This Saturday, October 29, the first event of the Spanish Sailing League of 2022 began in Altea, and there are still two days of competition left. Of the ten teams prescribed, seven finally participated: RCN Arrecife, the only Canary Islands team and current titleholder, CN El Balís (Catalonia), CN Arenal (Balearic Islands), and the rest are from the Valencian community with the RCN de Torrevieja, RCN de Calpe, RCN Valencia, and the host, CN Altea. This Spanish Sailing League is organized by the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, the Altea Yacht Club, and the Arenal Yacht Club.
On the first day, a total of 10 races were sailed, with very light wind conditions. The races are very intense with very short windward-leeward courses, which makes the competition between the teams maximum. They sail with direct judgment in the water thanks to the work of two referees, and in this way, protests on land are avoided, and those who commit an infraction are obliged to self-penalize as soon as possible.
As is usual in this Spanish Sailing League, the competition system is very interesting and very rare in our country. All the teams sail in the same boats provided by the organization, and the crews rotate from boat to boat, which on this occasion are the Platú 25. In this way, what is rewarded is the good sailing of the sailors and not so much the set-up and the material. The first two days serve to obtain a provisional classification, and the last is for the final phase in which the best classified teams will race. After the event that is being sailed in Altea, the competition continues in S'Arenal (Mallorca) from December 16 to 18, and after the joint classification of both events, we will know who are the two teams that will defend the national flag in the European Sailing League 2023.
The Canary Islands team "Lanzarote European Sports Destination" (RCN Arrecife) started with a 4th place, which was their worst result, but it helped the young Lanzaroteños to get used to the boat and improve their maneuvers. In the rest of the races, they did not get off the podium with very good partials 1st, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, 1st and 1st. Provisionally placing themselves on the third step of the podium just 2.5 points behind the leader (RCN Torrevieja) and 0.5 points behind the second classified (RCN Valencia).
The equality between the teams is maximum, and in the same way that the slightest failure is paid dearly, it is also possible to come back and climb positions in the same race. Pedro de León, trimmer of the "Lanzarote European Sports Destination" shared his impressions after arriving on land: "We are very satisfied with our first day of racing and for having come to Altea to disregard the name of our club and the island of Lanzarote. We had never sailed in the Palto 25 and the 4th in the first race has helped us to get used to the boat. We have done good races and we are very excited to continue in the same line. All the rivals are dangerous and we cannot lower our guard"
