City of Santander Trophy - Sailors to compete in Test event

by Helena de la Gándara on 2 Sep 2013 The City of Santander Trophy racing areas span the whole bay and the cove of the city and will be the perfect test framework for the championship of Olympic classes Santander 2014.

The Santander Bay and its cove will again be recognized for its excellent conditions for the development of sailing competitions.

Barely a week until the start of the Test Event 'Santander City Trophy', previous appointment of what will be the world championships of Olympic classes Santander 2014. The event will start on day eight - the Official Opening Ceremony of the 'City of Santander Trophy' - will last until September 15 with some of the most important factors for the competition already being released.

The Test Event 'City Santander Trophy' will be the perfect test for international sailors as next year they play for the world title. This will be a great opportunity for foreign countries in front of the knowledge of the area, its winds, tides and currents.

Six race areas will be the ones in charge of hosting the competition on the water and will be distributed on the bay of the city of Santander (Spain) and its cove.

Almost all of the Olympic categories present in the Test Event 'Santander City Trophy' will be able to try the six race areas since the 10 classes (470 male and female, 49er, 49er FX, Finn, Laser Standard, Laser Radial, Nacra 17 and RS: X female and male), will rotate for each area during the week of competition. Ion Echave, Technical Director of 2014 Santander is satisfied with the system: 'Our idea is that all classes can prove all the designed race courses, so that our proposal is a rotation of the sailors by the different areas and the characteristics quite different from the areas in the cove and inside the bay.'

Of the six areas delimited by the organization, four of them (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta) will be located offshore, in the cove of the Bay of Santander, while two others will be located within the same. The wind and sea conditions offshore will pose participants an extra effort for the demanding conditions while the interior of the bay (Echo and Foxtrot) are located in a more sheltered area to wind and sea conditions , although participants will have the major handicap of strong tides and currents in the area.

The Echo area will be located on the sands in front of 'Puerto Chico', so it will take an important role during the race weekend: 'The weekend of the 'City of Santander Trophy' competition, we will focus the competition on the bay as a subject of tides, Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be the ideal day to compete in that area. We also set the Foxtrot race course in front the Cear de Vela Príncipe Felipe, which is the area where some of the final races of the Trophy will take place'.

Activity in the Alpha area can be followed from the Cabo Mayor and the Sardinero areas, while the Delta race course will be located opposite the beach of Somo and Foxtrot at the foot of the Dique de Santander 2014 website