The French classics entered Passages as the first stop of the Nautical Rallye

The ships of the past that take part in the Nautical Rallye so special of the Gitana Cup of Vela have emphasized in Pasaia Donibane, in the gipuzcoano port of Pasajes, where this Saturday they will make tourist visits to the Albaola shipyard to contemplate the construction of a scientific replica of a 16th century whale and the house of Victor Hugo.

The Rallye follows tomorrow to Mutriku, after stopping in San Sebastián where the classic ships will be received at the Royal Nautical Club. Then he arrives on Monday to Bermeo and to Getxo on Tuesday. On Wednesday 23, from the Royal Maritime Club of the Abra-Real Sporting Club, there will be a spectacular Riding Up to the Ria Maritime Museum of Bilbao with a day of open doors. These wonderful ships will return to the Maritime, where they will remain on Thursday 24 on another attractive day of open doors in Getxo before starting the competition a day later.

After the Rallye will come the time of the competition to discover in the Vizcaina waters of the Abra true jewels of the candle. The sailing boats that have gone through the seas for decades and decades take part in a very special edition of the 2017 Gitana Cup for classic, time and spirit of tradition, which will be held to the best of two tests: Friday 25 and Saturday 26 August, with departure scheduled for one afternoon in both days.

The Rallye is organized by the Royal Maritime Club of the Abra-Real Sporting Club, the Yatch Club Classique La Rochelle and Euskal Kirol Portuak. It is sponsored by Bilbao Bizkaia Be Basque, Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, Euskadi Basque Country-Gobierno Vasco, City Council of Getxo (Tourism), Viña Pomal and El Correo. The Ria Maritime Museum of Bilbao, Pasaiako Udala, Pasaia Port, Albaola, the Nautical Club Izkiro, the Real Nautical Club of San Sebastián, the Nautical Club of Hondarribia and the Yatch Club Hendaye are collaborating.

15 / 08 / 2017: New Gitana Cup 2017 in Getxo with Rallye of Classic Boats from Hendaya

The vessels of the past, which have an innate elegance and which are worthy to be admired, are returned to the Basque waters in a very special Gitana Sail Cup that is preceded by a rallye beginning on Thursday 17th in Hendaya.

From this Basque-French town will continue with a journey that then takes place in Pasaia. The rallye follows to Mutriku, previously emphasized in San Sebastián where the classic ships will be received at the Royal Nautical Club. Then it will reach Bermeo and Getxo. On Wednesday 23, from the Royal Maritime Club of the Abra-Real Sporting Club, a spectacular "up the river" to the Ria Maritime Museum of Bilbao with a day of open doors.

The Gitana Cup is the dean of the Spanish races (Photo Pedro Seoane)

The ships will return to the Maritime, where they will remain on Thursday 24 on another attractive day of open doors in Getxo before starting the competition a day later. In the rallye, along with most French ships, the "Artako" and "Iris III" will take part. Other registered ships are the "Arren Chan Passiou," "Eloise II," "Jade," "Kanthaka," "Khayyam," "La Gaillarde," "Lasse," "Ninita," "Rouvelon," "Sapirbelu," "Thalamus," "Tikaroa" or the "Westward of Cynder '." In the waters of Getxo there will be a new edition of which is the oldest sailing race in Spain, the Gitana Cup on the 25th and 26th of August.

The Rallye is organized by the Royal Maritime Club of the Abra-Real Sporting Club, the Yatch Club Classique La Rochelle and Euskal Kirol Portuak. It is sponsored by Bilbao Bizkaia Be Basque, Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, Euskadi Basque Country-Gobierno Vasco, City Council of Getxo (Tourism), Viña Pomal and El Correo. The Ria Maritime Museum of Bilbao, Pasaiako Udala, Pasaia Port, Albaola and the Nautical Club Izkiro are collaborating. This is the program Rallye Barcos Classicas Copa Gitana:

August 17: Beginning of the Classical Boat Rallye in Hendaya
August 18: Arrival in Pasaia
19 August: Tourist visits in Pasaia
20 August: Arrival in Mutriku, reception at the Real Club Náutico de San Sebastián
August 21: Arrival in Bermeo.
August 22: Arrival at Getxo.
August 23: Ria, open day Maritime Museum Ria Bilbao
24 August: Day of open doors at the Real Club Marítimo del Abra
August 25: Gitana Cup. First day of competition
August 26: Gitana Cup. 2nd day and award delivery