RCNGC sailors dominate the 13th Canary Islands Sailing Olympic Week

Olivier Backes and Arnaud Jarlegan celebrate their triumph in F18. PHOTO: Tino Armas

Nahuel Rodríguez is the new Spanish Laser Radial and Standard champion while the Padrón – Pérez team is third in the European F18 Championship; Joaquín Blanco claims first place in Standard.

The sailors from the RCNGC dominate the 13th Canary Islands Sailing Olympic Week. Success of the representatives of the Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria in the 13th Canary Islands Sailing Olympic Week – El Corte Inglés, which has taken place in the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria since last 5 of December. The podium of the Spanish Championship was made up of Canarian representatives, since Nahuel Rodríguez took first place, Aythami Quintana second and Joel Rodrígues, third. Javier Padrón and Miguel Pérez could not claim victory in the European Championship, but finished in a praiseworthy third place, after competing against more experienced rivals. Joaquín Blanco won in Laser Standard Class.

At 10:00 a.m. the over 200 boats that have “invaded” the bay of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for a week went to the water to begin the last big battle, the three races that would decide the new champions of Europe and Spain in F18 and Laser Radial, respectively, so the tension and the excitement were at their peak from the first minute. On top of all this, there were great weather conditions throughout the three races, with 12 knot winds. A spectacular sight. 

While in the Bravo racecourse, which stretched from San Cristóbal to the beach of La Laja, the decisive races of the European Championship were taking place, the Spanish Championship and the Laser Standard took place in the Alfa racecourse, nearer to the RCNGC.

Finally, and after a year full of successes, Nahuel Rodríguez won the Laser Radial National Championship. The sailor from the RCNGC, who in the three regattas finished in second, first and third place, was joined on the podium by Aythami Quintana (CN Castillo del Águila) and by his brother Joel. Once on land, Nahuel was happy for having won the title, declaring that he had obtained many good results, and this had helped him climb positions. 
 
In women’s category the Laser Radial rankings also had Canarian sailors as protagonists. Paula Escuder (RCN Tenerife), María Cabrera (RCNGC) and Martina Reino (RCNGC) were the best three sailors of the National Championship.

As for Javier Padrón and Miguel Pérez, who fought in the top places of the fleet from the beginning of the European Championship, finally took third place overall, after finishing in twelfth, seventeenth and seventh place in the three races. The sailors from Gran Canaria have sailed brilliantly throughout this European Championship and have only been beaten by French sailors Olivier Backes and Arnaud Jarlegan (first), and Francois Morvan and Maithien Vandame (second).
 
Joaquín Blanco, also sailor from the RCNGC, dominated the Laser Standard Olympic Class, finishing in first place in the competition thanks to a second, a fifth and a first place in the three regattas that took place on Sunday. The podium of the category was completed by Portugal’s Francisco Lobato, who finished in second place, and Miguel Noguer, third.

The 13th Canary Islands Olympic Sailing Week – El Corte Inglés Trophy has brought together around 320 sailors from 18 European countries and from almost all the Spanish Autonomous Communities, something which has contributed to increase the prestige of this event that, once more, has been on the spotlight of national and international sailing. 
 
The prize giving ceremony took place at 6:00 p.m. in the premises of the Canarian sailing club, thus putting an end to the thirteenth Canary Islands Olympic Sailing Week – El Corte Inglés Trophy that the RCNGC has organised with the Town Hall of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, under the name of LPA Open Sea. The event has also been supported by the Tourism Department of the Council of Gran Canaria, the Government of the Canary Islands, through Promotur, and by companies such as El Corte Inglés, Pepsi, Toyota Canarias, Lopesan and Naviera Armas.