Category: Laser 4.7

Laser Radial female.

Laser Radial female.

German sailor Philipp Buhl won the Carnival Regatta in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria in Laser Standard followed by Swedish Jesper Satlheim and current World Champion, the British Nick Thompson.

Buhl, Silver medalist in the World Championship celebrated in Kingston (Canada), won in a very close regatta that doubled as a great training for sailors before the European Championship that will take place in the same racecourse at the end of this month.

Joaquin Blanco finished in 18th position, and his Olympic teammate Joel Rodríguez finished in 20th.

The last event of Gran Canaria Sail in Winter was marked by hard conditions with shifting winds of 15-18 knots and long waves.

Whilst the leadership position changed after every race in the Laser Standard class -second, third and fourth have only one point difference- in Laser Radial, Dutch brothers Marit and Roelof Bouwneester dominated the entire race from the get go. Marit, Silver Medalist in the London Olympic games 2012, won in the Laser Radial female and her brother won in the male category.

British Alison Young -regular in the winter season in Gran Canaria- earned a second position in Laser Radial, while Dutch Sarah Toftedal got third place, same position she achieved in the World Championship in Miami a few weeks ago.

Martina Reino (RCNGC) unfortunately broke the bottom mast of her Laser Radial due to very harsh wind conditions in the last day and was unable to finish the last two races. Reino is part of the olympic team alongside Alicia Cebrian, first spanish in the raking holding a 22nd position overall.

In the Male Laser Radial Alejandro Bethencourt (Real Club Náutico de Arrecife) won the Bronce and Silver was earned by Polish sailor Marcin Rudawski.

For both Laser Standard and Radial, this Carnival Regatta has been a great chance to prepare for the European Championship that will take place between February 26 and March 4th in the same race course. The regatta has brought several of the best sailors in the international world ranking to participate in the program Gran Canaria Sail in Winter.

«It has been a great training because we have raced against some players that we will compete against in the European Championship. In this way, we could measure where is the team, measure our strengths and try to improve some areas to get ready for the race in two weeks», stated Canarian sailor Joaquin Blanco.

The Canarian Laser Championship took place simultaneously this weekend. Bethencourt got the Gold, Cebrián Silver and Reino the Bronce.

In Laser 4.7, Julio Jordán (Club de Mar Radazul) was Gold; Nelly Mª González (RCN Tenerife), silver; and Carlos Pavillard, bronce (RCN Tenerife).

The paralympic class brings also a second medal for Spain, as RCNGC’s sailor José Guerra got third, while Gold went to Finish Janne Laine and Silver to Finish Jussi Ahlström.

All pics


24862476092_f58bf690ae_kThe Carnival Regatta, organized by Real Club Nautico de Gran Canaria, yielded a session marked by difficult weather conditions and changes in the pole positions. This iconic regatta has gathered many world class sailors for the Olympic Games in Rio 2016.

Swedish Jesper Stalheim leads currently the Laser Standard class after three good races (2nd, 4th and 1st position respectively). Nick Thompson, Kristian Ruth and Stalheim took turns to lead the fleet.

Several leadership changes in Laser Standard class and over 40 disqualifications due to the black flag rule marked Saturday’s race. This race precedes the European Championship that will take place in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria between February 26th and March 4th.

Joaquin Blanco (RCNGC) is the first spanish in position 20, followed by Jesus Rogel with only 4 points separating both of them. Joel Rodriguez (RCNGC) raised to the 28th position after an unlucky first day. Canarian sailors Blanco and Rodriguez are members of the Olympic Team in Laser Standard.

In Laser Radial the Dutch brothers Roelof and Marit Bouwneester keep their leadership with 5 and 6 points respectively.

Alicia Cebrian (RCNT) leads the female Spanish board in Laser Radial at 29, followed closely by her teammate in the Olympic team Martina Reino (RCNGC) in position 32.

Alejandro Bethencourt, representing Lanzarote, is 9th currently in Laser Radial being the first Spanish behind the six women chasing after Roelof. Ismael Iess (RCNGC) finished in 20th position overall, being the second Spanish in the ranking.

This Saturday has been a complicated day, marked by long waves and direction shifts in the wind. Unstable conditions and a rainy day complicated the race course for sailors yesterday. The races are being held in San Cristobal, far down south in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Most of the sailors are facing this race as a final test towards the European Championship, taking perhaps bigger risks from the start -which could explain why there were so many black flag disqualifications.

Julio Jordán, Nelly María González and Carlos Pavillard, all of them representing Tenerife, are leading the ranking in Laser 4.7, which doesn’t have any international sailors. Andrea Machado (RCNGC) finished Saturday holding the 4th position.

Janne Laine, Jussi Ahlström y José Guerra (RCNG) are the first three sailors in the 2.4 mR paralympic class.

This Sunday the race is expected to start at 11:00 and there are 3 races scheduled. The qualifying races have finished and will now divide the fleet in Gold and Silver categories. This afternoon RCNGC will hold an event to give the Trophies to the best sailors.

Nicholas Heiner leads the Laser Standard class at the end of the first day of Carnival Regatta.

Joaquin Blanco is the first Spanish while Laser Radial is dominated by Roelof y Marit Bouwneester. Canarian sailors Yolanda Luque (RCNGC) and Alejandro Bethencourt (RCN Arrecife) are the first spanish in female Laser Radial and male Laser Radial respectively.

The race this Friday has started with great conditions, northern winds from 15-18 knots, gusts of over 20 knots and big waves, providing a great environment to close the last Regatta of the Gran Canaria Sail in Winter program.

The best international Laser sailors worldwide have come to Gran Canaria to train for the European Laser Championship which will take place at the end of the month.

Nick Thompson, current World Champion in Laser class holds the second position while Dutch Heiner holds the pole -Heiner was Gold in the World Olympic Championship in Santander 2014.

Joaquín Blanco, first spanish sailor, scored a 19th and 12th in the first day, holding a 12th position at the moment.

Marit Bouwneester leads the female Laser Radial class -she holds a runner-up title worldwide and Gold medal in the World championship in Santander last year. Marit, second overall after her brother Roelof  leads the female board with confidence. Five women are at the top of the ranking.

Local sailor Yolanda Luque is the first Spanish in the 19th position, with a 19th and 4th position in today’s races. A bad start in the first race set her club mate Martynia Reino to the 32nd position currently while Alicia Cebrian is 43rd after achieving a 22nd and 23rd respectively.

Carnival Regatta has 194 boats from Laser Standard, Laser Radial (female and male) and Laser 4.7. Also worth noticing that for Laser Radial, this race is also the official Championship for Canary Islands.

While Friday had only two races, there are 3 scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday. Laser Radial has a great number of boats so the organization has divided them in two separate groups (yellow and blue) with qualifying rounds for the big final this Sunday. Three Judges for the Carnival Regatta will also be part of the technical comittee that is responsible for the European Championship that will take place at the end of this month.

Julio Jordan (Club de Mar Radazul), Nelly María González (RCN Tenerife)  and Guillermo Aranaz (RCN Tenerife) are the first three sailors currently in Laser 4.7

This Saturday the race will kick of at 11:00.

The Trofeo Isla de Gran Canaria event was conceived to respond to the increasing number of sailors from various countries who choose to extend their winter training sessions at our club. Created as an incentive to help sailors prepare for competition, the Trophy’s become a well established regatta in a very short time. Last year’s event included British Olympian Alison Young, who took the gold in the Laser Radial class in a field of Norwegian, Hungarian, Dutch, Polish, Ukrainian and Spanish competitors. In Laser Standard the victory went to local sailor Joaquín Blanco, the Spanish champion responsible for securing Spain a place at Rio. Trofeo Isla de Gran Canaria will be held from 8-10 January, just one month before the next event on our Gran Canaria Sail in Winter programme.

 

 

Laser Standard is headed by Slovenia, but the Spanish sailors are leading in Laser Radial at the first event of the Europa Cup, currently being held in Gran Canaria. Martina Reino, number one on the Spanish ranking, is holding onto first place in the girls’ category and Luis Cabrera has taken the lead in the boys’.

The Regata Internacional de Carnaval Ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is kicking off the Laser Europa Cup series this year. It’s the first of 23 regattas in the series, which will be held at 23 venues throughout Europe.

A 12-14 knot northwest wind and a long, slightly tricky wave typical of the area were the predominant conditions today on the second day of competition, in which 150 sailors from 19 countries are taking part.

Slovenia’s Zan Luka Zelko notched up three firsts after six races in Laser Standard and has a lead over Lithuania’s Martis Pajarskas and Gran Canaria’s Joel Rodríguez, who are currently heading for the podium. The second placed Spaniard is 16-year-old Mallorcan sailor Joan Cardona (RCN Palma), who’s eighth in the overall classification.

Rodríguez had no comments about his disqualification on the first day. He said that this isn’t a crucial regatta and he’s hoping the wind will intensify on Sunday, the final day, to secure him a place on the podium. The 14 sailors competing in Laser Standard are from 10 countries.

Martina Reino (RCNGC), current number one on the Spanish ranking, is holding onto the lead in women’s Laser Radial, after a first place in the 6th regatta, the final race of the day, finishing neck and neck on 12 points with Poland’s Agata Barwinska. The second Spanish sailor is Silvia Morales, from RCN Tenerife, with 28 points and a third place as her top result. The 25 sailors in women’s Radial are from Denmark, Great Britain, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden and Spain.

The Spanish dominate in the men’s Laser Radial, with seven sailors in the top eight places. Luis Cabrera (RCNGC) took first place in the classification with a two-point lead over fellow club member Ismael Iess. In third place on the podium is José Cabrera, who’s also from the host club. The 25 competitors in this category are from seven countries.

Although Cabrera’s happy after taking the lead, he’s not sure he’ll keep it. “There are lots of strong sailors behind me”, he said back on shore. Cabrera would like the wind to ease on Sunday so he can secure his place. Jorge Martínez (RCNGC), in sixth place and just two points from finishing third, is also a contender for a spot on the podium.

Lanzarote’s Alejandro Bethencourt continues to lead in 4.7. He’s notched up four firsts in the six races held, although Ivo Marrero (RCNGC) is just one point behind him, with two firsts and three seconds. In a field of 17 competing sailors, 15 are from the Canary Islands.

In the women’s Laser 4.7, where 11 of the 14 competitors are Canary Islanders, local sailor Carlota Sánchez (RCNGC) has taken the lead with two firsts and three seconds, five points ahead of Marina Martín (RCN Arrecife) and Nelly González (Club de Mar Radazul de Tenerife).

Points won by Laser sailors will also count for the Regata de Carnaval, which includes 2.4 mR (Paralympic), catamarans (Nacra 17 and F18) and from today, 420 and 29er.

In 2.4 Rm Sweden’s dominating, with Hans Asklund in first place. The fleet in this class is nearly all Scandinavian. Only two of the 14 sailors in 2.4 Rm are Spanish; eight are from Sweden and four are from Finland. Canary Islanders José Guerra and Javier Ugarte, members of the recently created RCNGC Paralympic team, are battling it out in 10th and 13th position.

Racing in 420 and 29er started today in the Regata de Carnaval, with entirely local fleets. Jorge Cantero and Nestor Vega, current Canary Islands champions in 29er, won two of the three races and are in first position. 420 is headed by Patricia Medina and Lara Martínez, who won two of the three races.

Sunday is the third and final day.

The prize giving ceremony will be held at 17.00 hours.

Translated from Spanish by Jane McGrath

A flat sea, sunshine and an average wind of 15 knots reigned on the first day of the Regata de Carnaval Ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the Europa Cup Gran Canaria 2015.

The Canary Islanders are in the lead in Laser Radial and 4.7 after the first day’s sailing, including a great performance by Lanzarote sailors.

The first placegetters in the two categories were Martina Reino (RCNGC) and Alejandro Pérez (RCN Arrecife) in Radial, and Martina Martín (RCN Arrecife) and Alejandro Bethencourt (RCN Arrecife) in 4.7.

Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria has the backing of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Hall and Las Palmas Cabildo for the organisation of both competitions, and is supported by the Spanish, Canary Islands and Gran Canaria sailing federations.

Slovenia’s Zan Luka Zelko is in first place in Laser Standard after the first day and Joel Rodríguez (RCNGC) is the highest placed Spanish sailor. Rodríguez finished 8th, despite a good start with a 5th and and 3rd in the first two regattas. A penalty in the third heat knocked him back in the overall classification.

Martina Reino (RCNGC) is first equal in women’s Laser Radial, with Hungarian Maria Erdi. Reino was placed 3rd, 1st and 3rd and Erdi came in with two 2nd places and a 3rd on the first day of racing. Since November, with a few short breaks, Erdi has been training at RCNGC.

Reino, current youth world champion in the class, was happy with this start, despite the strong wind conditions that “stretched her a bit”, in her own words.

Europa Cup Gran Canaria 2015 has kicked off the series in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for the first time. The series is made up of 23 events held at 23 locations throughout Europe during the year and is organised by European Region of International Laser Class Association (EurILCA).

Jean Luc Michon, EurILCA chairman, is visiting the club for the event and also to find out more about the location with a view to making it a venue for the Laser Euro Master Series 2016.

Nacra 17, F18 and 2.4 mR (Paralympic class) started off the competition at the Regata Internacional de Carnaval, in which the Laser class points will also be counted. In Nacra and F18 the Germans are leading so far and in 2.4Rm the field belongs to the Scandinavians, mainly the Swedish and the Finnish. The classification is headed by Hans Asklund (2.4 Rm), Ecki Kaphengst/Tine Kaphengst (Nacra 17), and Robert Schuetz/Rea Khuel Kev (F18).

Two oil rigs currently standing in the usual race area have obliged the competition to be moved two miles (almost 4 km) south. The Laser class sailed in the area of Mar Fea, where Lateen sailing is normally done.

The 420 and 29er classes will be joining the competition on Saturday, the second day of racing, when the wind is expected to drop.

Translated from Spanish by Jane McGrath

Sailors from 15 countries have already registered for the Laser Europa Cup and the Regata de Carnaval Ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, running from 13 to 15 February in the harbour of Gran Canaria’s capital city.

Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria is organising both events, which bring its Gran Canaria Sail in Winter programme to a close. The Club is backed by Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Hall, Gran Canaria Cabildo, the Spanish, Canary Islands and Gran Canaria sailing federations, and EurILCA.

This year is the first time the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has hosted a Laser Europa Cup event. Run by EurILCA (European Region of International Laser Class Association), the Europa Cup is a series of 23 regattas at 23 venues throughout Europe.

For this inaugural race of Europa Cup 2015, the Club will be welcoming EurILCA chairman, Jean Luc Michon.

Sailors who’ve already entered include top names in the class, such as Norwegians Line Flem Host and Celine Herud, Hungary’s María Erdi and Holland’s Dewi Couvert, as well as local figures Martina Reino and Joel Rodríguez, current ISAF Laser Radial youth world champions.

In Laser Standard, the men’s Olympic category, the duel between Mallorca’s Joan Cardona and Gran Canaria’s Joel Rodríguez will be interesting. Both sailors are hoping to secure the only place on the Spanish Olympic team reserved for a youth sailor in the Laser class.

The country with most EurILCA members is Italy (750). Spain has 271 members and France has 474.

Points in the Laser class will count for both events running from 12 to 15 February at RCNGC: the Europa Cup and the Regata de Carnaval. The Carnival race will also include 2.4Rm (Paralympic class), catamarans and 420.

Translated from Spanish by Jane McGrath

Sailors from eight countries have already confirmed their participation in the first event of the Laser Europa Cup series, to be held in Gran Canaria from 13 to 15 February. With just over two weeks before the competition starts in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, entries are coming in steadily.

Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria is organising the Europa Cup Gran Canaria 2015, coinciding with the final international event on the Gran Canaria Sail in Winter programme: Regata de Carnaval – Ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Three race areas are planned for the regattas.

Europa Cup Gran Canaria 2015 will bring together some 80 sailors from all the Laser class categories: the Olympic classes (Standard and Radial) and the beginners’ classes (men’s Laser and 4.7). A bonus of this event is the chance to compete on the home ground of the two current ISAF world youth champions, Martina Reino and Joel Rodríguez, and 4.7 runner-up world champion, Ismael Iess.

Points in the Laser class will count towards both the Europa Cup and the Regata de Carnaval, in which 10 catamarans and around 10 boats in the 2.4mR Paralympic class will also compete.

The host club is backed by Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Hall and Gran Canaria’s Cabildo, in addition to three sailing federations: Real Federación Española de Vela, Federación Canaria de Vela and Federación Insular de Vela de Gran Canaria.

La Regata de Carnaval – Ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is named after the most important festival on the island of Gran Canaria. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Carnival is one of the world’s top carnivals and the regatta will be held during the key days of the festivities. The organisers offer sailors the chance to discover a fiesta that’s quirky, fun and a real crowd puller.

Translated from Spanish by Jane McGrath

This year’s Laser Europa Cup series starts off in Gran Canaria. From 13-15 February, 80 sailors from several locations will be racing in the harbour of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, at the start of a pre-Olympic year.

For the challenge of organising Europa Cup Gran Canaria 2015 and the Regata de Carnaval at the same time, Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria is backed by Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Hall and Gran Canaria’s Cabildo.

Although the Regata de Carnaval is the final race of this season’s Gran Canaria Sail in Winter programme, it’s the first of the 23 races in the Laser Europa Cup series at 23 venues throughout Europe.

All three Laser class categories will be competing in the Europa Cup: 4.7, Radial and Standard. Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria is in a strong position in Laser, one of the world’s most popular sailing classes.

The two current ISAF world youth champions, Martina Reino and Joel Rodríguez, belong to the RCNGC sailing club.

Martina is first on the Spanish ranking and is a member of the Spanish pre-Olympic team, although Spain still has to secure its place as a country in both Radial and Standard (the girls’ Olympic category).

Joel Rodríguez is not only ISAF world youth champion, but also ILCA youth champion and EurILCA European youth champion.

This year he’s making his first bid for a place in the Spanish Pre-Olympic team, along with more experienced sailor Joaquín Blanco, who’s ending January at the ISAF World Cup Miami after winning three golds in a row at the start of the season.

Other members of the RCNGC sailing team include Ismael Iess, current runner-up world champion in Laser 4.7, and Luis Cabrera, who came sixth at the 4.7 Worlds in Japan.

Catamarans, 2.4 mR (Paralympic class) and Laser  will also be competing at the Regata de Carnaval.

Translated from Spanish by Jane McGrath

Alison Young and Matías GómezAll winners

Joaquín Blanco (RCNGC), Alison Young (British sailing team) and Alfonso Fernández (RCN Tenerife) took the three golds in the Laser class in the International Gran Canaria Trophy (Trofeo Isla de Gran Canaria), which finished today in the bay of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. RCNGC sailor Luis Cabrera won the gold in the men’s Radial and Carlota Sánchez took the gold in the women’s Laser 4.7.

Blanco, member of the Spanish Pre-Olympic team, had a tough win over fellow RCNGC sailor and world youth champion Joel Rodríguez, sewing up a championship that didn’t get off to a great start for him. This is Blanco’s third gold in a row in just over a month, after his wins at the 16th Semana Olímpica Canaria de Vela and the Palamós Christmas Race.

“These results help to boost my confidence and are a step up before the important events I’ve got coming up. I’m off to the world cup in Miami now and then I’ll be back in Gran Canaria for the Regata de Carnaval, followed by the Semana Olímpica de Cádiz, the Spanish Championship in Valencia, and the Trofeo Princesa Sofía, finishing in June with the Olympic class worlds in Canada.”

During the award ceremony, held this afternoon and attended by City Councillor Mimi González (Ciudad de Mar) and the president of the Canary Islands Sailing Federation, Joaquín Blanco, RCNGC president Óscar Bergasa commented on the presence of 12 boats in the 2.4mR Paralympic class, saying that, in his opinion, this consolidates the club’s support for disabled sailing.

Representatives from 16 countries took part in the international regatta, the third event of the Gran Canaria Sail in Winter programme, organised by Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria with the support of the Gran Canaria Cabildo and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria City Hall.

The third and final day of competition started as expected, with 10-12 knot winds and a heavy swell, but as the day wore on the winds shifted from northeast to southeast. The drop in the wind intensity meant all scheduled races could be held.

Joel Rodríguez, who fought until the final day for first place in Laser Standard and ended up with the silver, said his result was “very positive”. At the end of the race he said that the most important thing was to take advantage of the chance to train with top sailors.

His next event is the Regata de Carnaval, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the final race in the Gran Canaria Sail in Winter programme and the first in the Laser Europa Cup series. Just a few days later, he’ll be sailing in the Semana Olímpica Andaluza, the second race that counts towards the Spanish Pre-Olympic team after the Canary Islands Olympic Sailing Week.

The gold in Laser Radial was for British Olympic sailor Alison Young, who came fifth in London in 2012. She had a poor start in the Canary Islands event but came through on the second and third days, taking first place.

RCNGC sailor Luis Cabrera, silver in the overall Laser Radial and gold in the men’s, said “I knew I had a chance, but I knew I had some tough competition as well”.

Cabrera mentioned the importance of the wind shifts during the race and was positive about his results as he looks forward to his next race, at the Canary Islands Radial championship, in Tenerife.

Alfonso Fernández, from Tenerife, took the gold in Laser 4.7, a class initially led by RCNGC sailor Patricia Reino. As expected, Sweden’s Hans Asklund won in the 2.4mR Paralympic class, with five firsts in the eight races held. The first Spanish competitor was Pablo García, in seventh place.

The crew of Nahuel Rodríguez (RCNGC) and Nicolás Rodríguez (RCN Vigo) won the gold in 470, a class with few competitors at this event.

In Techno (boards), the victory went to Britain’s Joshua Carey. Magüi Suárez (RCNGC), the top Spanish Techno competitor and the only girl in this class, took the silver.

 Translated from Spanish by Jane McGrath