CETIL Sailing Team has continued its successful streak over the last two months. Thanks to hard physical conditioning the crew have newly managed to rise to the top of the podium on two occasions, and after five more regattas are sitting in first position, temporarily leading the Snipe Class’ National ranking.
The Spanish National Championship was held in the city of Melilla at the end of April, a regatta where more than one hundred boats were to fight for the first points awarded in the qualification series towards the World Championship of 2026. A total of four legs were completed under highly demanding conditions – wind speeds rose to twenty-five kts, well above the Class’ limit. The team obtained a total of eighty-nine points, positioning them tenth in the classification, which temporarily means a spot in the National team. In 2026, the Spanish Cup will be the final tiebreaker where the crews that qualify for the World Championships shall be determined.
‘Las Anclas’ Trophy, which took place in the Naval Academy of Marin just one weekend prior to Melilla, was a great preparation for the Championship. In a solid 15 kts breeze, the duo performed three clear starts on Saturday and fought hard for the top positions, finishing in second place after a hard day of racing. On Sunday – no wind, no race. They did not get the chance to fight for gold after having closed the previous day only two points away from the first team.
Two more regattas were held in Galicia throughout the month of May. CETIL Sailing Team claimed the ‘Admiral of the Arsenal’ Trophy in Ferrol and climbed on the second step of the podium in ‘Villa de Ares’ Regatta, third National Circuit race in which more than thirty-five boats took part. The following week the team battled for gold against another thirty Snipes in the fourth Circuit regatta held in San Juan Lake, in Madrid. After an unfortunate first leg where they finished first but were over the start line and hence disqualified, the crew climbed all the way to the top from a twelfth position to finish first with two bullets and a third position in the remaining races. They claimed the title once more and are now enjoying a well-earned rest after such an intense month.
Currently at the equator of the National Circuit, CETIL Sailing Team are sitting first in a ranking with more than three hundred Spanish sailors and only four races left to complete it. Next objective in 2025: arriving at Vilamoura in the best possible conditions; the European Championship will be disputed in Portuguese waters this upcoming September, with more than one hundred crews coming from all over the globe.
