level out the differences between large and small boats). The last yacht to arrive, the Tanatara, did so on the 22nd, and it was then that the final classification of the competition was revealed.
Alfredo Lagos after the arrival of the Discovery Regatta in 1972 (Photo courtesy of the Lagos Family)
The winner of the 1972 Bermuda-Bayonne Discovery Regatta was the Class B Carina, skippered by Richard “Dick” S. Nye, in 391 hours, 52 minutes and 39 seconds. They were followed in the table by Prim (Gibbons Neff Jr.), from class B, with 344 hours, 44 minutes, 19 seconds; and the Aura (Wallace Stenhouse), also in class B, with 395 hours, 27 minutes, 19 seconds. The Blackfin, the first to arrive in the waters of Baiona on the 18th, was finally in 42nd place in the general classification.
Richard S. Nye (1904-1988) found his love of the sea late and knew little of sailing when he bought the Carina in 1945, but he soon began sailing and ended up competing in long-distance regattas, which became in his passion. He participated in a large number of them and came to win 7 transatlantic races, including the Bermuda Baiona, in which he won with the first of his three Carinas.
The skipper attributed (he always did) the success in this regatta and many others he won to the good work of his crew, made up of his son Richard B. Nye, as first officer, and other members of his family and close friends.
Those who knew him say that he did not sail to win, but because he was truly passionate about the sea. To posterity he passed his phrase: “Okay, boys, you can let the ship sink!” , pronounced after finishing the Fasnet Race of 1957 in a Carina badly damaged by the hard competition.
Richard S. Nye – Patron of the Carina
His victory in the Discovery Regatta had a great worldwide echo and in the final broadcast of the event, everyone agreed on the great success that the event had brought.
The Discovery Regatta, much more than a regatta
In a meeting with journalists, the president of the Monte Real Yacht Club and vice president of the Spanish committee in charge of organizing the arrival, Carlos Zulueta, highlighted the four most significant aspects of the regatta: economic, tourist, historical and sporting.
The competition, sponsored by the Ministry of Information and Tourism (understanding that it would serve to promote tourism at the highest level and offer the Rías Gallegas a high-ranking international sporting competition), had become the one with the greatest participation up to that time and accommodation reservations made in Baiona had repercussions on hoteliers with a figure that exceeded one million pesetas. Restaurants, taxi drivers and other businesses also made cash during the Americans’ stay in the fishing village.
Alfredo Lagos, the only Spaniard in the competition, complained, once it was over, about the little attention the national press and television had devoted to it. blamed “a hidden force that tries to minimize everything in Galicia, which takes us back to times before the Catholic Monarchs. You already know -Lagos said in a special report for the magazine Pesca y Náutica- that when a drop of water falls in Estaca de Bares, although we have an ideal day in Baiona, the phrase is “It rains in Galicia”. For many Galicia is very far away, the roads are very bad, there are many cows and the women carry the load on their heads. Those who only think this, it is much better not to come”.
José Ramón Fontán handing out souvenirs to the Apollo on the pontoons of the Monte Real Yacht Club
The truth is that everyone welcomed the crews with open arms and the sailors were able to enjoy the culture, landscape and gastronomy of Galicia for several days. In Vigo, in the gardens of the Pazo Quiñones de León, a dinner was organized for them, enlivened by folk groups. In Baiona, another dinner and a big dance.
They also attended the famous Mougás gigs and ate grilled sardines, empanada and octopus in a mountain refuge. And at the end, many of them took part in a cruise along the Galician estuaries from Baiona to Fisterra, sailing through the most touristic points of coastal Galicia and taking a bus trip to Santiago de Compostela.
In the rally through the Rías Baixas after the Discovery Regatta
Postmarks, brochures, commemorative plates, flags… recall one of the most important regattas in the history of navigation. A regatta that served for several clubs on both sides of the Atlantic to strengthen ties and promote what ended up being the most massive nautical competition organized to date.
Postmarks, information brochures and commemorative plates of the Discovery Regatta
Half a century after its celebration, at the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona, the seed of the competition, they remember it as something historic, as one of those events worthy of having gone down in the history of world sailing along with other milestones of the club as the challenge to the America’s Sailing Cup.
And the same what “The noble town of Baiona, an ancient Celtic hedgehog, had the honor of being the first to announce, to the astonishment of the world, the miracle of the discovery of the Americas”, the Monte Real Club de Yates had the honor of being the first to organize a regatta in his honor, the most important of the time and one of those that will always remain in the memory.
It is a report by Rosana Calvo, communication manager of the MRCYB
Boats of the Discovery Regatta at Monte Real Yacht Club – Tony Román File PhotoJubilee III with seaplane arriving in Baiona – Discovery Regatta 1972 – Photo Archive Tony RománThe Dora IV back to America after the Discovery Regatta – Photo Archive Tony RománThe Buccaneer, the Etoile and other ships after their arrival in Baiona – Photo Archive Tony RománThe Dora IV in which Alfredo Lagos sailed in the Discovery Regatta in 1972 (Photo courtesy of the Lagos family)
· 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”
