Please select your home edition
Edition
Barton Marine 2019 728x90

Fantela brothers break their own 49er record

by 49er and Nacra 17 Sailing 18 Jan 2024 05:54 PST
Sailing on Bora – Red Bull Content Pool © 49er and Nacra 17 Sailing

Where sky meets the sea, just below Velebit mountain in Croatia, Zadar - hometown of Fantela brothers - this is where magic is happening. Sime and Mihovil Fantela, Croatian athletes in the 49er, reached their record speed with the help of the Bora wind.

Croatian sailors Šime and Mihovil Fantela set their 49er record with a speed of 24 knots, achieved in a strong wind near their hometown of Zadar. The Bora wind is the reason that roads going from inland to the coastline are often closed during the winter.

While preparing for the new sailing season, the Fantela brothers decided to take a challenge and try to tame the strong Croatian northerly wind called Bora, typical for the Adriatic sea.

The Bora can cause extreme weather conditions and gusts from 100 km/h, but may reach up to 300 km/h during winter season, making it a hurricane kind of wind. It's dry, changeable, cold, and can reach a faster speed in comparison to the other winds. Yet Šime and Mihovil decided to sail out from the coast during a strong Bora which caused roads to be closed and locals to prefer staying in their homes.

Even though their equipment sustained some damage, the sailors from Zadar reached their goal and achieved their personal 49er record speed of 24 knots. That was the first time anyone from this class successfully tamed the Bora.

"It took us 15 attempts and in the end, we achieved our record speed of 24 knots, which is rare in our sport. In international competitions, you are not allowed to race in these conditions, because it's dangerous. So we are proud we could sail successfully in this strong wind," said Šime Fantela while celebrating their achievement.

After this challenge, the Fantela brothers will continue to prepare for the most coveted 49er competitions, with big European regattas coming already in March and April.

Related Articles

Up & coming young athletes look to make their mark
At post-Olympic Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca The entry lists are now almost definitive and confirm a historic post-Olympic edition, with almost 850 boats registered comparing favourably to the 779 which took part at the first Sofia regatta of the Paris 2024 cycle. Posted on 21 Mar
Semaine Olympique Française preview
See you in Hyères in a month The world's leading Olympic sailors are gearing up - as they have for more than 50 years - for the unique challenge of the Semaine Olympique Française de Hyères - Toulon Provence Méditerranée (SOF). Posted on 20 Mar
Mallorca Sailing Center Regatta concludes
Mallorca Sailing Center Regatta concluded after three days of varied conditions. The Mallorca Sailing Center Regatta turned the Bay of Palma into an Olympic sailing arena stadium over this past weekend during which the champions of the Spanish Cup in ILCA 6, 49er and 49er FX classes were decided. Posted on 17 Mar
Much more than a rehearsal for the Sofia
Mallorca Sailing Center Regatta will serve in this edition as the Copa de España 2025 From today until next Sunday the Mallorca Sailing Center Regatta musters more than 360 boats of 27 nationalities on the Bay of Palma. Posted on 14 Mar
Gender equality at Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca
Four of the ten disciplines participating in the Mallorcan classic of Olympic classes are female The Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca represents a benchmark in the promotion of gender equality in sailing on International Women's Day, which is celebrated this Saturday, March 8. Posted on 7 Mar
Oceanbridge Sail Auckland 2025 Day 3
A new top 49er crew give masterclass on Day 3 of Oceanbridge Sail Auckland Plenty of hard work and a touch of Olympic inspiration has propelled one of New Zealand's most promising double-handed crews to success at the country's premier domestic sailing event. Posted on 2 Mar
Oceanbridge Sail Auckland 2025 Day 2
Set for a thrilling conclusion at Torbay Sailing Club The 2025 Oceanbridge Sail Auckland is set for a thrilling conclusion, with little separating the leaders in most fleets as they battle it out at Torbay Sailing Club. Posted on 1 Mar
One month to 54th Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca
700 crews from 53 countries have already confirmed they will race With just one month to go until the start of the 54 Trofeo Princesa Sofia Mallorca, the competitor entries for the ten disciplines that will compete for the first event of the Sailing Grand Slam 2025 point to an exciting edition. Posted on 28 Feb
Battle for the Bar
The unofficial name for the Capel Sound Invitational, from the stellar waters and the drinks By their own admission, this is the unofficial name for the Capel Sound Invitational. Yes, it pays reference to the location where they serve drinks, but it is also for the stretch of water it is named after. Posted on 24 Feb
Portugal Grand Prix at Vilamoura round 2 overall
The competition continues to attract an increasing number of top sailors The 7th Portugal Grand Prix - Round 2 has ended, marking another successful edition of this growing event. With a 100-point ranking from World Sailing, the competition continues to attract an increasing number of top sailors each year. Posted on 22 Feb
Sea Sure 2025Vaikobi 2024 DecemberPredictWind - Offshore App 728x90 BOTTOM