This summer, it is the 30th anniversary of the gold medal of José Luis Doreste at the Olympic Games in Seoul '88, and could not remember it better than with another win, that of Finn's World Master, on this occasion in the waters of the CN El Balís, in Sant Andreu de Llavaneres. The Chilean Antonio Poncell, who in turn took the title of Grand Master and the Italian Giacomo Giovanelli, winner in the Master category, have been accompanied on the podium

From 18 to 25 May, the CN El Balís held one of the most prestigious and especially numerous competitions of an Olympic class: the Finn World Master, in which 353 regatists from 32 countries participated. José Luis Doreste was one of the great favorites, after having been preparing for this appointment for more than a year. Doreste proved to be in a spectacular state and the numbers in this championship have shown it. After five sleeves, three on Wednesday and two this Friday, their partials have been two first and two seconds, with a discard.

The final day was reached with a more than tight classification with the leader Doreste, followed by a single point by the Italian Giacomo Giovanelli, but has been able to hold the pressure to confirm his victory. With this victory in the CN El Balís, it is the second time that a Spanish regatist has won the Finn World Master in absolute category after the Andalusian Rafa Trujillo in 2016. In 2016, Josele won the European Laser Makers Championship in Croatia.

The other two Spaniards who have finished in the top ten have been Catalan Xavier Penas (CV Calella), fifth, who in turn has been subchampion in Master and the canary Joaquín Blanco (RCN Gran Canaria), seventh and second in Grand Grand Master category. The other category champions have been American, in Legends the Henry Sprage and in Super Legends, category for over 80 years, the historic August Miller.

In this way the Russian Vladimir Krutskikh transfers the golden cup of Finn's Master World Champion to José Luis Dorest, who will have it in his possession during the next World Cup that will be in 2019 in Denmark.

23 / 05 / 2018: The third one in El Balís... and Josele Dorest is the leader of the Finn World Cup

The Olympic champion José Luis Dorest is a leading leader of the Finn Másters World Cup (Photo Laura Carrau)

The Canarian Olympic champion José Luis Dorese is the first leader of the Finn Master World, which is held until the 25th of May in the waters of the Nautico Club El Balís, in Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, in the district of Maresme Barcelona. After two days without wind, the third has been defeated, and with a good wind from the east that has been rolling south, between 5 and 8 knots, the first three sleeves of the championship have been held. After Doresta, the Italian Giacomo Giovanelli, and the Russian Alexander Kulyukin, are the second.

The fleet is distributed in four groups, two by race field. Doreste, who has won the first and third tests of the day, has held an intense duel with Giovanelli, who has performed two seconds and one first. Kulyukin has been the most regular of all with three third places.

The Catalan Xavier Penas (CV Calella) has been another major feature at the World Cup premiere. After starting with a tenth place in the blue group, the last two sleeves have marked a second and a first, which puts it in sixth position in the general. This same group the canary Joaquín Blanco (RCN Gran Canaria) has been second in the first test of the day.

The current world champion and champion of the title achieved in Barbados in 2017, Russian Vladimir Krutskikh, who today has sailed in the red group, has performed a first, second and third.

This Thursday is scheduled to hold two new sleeves that will precede the final race of Friday and the Medal Race, where the final podium of the Finn Master World at the CN El Balís will be decided.

21 / 05 / 2018: White day for the lack of wind in The Balis of the Finn Master World

Among the last-minute absences, the most veteran Spanish regatist, Pedro Jiménez-Meifren, who was registered in the Super Legends category, does not participate.

The beginning of the tests of the Finn World Master, which is held this week in the waters of the Nàutic Club El Balís, will have to wait until tomorrow Tuesday after the wind did not make an act of presence in the waters of the Maresme.

The 353 ships participating in this year's edition of the competition were about three hours waiting in the two race fields distributed in front of Port Balís at the entrance of a south-south-east wind that finally did not blow with enough intensity to be able to celebrate with guarantees any proof.

The fleet is divided into four groups of 88 ships each: red, green, yellow and blue, distributed randomly.

For tomorrow Tuesday the scheduled competition calendar is maintained, i.e. two tests from 12 noon.

18 / 05 / 2018: The World Master of Finn begins with 353 ships from 32 countries in El Balís

One of the most interesting categories will certainly be Grand Grand Masters, where two former winners of the Finn Gold Cup will participate for the first time... the canary Joaquín Blanco Roca won the European and the World Cup of Palamós in 1977 and signed a fourth place at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles' 84... in turn, the Spanish also José Luis Doreste won the Finn Gold Cup and the European one in 1987, in addition to the Olympic gold medal in Seoul 88... both returned to the Finn last year... they will also be in the match in 2012 and last year's finalist Rob Coutts.

353 ships from 32 countries take part in the World Master of Finn that begins tomorrow with the measurements and controls in the waters of the Maresme of Catalonia, in the excellent facilities of the Náutic Club El Balís

Participants are divided into five categories. The Masters (40-49 years), the Grand Masters (50-59 years) with 141 participants and the Grand Grand Master (60-69 years) with 97 registered. It is also noteworthy to have a record in the category Legends (70-79 years) with 48 regatists and to admire the five Super-Legends (+ 80 years).

The Russian Vladimir Krutskikh will defend in El Balís the title of world champion won in 2017 in Barbados, after winning in a final infarction with the Gaditano Rafa Trujillo, who would end up second. Krutskikh, who also rose with the 2015 win, will have as great rivals Christoph Burger, Piet Eckert and Thierry Van Viersse, among others.

In Grand Master he defends the gold Laurent Hay. His great rival will be the six-time champion Michael Maier, and the three-time winner Andre Budzien. Also in this category are the Olympic in Atlanta '96 Paul McKenzie and the world champion in 1988 Thomas Schmid.

All the categories of Finn's World Master compete in a single fleet, which will be divided into four groups that will be distributed in two areas of race, off the coast of the Maresme... a total of seven sleeves are scheduled from Monday to Thursday, plus one final test and the Medal Race on Friday.