The crew of the CN Costa Brava-Vela Palamós at their farewell to Manhatan (Photo Carles Palomares)

The Nàutic Costa Brava-Vela Palamós Club has completed with note the International Yacht Club Challenge, which has been held from 18 to 20 August in New York waters. The Gerundense club, invited by the Manhattan Yacht Club, has been one of the leading teams, fighting for the podium until the last day and closing its participation in fourth position. The Nautical Club Costa Brava-Vela Palamós arrived in New York with a luxury crew with the Olympic in Rio, Joan Herp and the world podiums in different classes Joan i Marçal Costa and David Charles. The Catalan club came with great illusion to this race and stayed at the podium's doors.

After three days of competition in the J24 class, the team of the Nautical Lub Costa Brava-Vela Palamós demonstrated from the beginning that he could fight to be among the best. In a very complicated race field due to the strong currents, the Costa Brava club stayed four points from the podium after the full program, eight sleeves and with a large end of the Catalan team, which was from less to more, closing its participation with a 1-3-4. The victory was for the Royal Akanara Yacht Club of New Zealand, followed by the local Manhattan Yacht Club - well-known of the bay and its runners -, third was the Québec Yacht Club of Canada and fourth the CN Costa Brava-Sela Palamós. The New Zealand team featured American's Cup champion Ray Davies in the tactic, which shows the high competitive level of the International Yacht Club Challenge. A total of 14 teams such as the Manhattan Yacht Club, the Laguna Marina Yacht Club of Japan or the Buenos Aires University Club of Argentina have participated with a double crew.