Santander City Trophy - Whole round completed for some

by Helena de la Gándara on 11 Sep 2013 The test event –Ciudad de Santander Trophy, celebrates today - day two of the event with the introduction of new classes as well as new racing areas out of a number of six.

The start of the day was not very promising, with a great concern of the race committee because of the weather forecast with low rain clouds scattered around the racing area, making it difficult for the wind to establish.

The mark layers where constantly informing of the conditions and its variations to the control unit of the test event, from their assigned positions in order to make a decision.

After confirming the wind data to be six knots from direction 40 NE the committee decided to not postpone the race in port and send all competitors to their areas.

So Alfa for 470 (men and woman), Bravo for the 49er, in the Charlie area for Finn and the Nacra, and finally the RS:X in the Delta area.

Alfa area:

470M-470W

Both categories where situated in the same area as the day before, with not much luck since the race were not able to finish. After waiting for more than an hour, the race committee was able to do various starts with the black flag, so the atmosphere was tense, but a 90º role ended any hopes to continue with the race, so all boats where sent back to port, where some time after the wind definitely dropped. So the ending results are still remaining the same as yesterday. The leaders are still in 470 M the English team Luke Patience and Joe Glanfield with one point. As for 470W the Australian team Lara Vadlau and Jolanta Katarzyna with another point.

Bravo area:

49er and 49erFX

For both categories Men’s and woman was their first time, with similar conditions, both categories were able to complete a race. Firstly positions are the American team Frederick Strammer and Zachary Brown and for woman, the Japanese team Chika Hatae and Noriko Okuma.

Charlie area:

Finn and Nacra.

In this area the Finn made their way back to port without any success but the Nacra class completed a race with the English team Ben Saxton and Hannah Diamond in front. The Finn class results remain the same as yesterday with the New Zealender Josh Junior.

Delta area:

RS:X M and RS: X W.

The boards are one of the numerous numbers of participants with the French leader Louis Giard and in woman, also French Charline Picon.

Olympic classes will be the stars of the Sardinero.

Tomorrow’s race, if the conditions don’t fail, will take place at 13:00h for the RS:X, 470, 49er, 49erFX and Nacra, while the Finn class will await until 14:40h.

The race committee will do their best that all Olympic classes will sale in their corresponding areas, Nacra and Finn for Alfa area, 470 (men and woman) in Bravo area the boards RS:X (M and W) for Charlie and the 49er and 49 er FX in Delta.

The weather conditions are not permitting to show the fantastic conditions that usually domain here, tomorrow doesn’t look very promising, similar to today, but as from Thursday the predictions look positively better.

Quotes:

Charline Picon. RS:X Femenino (France): 'It was crazy today because before the race there was no wind before the race. We waited and then it came with the rain and it was quite heavy because the fleet were planning. I am here to look at the waves, wind, current and learn how to be good in this wind in preparation for Santander 2014. We will have some more training here in May and June next year as it’s the first time I’ve been here.'

'Santander is very difficult because the waves are very choppy and the winds aren’t so strong. This week will be light so we have to see.'

Japanesse Team Leadre: Aiko Saito, 49er FX: We have to take the opportunity when it’s there. We can’t get funding for a training camp and then during the season regattas are away from Santander but we’ve had the funding so we’re here in Santander. 'Today was the first time they went to the race course. This event is good for them because they can prepare and learn the procedures and then go to Marseille [for the 49erFX World Championships] with more boats and crowded conditions.

Fred Strammer (USA), 49er: 'We had one race today and it was about 8-12 knots with a really confused chop and big swells which made for very tricky sailing. We are just getting back into the boat after a four month break but it was a lot of fun and we sailed well, got a bullet and then the breeze dropped off.'

'We are looking to learn what the venue is all about on all of the different race circles in preparation for the worlds next year. We’re not really too concerned about the result here.

Louis Giard (FRA), RS:X, 'It was a nice day with an hour of wind so we could only do one race but it was good for me as I had good speed, a nice start and I won it.

'I am here to find out about a new place because there is a lot of current and a different wind and we need to focus and find out about the conditions to win the Championship next year. Rio 2016 is my goal but first goal is to be World Champion at Santander 2014 during the campaign so I’m working on it.'

'On Santander: 'It’s a nice place but for the moment it’s raining a Click here for full Santander 2014 website