After having organized the first event of the season in Puerto Calero, Lanzarote, Daniel Calero's team, Calero Sailing Team, is participating this week in the fourth, and penultimate event of the 44Cup 2024 in Brunnen, on Lake Uri (Lake Lucerne), in the heart of Switzerland, which will be held over the next four days (from Thursday, August 22 to Sunday, August 26).
Amazed by the magnificent enclave among the imposing mountains of the Swiss Alps, all participants agree that this is, without a doubt, one of the most picturesque enclaves on the circuit in its 16 years of existence. This Wednesday, the nine competing teams, including Team Aqua and Peninsula Racing with their brand new RC44s, participated in the official training regattas, which included several practice starts and three short races.
For the Calero Sailing Team, this day was shortened by a stay breakage, which thanks to the team's skill, did not have major consequences and the mast did not break, which would have been a major handicap to face the rest of the competition.
“In the first race, at the windward mark we turned in fourth position after a penalty, so we are very happy with the performance of the boat”, confessed tactician Alfredo González. “But then, in the jibe, the vertical stay bottle broke.” When this happens, the result is often that the mast falls because it is unsupported. Fortunately, the rapid action of the experienced Calero Sailing Team crew prevented this. “The rigging is fine because we jibed very quickly to save the mast”, continues González.
Apart from the technical problem, González was satisfied with how the renewed Calero Sailing Team is coming together and working together, something important since half of the crew is new for this event, including former America's Cup crew member of the Spanish Challenge, Nano Negrín (mainsail trimmer); Laser Radial sailor from London 2012/Rio 2016 Alicia Cebrián (navigator); European Finn champion, Miguel Fernández (grinder), and Nico Rodríguez (jib trimmer), bronze medalist in 470 at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Also sailing within the confines of a lake, surrounded by giant mountains, makes tactics very challenging, although this challenge is something that the former Snipe world champion enjoys: “The conditions on the lake are curious; we didn't expect the wind to be so strong. But I am very happy. We need to go the right way. I hope we have the same conditions all week”, says González.
Enjoying her first regatta in the RC44 is Alicia Cebrián, also from the Canary Islands, although from Tenerife instead of Lanzarote. “I like it a lot!” says Cebrián about the RC44 regattas. “It's a very fun and very competitive fleet. I am very happy to be here. This place is very, very beautiful and the conditions for sailing are difficult, but very good…” On board, she helps Alfredo González with tactics and navigation, a task not easy at all on this dramatic lake.
