Spanish Catamaran Championships 2024: A-Cat, Hobie 16 & F18

by Editor · Published May 28, 2024 · Updated July 15, 2024

–

Images Real Club Náutico Valencia and Pablo Gutierrez Lara / Campeonato de España Clase Catamaranes

This past weekend the main Spanish Catamaran Classes had their Narional Championhips at the Real Club Náutico Valencia. We reported on the F18, find below complete report for the event by Rafael Martín-Prat de Abreu / ADECAT.

The 2024 Spanish Catamaran Championships at Real Club Náutico de Valencia

From May 23rd to May 26th, the 2024 Spanish Catamaran Championship took place at the Real Club Náutico de Valencia. The championship featured exciting racing across several categories: A Class Open, A Class Classic, F18, and Hobie 16.

Race Format: The regatta followed a windward-leeward course, with a twist: three laps for A Class and F18, and two laps for Hobie 16.

Weather Conditions:

Day 1: The winds blew from the northeast at 12 to 14 knots, accompanied by long waves.

Day 2: Winds intensified to 12 to 16 knots, with gusts reaching 20 knots and challenging waves. A tough situation for A Class catamarans, which struggled to fly upwind and skimming mode for downwind. Other categories faced fewer complications.

Day 3: Winds eased to 8 to 11 knots, ideal for A Class sailors.

Participating Nations: The event attracted 33 boats from various parts of Spain, France, Ireland, and the USA.

Highlights by Category:

A Class:

After two challenging and technical days, the final day brought ideal wind conditions. Manolo Calabria sailed exceptionally fast following by Toni Ballester, and the 3rd day the fleet, both foilers and classics, was tightly packed.

F18:

The F18 category showcased a high level of competition. The Arguies duo, Pablo Völker and Federico Polimeni, dominated the entire championship with a perfect score. They previously achieved the same feat at the F18 French Nationals 2024. Their performance makes them strong contenders for the 2024 F18 Worlds at Ballena Alegre.

Other notable crews from abroad of Spain included Emeric Dary and David Fanouillere (France, 3rd place), Louis Couraud and Martin Chavanon (France, 7th place), Wyatt Orsmond and Arturo Martinez Moratilla (Ireland, 8th place), and USA: Ravi Nayan Parent and Lena Weisskichel, who unfortunately missed the championship due to an injury sustained during training. We hope for Ravi swifts recovery ahead of the 2024 Worlds.
.

Hobie 16:
Luis Guareschi and Maite Bilbao led the championship from the start, demonstrating incredible performance.

Check complete results sheets here

All images courtesy of Pablo Gutierrez Lara / Campeonato de España Clase Catamaranes, with data provided by Rafael Martín-Prat de Abreu / ADECAT.

Upcoming Event:

The Spanish F18 Association will organize the 2024 F18 Worlds. For more information, visit ballena-alegre.com/costabrava/events/f18-world-championship-2024/

Additional Photos:

Explore more pictures on ADECAT’s Instagram Page and ADECAT’s Facebook Page.