The Ceuta Yes has again been the great dominator of the Strait of Gibraltar crossing

The victory in the journey between Ceuta and Algeciras has allowed the Grand Surprise Ceuta Yes of Sergio Llorca to award the absolute triumph in the IV Regata Strait Challenge, Memorial Joseba Eguidazu. The second and third place of the general is for Dufour 34 Altarik IV by Jose Luis Pérez Navarro and Comfortina 32 Amor Fati by Rafael Ruiz, respectively. By class the winners are the Ceuta Yes in ORC 2 and the Altarik IV in ORC 3, while in Reduced Crew the Voyage 12.5 Queen Veli of Agapito Calvo wins.

The desire to face a new crossing of the Strait and to address differences in classification raised the tension at the time of departure with numerous offline that forced the Committee to raise black flag for the second attempt. And yet, six were the ships that rushed into the procedure by fitting a disqualified in their markers.

With this desire it was 24 ships that began the return to the peninsula, on a 15-mile tour in which the rising wind did not want to miss, giving away intensities from between the 6-7 knots of the exit to the 15-17 of the center of the channel.

Gennakers and codes 0 were plotted after the detour section by speeding up navigation while the fleet was positioning and attacking the Strait according to its different tactical options.

And the line of arrival, at the Ensenada de Guetares, was the judge of the decisions made recognizing the supremacy of the Grand Surprise Ceuta Sí by Sergio Llorca that managed to overcome the Dufour 34 Al Tarik IV of José Luis Pérez Navarro, leader after yesterday's test.

Both ships led the general classification in their respective classes, ORC 2 and 3, while the Voyage 12.5 Queen Veli of Agapito Calvo was imposed on the reduced crew. Ceuta Yes and Queen Veli were also the winners of today's test, Ceuta-Algeciras, in ORC 2 and Reduced, being the Bavaria 34 Cruise Viejo Lobo, by Juan José Leiva, the protagonist of the day in ORC 3. A win deserved by the boat of the CDN Saladillo that yesterday, in the very hard race Algeciras- Tarifa-Ceuta, broke the backstay and was forced to withdraw.

The crews showed their satisfaction at the end of the test, after enjoying two intense days of navigation in which the race field of the Strait of Gibraltar has been plethora, with a consistent lift, at times a bit cruel but, in the end, perfect for this great challenge posed by the Strait Challenge-Memorial Joseba Eguidazu that already begins to track its fifth edition.

Upon their arrival on the peninsula, the participants enjoyed the hospitality of the RCN of Algeciras, which received them with a marine meal. The trophy ceremony ended the fourth edition of the Strait Challenge in an emotional act in which the memory of Joseba Eguidazu was again very present. The School of Sailing of the RCN of Algeciras previously carried out the delivery of diplomas to the children in initiation in the Optimist class that completed a race in the vicinity of the club next to the elders to be also the leading champions of the Strait Challenge 2017.

10 / 06 / 2017 - Altarik IV by José Luis Pérez, provisional leader of the IV Strait Challenge

The Altarik IV in action at the time of the exit of the Strait Challenge.

The Dufour 34 Altarik IV of Jose Luis Pérez Navarro is imposed as the provisional leader of the IV Regata Strait Challenge at the end of the first stage Algeciras-Tarifa-Ceuta. In the general classification, the Grand Surprise Ceuta Yes of Sergio Llorca and the First 36.7 Moon VI of Antonio Infante are located in the second and third place, respectively, and by class, the Ceuta Yes wins in ORC 2 and the Altarik IV in ORC 3, while the Sun Fast 36 Kouko of Pedro Butron is first in the class with Reduced Tripulation.

34 vessels, 6 of them with reduced crew, took this morning the exit of the IV Strait Challenge from Algeciras to Ceuta. A whole challenge that has led the fleet to fight even with strong winds of rise in its way through the brand of La Peña, in front of the beach of Los Lances in Tarifa.

Thus, the first 17.5 miles of the tour, along the coast of the Campo de Gibraltar, took place in a crescendo in the light of the smooth path to leave the Tentada de Getares. The adrenaline went up to each surfed at the same rate as the rise increased and the average wind of the output tripled in Tarifa. Engaged in a hard fight both boat-to-boat and in front of the elements that were saved with several withdrawals, as the breakages of material and a long list of repairs for the sailing are accumulated.

After the La Peña beacon, things weren't gonna get any easier. The fleet turned its back on the Atlantic with 25.5 miles to Ceuta. He played to save the sea traffic separation device of the Strait, the merchant highway vetted for the race, which brought them back to the vicinity of Punta Carnero.

Slimmer conditions, although not down from the 12-15 knots of wind and sea from less to more benevolent, led to the line of arrival at the entrance of the Marina Hercules de Ceuta marina.

As planned, it was a fast race and after 4: 00 in the afternoon there was the first entry for the largest ship in the fleet, Melilla City.

The Vela Vendaval Club received the fleet with the hospitality of which it always gala and enjoyed it with a reception on the terrace of the restaurant El Cielo, where the trophy of this first section of the IV Strait Challenge was held.

Tomorrow Sunday from 10: 30 hours the fleet will complete the second and last section of the race with the return to Algeciras in direct direction. The meteorological part keeps the rising wind with an intensity of 12 knots to complete the 15 miles of sea that bind both sides. On arrival of the ships the crews will be received in the RCN of Algeciras with a marine meal after which will be held the delivery of trophies to the winners of the final general.

The IV Strit Challenge, the second notable test for the High Cruise Andalusian Championship, has the organization of the RCN of Algeciras, the Federation of Ceuta Sailing and the Vendaval Sailing Club, with the main sponsorship of Audi, Ceuta Yes and Active Sea.

09 / 06 / 2017 - The Strait of Gibraltar prepares to receive the IV Strit Challenge

Poster of the Strait Challenge, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar.

After the celebration just two weeks ago of the XL Regata Mar de Alborán, this weekend will take place the second punctuable test for the Championship of Andalusia of Cruise of Height with the celebration of the IV Regata Strait Challenge between Algeciras, Tarifa, Ceuta and return to Algeciras.

Much younger than the race organized by the CN El Candado, the Strait Challenge has become worthy of a place in the official testing calendar of the Andalusian Federation of Vela, where it is consolidated as one of the necessary cruise tests of the season for its attractiveness and sports rigor. The Strit Challenge Regata represents a real challenge and challenge for the sailors so it means crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, marked by features that make it one of the most complex places to navigate due to its currents, tides, normally strong winds, low near the coast, sea traffic and other weather particularities that must face the fleet with smell and good doses of technique.

In total it will be 40 miles from the exit at the Tensada de Getares to the autonomous city of Ceuta, after boarding a regulatory step in front of the beaches of Tarifa and the campsite Torre de La Peña. The departure is scheduled at 10: 00 hours on this Saturday, June 10, but to know the arrival in Ceuta, we will have to wait for the wind regime that will mark the sabbath day. In this respect, the meteorological part announces lifting winds that can exceed 20 knots of intensity. After overnight in the autonomous city, the fleet will start the way back on Sunday with a direct direction to Algeciras.

Among the registered, the JV49 City of Melilla of Jose Luis Pérez, winner of the XL Regata Mar de Alborán; the Grand Surprise Ceuta Yes, patronized by Sergio Llorca, ready to revalidate the title achieved in the previous edition; the Dufour 34 Al Tarik IV of José Luís Pérez- Navarro, which last year sealed in the Strait Challenge its triumph in the Championship of Andalusia of Cruises of Altura and was second in the general, or the Old Wolf, Bavaria 34 of Juan José Leiva that imposed in ORC.

There will also be another year the First 40.7 Noticia Two, with an undesired protagonism due to the recent death of its shipowner and patron, Joseba Eguidazu, to whom regains and fleet dedicate this fourth edition in a sense tribute to the memory of which it was one of the drivers of the Strait Challenge at its beginning.

Two days from the start, the organization announces more than thirty ships in the line of departure of this test organized by the RCN of Algeciras, the Federation of Ceuta Sailing, the Club of Vela Vendaval, Ceuta Yes and Active Sea, counting on the endorsement of the Andalusian and the Junta of Andalusia for being for the second consecutive year a valid test for the autonomous ranking. The ships will wave flags of clubs of Melilla, Málaga, Fuengirola, El Candado, Marbella, Algeciras, La Línea and Cadiz, promising a hard struggle for triumph in the different classes.

And Ceuta will also be the destination of the third and final test of the Championship of Andalusia of Cruise of Height, which will come to an end on October 28 with the V Regata Fuengirola-Ceuta that organizes the CN Fuengirola together with the Ceuti and Andalusian federations of Vela.

Programme IV Strait Challenge Memorial Joseba Eguidazu

Friday, 9 June
20: 00. Meeting of Patrons
21: 00. Welcome cocktail
Saturday, 10 June
10: 00. Departure Regata Algeciras-Tarifa-Ceuta
21: 00. Regatist reception and dinner with trophy delivery in Ceuta
Sunday, 11 June
10: 00. Meeting of patterns
11: 00. Departure Regata Ceuta-Algeciras
15: 00. Marine food and trophy delivery in the RCN Algeciras