The Portuguese Fifty by Storax sailing right behind the canary Adrián Hotels in Barcelona waters. Photo: Oscar Terrades

The Catalan Rats on Fire will fight tomorrow for its eighth Conde Godó Sail Trophy and the fifth consecutive, in ORC 0-1, but the Portuguese Five by Storax and the Maserati Balear will make it very difficult in Barcelona waters, on the last day of competition of the 44 Conde Godó Sail Trophy. In J80, the Moviistar-Bribon is aimed at victory, although it cannot be taken away from a very competitive fleet and very fast evidence. In ORC 2, L'Immens is already almost mathematical winner, while in ORC 3-4 the Fanytas has near its second consecutive victory.

The clouds of today's Barcelona sky have caused some headaches in the fleet of 47 boats from eight countries that take part in the 44 Sail Trophy Count of Godó. In the four groups, the first two sleeves have been completed, with point exits at noon and winds of between 8 and 10 knots of SO component intensity, but at the end of the second race there has been a large role because of some stormy clouds. From then on, the wind has fallen and won in instability. For the J80 the third test has been released up to two times, but in both cases it has had to be overturned by wind direction changes. In the end, around five o'clock all the ships have returned to the facilities of the Real Club Nautico de Barcelona.

In J80, Marc's Bribón-Movistar of Antonio and Sofia Bertrand is today more leader than yesterday, after signing in the sleeves of the day a third and a first, his fourth partial win already in the championship. The Catalan ship now takes eight points to its immediate pursuit, which is the Pelayo Abogados Marbella Team of Pepequin Orbaneja, defender of last year's title. Orbaneja has improved considerably today; he has won the first assault and in the next he has entered second, partial that have served him to raise a position in the classification, advancing the Jeniale- Eurosystem of Italian Massimo Rama. In the fourth square is the VSA Communication by José María Van der Ploeg, just two points from the provisional podium.

In ORC 0-1, despite having had to make up for two third parties today, the Swan 45 Rats on Fire of the Catalan shipowner Rafael Carbonell, who patrons the regatist of Lanzarote Rayco Tabares, maintains the lead. Yesterday he was tied with the DK46 R-Motion by Jaime Monjo, but today this competitive ship has punctured and gone down to the fourth square, already unhung from the fight for the podium. Instead, the best has been the Portuguese team Fifty by Storax, which under the command of Rui Ramada and on board a First 50 has scored to its locker a first and a second. The Rats on Fire will fight in tomorrow's trials for its eighth title as winner of the Sailing Trophy Conde Godó, and the fifth in a row, but it takes the Portuguese boat in only three points, and in four to the third classified, which is the DK46 Maserati balar (sailed by Puerto Portals), armed by Alvaro Ivila and with Olympic champion Fernando León of pattern.

"We are very satisfied with our second in the provisional classification," said Miguel Torrao, of the Fifth by Storax- is much better than we expected. This is the first time we have come to the Godó and we are all amateurs, so we are happy to be able to fight for victory with the Rats on Fire. But we'll see, we'll go day by day. "

The Synergy 40 L'Immens of Alexandre Laplaza, with Carles Rodríguez of pattern, is the absolute dominator of ORC 2. Today he has chained up two more first, and there are already four. After taking the bronze in the waters of Barcelona last year, in the absence of the day of tomorrow he is already almost the mathematical winner of this edition of the Count of Godó, as he accumulates a ten-point profit on the second, the Salona 37 Vertida Dos de Antonio Guasch. Third, tied with Vertido dos, is the British BH36 Saiola X.

"We have applied some change in the ship that has allowed us to improve the rating and make larger candles, which I now think we are sailing faster," explained Carles Rodríguez, L'Immens' pattern.

In ORC 3-4, the Dufour 34 Fanytas also has a full of four first. The ship patrolled by Ingrid Banus takes four points to the second ranked, which remains the Bavaria 36 Tibere.

Tomorrow the last day of competition of the 44 Sailing Trophy Conde Godó will be held. The departure is scheduled for 12 hours, and cannot take place later than 2.30 hours, so it is expected that two sleeves will be completed if the wind is accompanied. The focus will certainly be on the groups ORC 0-1 and J80, where the emotion will be maximum for the siren with which the winner of the Count of Godó Trophy is awarded. The champions will be honored at the award ceremony, scheduled for 17 hours in the village of the Real Club Nautico in Barcelona.

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 and Grupo Godó, the Generalitat de Catalunya and the Ajuntment of Barcelona. They are institutional sponsors Gramona, Estrella Damm and Veri, and collaborators London No. 3, King's Ginger, Royal Bliss, Survitec Group, Gill and VIP Style Magazine.