Rafael Carbonell's Rats on Fire has five consecutive wins in the Catalan race. Photo: Alfred Farré

Of the almost 50 boats from eight countries that are gathered from tomorrow in the waters of Barcelona to fight the 44 Sailing Trophy Conde Godó, one of them stands out in its own right, for accumulating up to seven championship titles in the prestigious regatta of the Real Club Nautico of Barcelona, the last four in a consecutive way. It is the Rats on Fire, a team that makes the Catalan Rafael Carbonell and that lead the canaries Rayco Tabares and Noluco Doreste, and that will take tomorrow the exit of the first races ready to maintain the crown.

The title advocates in the class ORC 0-1, the largest fleet of ships of the four groups that compete in the Sail Trophy Conde Godó, the Swan 45 Rats on Fire is the third team that the most trophies Conde de Godó accumulates in this historic race, the dean of cruises of the Spanish Sail, which has been held since 1974. Only two teams (which are no longer active) have better hands in this prestigious competition, the Bribon of José Cusí and SM King Juan Carlos (with 11 wins) and the Lupa of César Obregón (with eight Godós, seven of them in a row).

"We are very excited to be able to fight for our eighth title of the Godó champions, and the fifth consecutive, and I am very confident that we can achieve it," Rafael Carbonell explained this morning, that for the challenge he trusts almost the same crew as last year, with the lanzaroteño Rayco Tabares a la cane and the grancanario Noluco Doreste as responsible for the tactic.

"Moreover," he added, "we have recovered our favorite timer, who has spent a season in Canada, and the last two years we have missed it. I think we have the team and also the material, but victory depends on many factors, such as luck."

Luck did not accompany them last year at the King's Cup, where they were ranked in the fifth position. And the winner in Palma, the DK46 Maserati of the Olympic champions Fernando León and Domingo Manrique, premiered this year in the Sail Trophy Conde Godó.

"Yes, of course it is a rival to take into account - it has admitted the shipowner of the Rats on Fire- and the local team factor does not count, because they know the regatta field of Barcelona as well as we do. Other teams will also be rivals, so we will have to make every effort and try not to make mistakes."

In the battle for the ORC-1 podium, it will also be necessary to take into account the R-Motion of Jaime Monjo, which is another DK 46 like the Maserati, the TP52 Audax of Toni Guiu and Pablo Garriga, the First 50 Fifty by Storax of Portuguese Rui Ramada, and the new Sydney 43 Adrián Hotels Macaronesia of the Tinerfeño Daniel Adrián. "We have acquired a new ship," said Adrián, "which in the 2015 season went up to the podium in 8 of the 10 races in which it participated. It is a winning ship, although we know that there are still hours to sail."

Today's day, Thursday, is dedicated to the registration of participants and the latest preparations. The races of the 44 Sail Trophy Conde Godó begin tomorrow, Friday, at 2.30 p.m., for the four fleets: ORC 0-1, ORC 2, ORC 3-4 and J80. From Friday to Sunday, a total of eight tests have been scheduled for the ORC and nine for the J80. The award will take place on Sunday at 5 p.m.

Organized by the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona with the collaboration of the Real Federación Española de Vela and Federació Catalana de Vela, the 44 Sail Trophy Conde Godó has the support of La Vanguardia, the Ajuntment de Barcelona and the Generalitat de Catalunya. They are collaborators Gramona, Estrella Damm, Nº3, Royal Bliss, Survitec Group, VIP Style Magazine, Veri, King's Ginger and Gill.