This Canary Islands Day in La Palma has brought gentle winds, between 10 and 15 knots, blowing in the bay of the Palmesian capital, guiding the more than 80 boats that sailed its waters towards the "May 30 Canary Islands Day" Trophy. However, waves between 1 and 2 meters high have complicated the journey for the young sailors from 5 of the 8 islands. "Considering how small the boats in the Optimist sailing category are, it is incredible to see so many young people surf any wave, it is something that we Canarians have in our blood," says the president of the Canary Islands Sailing Federation, Rafael Bonilla, an entity that organizes the event together with the Cabildo de La Palma and with the support of Naviera Armas. The final of the Canary Islands Sailing Championship has had the special visit of the Minister of Sports and Tourism of the island council, Raúl Camacho, who is convinced that "as islanders we cannot live without the sea and sailing is a unique sensation."
The two days lived on the occasion of Canary Islands Day in La Palma have shown that the Canary Islands youth of all the islands have sailing in their veins. All the fleets have sailed in unison and special effort has been put into "bringing together so many young Canarians on a day like today, although we hope to have sailors from El Hierro and La Gomera on the next occasion," says the technical director of the Federation, Guiomar Bonilla. The Península de Jandía Yacht Club (Morro Jable) has participated both days of the regatta with 3 sailors: Acoidan Cabrera, Aitamy Cabrera and Abian Pérez Cabrera. "For us it has been an experience in which we have been able to continue learning and strengthening positive attitudes," says their coach, Pedro Torres.
Five of the sailors who have passed to the Medal Race are from Lanzarote
This Canary Islands Sailing Championship is an indicator that the Canary Islands youth has potential as sailors, and so it has been lived this May 30 during the Medal Race that has been disputed between the Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Tenerife fleets. "We are very happy, 5 of the sailors who have passed to the Medal Race are from Lanzarote, I think we have all felt very comfortable in La Palma and they have been very playful regattas," says Jorge Padilla de Armas, coach of Miguel Álvarez, who has snatched the title of champion of the Canary Islands from Ernesto Saavedra from Tenerife, also finishing second in the general classification. "Miguel has remained very stable and safe during all the races, even in several disputes with Ernesto," clarifies his coach.
However, it has been the girls who have dominated the championship, especially the Gran Canaria native Patricia Caballero who crowns the general classification and the title of champion of the Canary Islands in the women's sub-16 category. "It has been a spectacular event, with the climax of a tight Medal Race, but it has been very nice to celebrate a title in this last race and, also, being Canary Islands Day, very happy for my sailors who have had a good performance," says her coach, Juan Curbelo.
The third place in the general is occupied by another Lanzarote native, Andrés J. Betancort, who is also runner-up in the sub-16 category. "Andrés has shone in the Medal Race and has made very good starts, as has Yerove Rodríguez, who has felt very comfortable and, most importantly, has enjoyed it," explains his instructor, Jonás de la Cruz. In his opinion, "both have had very bad luck with the penalties." From his same team, he has highlighted Ayoset Vega as the youngest sailor and first in the sub-11 category, although there was no prize for this modality. "With his young age he has surprised us all given the harsh conditions," adds de la Cruz.
Among the under 13s (sub-13 category) the title of champion of the Canary Islands has been maintained by Marta Mansito from Tenerife in the women's category and Gustavo del Castillo from Gran Canaria in the men's category. It should be noted that these young sailors were left at the gates of the Medal Race, occupying the 11th and 12th positions in the ranking, "something that says a lot about their strengths as sailors, being at the level of the most experienced and that ensures the level of the base of the Optimist class for the coming years," says Guiomar Bonilla.
"In the Canary Islands we have the perfect courts but we lack rackets"
In this competition 6 Optimist boats from La Palma have participated, the island team currently being composed of more than 30 members, who are "very happy" to be able to sail with other sailors from the islands, a unique experience that has helped them to improve and realize that, as their coaches say, they need to go out more to compete outside, since "we are used to being few boats and we do well thinking that we are only 5, and this time we have been almost 100," says Pacuco Díaz, coach of the La Palma team. In his words, each municipality that has an entrance to the sea should promote this sport, although it is true that "we would not have sailing without the economic support of the Cabildo de La Palma and the management of the federation," adds his other coach, Carlos López.
The essence of sailing and sailing is also felt in Canary Islands companies such as Naviera Armas, which have been supporting this sport so rooted in the Canary Islands for more than two decades. The social commitment that the Canary Islands Sailing Federation has with its sailors is "impressive", says Darío Dorta, sponsorship director of Naviera Armas. In his opinion, the unconditional support, care and accompaniment of all these young people is palpable, "it can be denoted even in all the sanitary measures implemented in this competition and the effort to bring together sailors from all the islands on such a special day as this." For the representative of the shipping company, it is a "pride" to be able to promote this sport and its values in the islands, and especially the fact that it is inclusive, with almost 50% of female sailors.