Nacra 17 Worlds 2014 @Santander: Besson-Riou Champs x2

All images courtesy of SailingEnergy.com . Excellent work for Jesús, Bárbara and Pedro, if weren´t for them high quality and quantity iamges for these Worlds would have been scarce across all classes. Still don´t get how ISAF didn´t hire them officially, more being locals | 
—
What a Medal Race, collisions, changes of leads, and silver medal definitions by cms with Jones-saunders getting ahead Waterhouse-Darmanin at the finish line, also with Lange-Carranza leading all the way to lose the Medal to Santi’s apprentice, Mathias Buhler.

Great show provided by the Nacra 17s after the Finn Medal Race. It is 9pm here in BA, and just finished to see the Live feedback replay, as we we spent the day racing F18.

Off the Scale: Billy Besson and Marie Riou repeat 2013 World Title, and they Nr 1 favorites for Rio right now by a great margin. By far best sailors in the fleet.

But just when you thought the fleet was stabilized on the top contenders, 53yrs Old Santiago Lange & Cecilia Carranza took the podium by storm to score a Silver Medal after so little time sailing together and even less hours for Lange on the Nacra 17, even less hours for Cecilia on Multis.
We were racing F18 at the Rio de la Plata when we knew about their Medal, later at the Club we were all talking about them. We are so proud of Santi and Ceci, that have secured the slot for Argentina two years ahead from Rio.

On Santi, what can I say, he with Camau Espinola were one of the reason I got involved with Multis in 2002, Oldest competitor in SAntander now he is holding a record not many ever will have (Just Bundock is capable to match/surpass this Multuhull Class combo):  Two Olympic Medals + a World Title on Tornado,  now Silver Worlds Nacra 17 plus a ticket to Rio, and still much to come…

Third place for Australians Waterhouse & Darmanin, these two are showing their potential since their Hobie 16 days, and are a huge threat for Bundock-Curtis to see who will represent Australia in Rio 2016.

Italians Vittorio Bissaro & Silvia Sicouri were 2nd before the Medal Race, did a great port start but were in the middle of the fleet when they got delayed on the collision bowling rebound cause by Vaireux.

The main aspect of this event though are the 10 slots assigned for Rio 2016, and the Italians have secured their country one. The 10 Slots for Rio 2016 have been awarded already are :

1 FRA , 2 ARG , 3 AUS ,4 ITA, 5 NZL, 6 SUI, 7 GBR, 8 DEN, 9 AUT, 10 NED
Medal Race replay at https://catsailingnews.com/2014/09/isaf-santander-worlds-2014-final-day.html from 4:08

Arg Youths:
On Mitch’s comments on Buhler, he said Matias was Santi’s Coach for Beijing, in fact it was more of helping at large and coordinating and of course giving coaching feedback, but not in a sense of a long time experience coach. It is Santi’s way to give new talented Youths a chance to acquire knowledge, as now he is doing with Mateo Madjalani. Mateo is labeled as ‘Coach’ for Santander, and although he is a super talented kid who ended helming the AC45, you will get that is not coaching Santi & Ceci in the whole sense of the word.

He is there to learn. Look what this method did for Buhler years later he coached Santi at Beijing, he is now one of the top Nacra 17 helms, 3rd last year and a slot secured for Rio to fight for the Olympic medals against Master Lange. Only problem and due to lack of support he is racing for SUI now..

Seeding with youths is the only way to secure your legacy will stand in time. But the main responsibility it is always from the local Federations, and they a re the ones responsible to secure new generations replacing the currents ones.

Top ten below, Full results Here