The Whale Museum of the Canary Islands, skippered by Alfredo Morales, has been proclaimed the brilliant champion of the Spanish Cup of the J-80 class, which ended today in Puerto Calero, on the Canary Island of Lanzarote. The boat of the Club de Mar de Puerto Calero took the lead in the general standings on the first day, a position it did not relinquish. Second place went to Rayco Tabares' Princesa Yaiza and third place to Gustavo Martínez Doreste's JJ Palmensis Jeep Lanzarote.
Morales' boat has been the most consistent with a second, a first and two thirds, discarding its worst result, which was a fourth place. It has undoubtedly been one of the great surprises of this Spanish Cup, as it has won with authority against the big favorites, such as the 2007 Spanish champion held in these same waters, Rayco Tabares with the Hotel Princesa Yaiza, the current Spanish champion 2008 held in Santander a month and a half ago, Gustavo Martínez Doreste with the Lupa of César Obregón -which in Puerto Calero has finished sixth- and local crew members and good connoisseurs of the waters and winds of Lanzarote such as Leonardo Armas, skipper of the Centro Óptico Rade, who has finished fourth, Nano Negrín with the Brues y Fernández who has been sixth or Carlos Morales with the Ikos, seventh.
It has been a Spanish Cup full of alternatives, where the Regatta Committee has had to be very attentive, since during the first two days the roles were the order of the day. In the end, five races have been held, very open and competitive, and this is demonstrated by the fact that there have only been three points of difference between the second and fifth classified.
The Centro Óptico Rade won the first race and was always in the podium zone, but in the penultimate day it broke its partials and this left it out, meanwhile the Hotel Princesa Yaiza and the JJ Palmensis-Jeep Lanzarote went from less to more and were about to assault the leadership, especially the boat of Gustavo Martínez Doreste where an offside in the penultimate race prevented him from fighting for the Spanish Cup. On the last day, the strong north wind of more than 30 knots and with gusts of 40 made the Regatta Committee decide to keep the fleet ashore and at 12 noon the championship was ended.
The brand new winner of the Spanish Cup, Alfredo Morales, was very happy for this first national title he has achieved: "We are happy and surprised, there was a very high level and we were able to hold on until the end. Also for me it is a double satisfaction as it is the first title I win at national level and I have been able to do it with my children in the crew". The champion team was formed by Alfredo Morales González, Alfredo Morales Pérez, Andrea Morales Pérez, Carlos Hernández and Ángel Montero.
FINAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Whale Museum of the Canary Islands, Alfredo Morales, 2-1-(4)-3-3, 9 points
2. Hotel Princesa Yaiza, Rayco Tabares, 5-5-2-(10)-2, 14 points
3. JJ Palmensis Jeep, Gustavo Martínez Doreste, 4-3-(OCS)-7-1, 15 points
4. Centro Óptico Rade, Leonardo Armas, 1-8-3-4-(17), 16 points
5. Lupa, David Madrazo, 10-2-(15)-1-4, 17 points
6. Brues y Fernández, Nano Negrín, 3-10-7-5-(12), 25 points
7. Ikos, Carlos Morales, 6-4-6-(9)-9, 25 points
8. Marina Rubicón I, Gonzalo Morales, 8-9-(16)-8-8, 33 points
9. Marina Rubicón II, Rafael Lasso, (15)-7-1-11-15, 34 points
10. Play 3 Islands, Sergio Morales, 7-(DNF)-8-13-7, 35 points
