Family photo of the Trophy Travel InterRías: the crews of "Gallant," "Erica" and "Caprice," accompanied by the Mayor of Sanxenxo Gonzalo Pita, the Sports Council Jesús Sueiro and Fabián Buezas de InterRías (Photo: María Muiña)

The award of the InterRías Travel Trophy has closed on Sunday the second race of the 6m class that is disputed in Sanxenxo (Pontevedra). The "Gallant" of the shipowner José Cusí and patronized by SM King Don Juan Carlos has been the final winner, followed by the "Erica" of Violeta Alvarez and the "Caprice" of José Luis Angoso, which has ended in the third square.

In the Royal Nautical Club of Sanxenxo, Gonzalo Pita - Mayor of Sanxenx-, Jesús Sueiro - Councillor of Tourism, Festivals, Sports and Youth - and Fabián Buezas - Commercial Director of Intercountry Travel - have been responsible for delivering the awards to the winners.

The resurgence of a unique gem to navigate

The wind has taken time to enter Sanxenxo today and has not finished starting before the time limit to give out, preventing to mount the race field for the coastal route that would have to be disputed today.

Before it was known that there would be no race today, the fleet was waiting for patient at the Royal Nautical Club in Sanxenxo. Many known and consecrated faces of the nautical, with regatists of Copa América like Laureano Wizner, from Return to the World like Pablo Iglesias or naval designers like Juan Kouyoumdjian and also Iñigo Echenique, with which we have talked.

This vineyard has patrolled in Sanxenxo the "Caprice" - third classified - and is also a naval engineer and director of the cabinet Acubens, which leads a large disparity of projects such as that of a very unique ship of 135 meters in length, of street candles and passengers, which is being built in Galicia.

With the knowledge and experience of sailing many and very different ships, Echenique states that the 6 meters international "are unique to sail" and describes the resurgence of this class in Spain as "Fantastic.". The class "has a future. They're wonderful ships and they deserve attention. It is a boat of races much cheaper than any other modern ship and has an added component, which is to keep such unique ships in operation as if there were no races these ships would be lost. They are authentic jewels, its design, a wonder and its unique construction".

The story of "Caprice" is particular. A 70-year-old ship that "did not have great successes in its early days and that in the late 1970s was abandoned, being in a garden in which it was used as a hen house. He was crushed, but in the '90s he was beautifully restored," says Echenique."He fell in love with me from day one. I particularly liked it, with fantastic lines, and it is said that what is good for the eye is good for the sea (laughter). I went to see him in Finland, where he was, and I encouraged the shipowner to buy him. We're delighted with the boat and we're getting it ready. It has a lot of potential". A new resurgence of a class, which has gone from having zero to seven ships in competition in Spain, and Echenique has a desire: "I hope there are 10 or 12 ships in a year. It has a lot of future."

Final general classification. I Trophy Travel Interways

1 Gallant (José Cusí), 1
2nd Erica (Violeta Álvarez), 2
3rd Caprice (José Luis Angoso), 3
4th Aída (Juan Carlos Escotec and Francisco Botas), 4
5th Alibabá (Peter Dubens and Tara Getty), 5
6th Ian (Caesar Elyzaga), 6
7th Acacia (Mauricio Sanchez - Bella), RET

First day: Don Juan Carlos leads the I Trophy Travel InterRías to the "Gallant" cane

King Don Juan Carlos - the centre - between Juan K. and Pedro Campos. Photo: María Muiña

The first edition of the Trophy Travel InterRías has lived on Saturday its inaugural day with the dispute of a coastal race in the waters of the river of Pontevedra. Emotionating first test, with hand-to-hand included and an "Erica" that premiered in the fleet of 6m and that led almost the entire race, until in the last stretch the "Gallant," patronized by King Don Juan Carlos, took the lead to cross the line of arrival with a minute of advantage over the classic armed and patronized by the Venezuelan Violeta Álvarez.

12.3 miles of coastal route

After a start of the International Travel Trophy of the most Galician, with the reception of the group of "Soalleira" pandereteiras of Dorron, it was time to go out into the water.

Wind roll and light caused the exit to be delayed by a half hour, to start after 13: 30 hours, heading for the beacon de desmarque located in front of the beach of Silgar, in which today we saw the first tourists that have anticipated the arrival of summer.

As the fleet went out towards the next compulsory step of the route - Picamillo, located between the island of Ons and the beach of A Lanzad- the wind was rising in intensity, reaching up to 20 knots and providing a picture of classic ships, sun, wave, wind, water and a green island of Ons - which is part of the National Park of the Atlantic Islands - as a backdrop.

Despite the first moment, the "Erica" has made its competitiveness clear. Patroned by its shipowner, it has a plurinational crew (Venezuelan, Spanish, English and French), of which is part of the regatist and volitundista Pablo Iglesias.

"The conditions today were fantastic. We made a good way out, the dismantling we set up in the first place, we made a good wind-dyed to Picamillo, and a spectacular stern. There we were fighting with the 'Gallant' and in the end it happened just as we surrounded the Mourisca lighthouse. From there we went after them because there was no way to pass," said the vineyard who finished the test.

And so it was. Just as they surrounded the lighthouse - the last forced step of the route - the "Gallant" - tripulated by SM King D. Juan Carlos, Pedro Campos, designer Juan Kouyoumdjian, Roi Álvarez and Alberto Viejo - assumed the lead he certified when crossing the line at 15: 39.

After the "Erica," the "Caprice" was over, with Laureano Wizner on board. The "Aida," armed by Juan Carlos Escotec and Francisco Botas, has been fourth. Fifth the "Alibabá" of Peter Dubens, patrolled on this occasion by the vineyard Miguel Lago. The sixth square has been for Caesar Elyzaga's "Ian." The "Acacia" had to withdraw due to a technical problem in the garden, so it has been seventh.

On Sunday, a new and definitive coastal test

This Sunday, from 12: 00, the 6m fleet will be fighting a new coast that will decide who will take this first InterRías Travel Trophy. The weather parts point out that there will be less wind than today, as it will start to rise in intensity later than it did this Saturday.

It'll be exciting. And as it shows, a button: "Now we are in a good position to fight for victory tomorrow, we will see what the conditions are. But this is not over yet," he said with a smile Paul Churches.

Provisional general classification. I Trophy InterRías Travel. Day 1

Position / Name of the ship / shipowner / Points
1. Gallant (José Cusí), 1
2. Erica (Violeta Fernández), 2
3. Caprice (José Luis Angoso), 3
4. Aída (Juan Carlos Escotec and Francisco Botas), 4
5. Alibabá (Peter Dubens and Tara Getty), 5
6. Ian (César Elyzaga), 6
7. Acacia (Mauricio Sanchez - Bella), RET

6m fleet that competes in the I Trophy Travel InterRías

Acacia (Mauricio Sanchez-Bella)
Designed by Gustav Estlander in 1929 in Finland. Built for the Allende family of Bilbao and in the last decade it was rebuilt by the Lagos shipyard in Vigo. The only one hundred per cent Spanish unit for which the formation of the class began in Spain.

Ian (César Elizaga)
Designed by Gustav Estlander in 1929 in Finland. "Acacia" twin, built by the designer himself. 87 years later, the "Ian" and the "Acacia" were refound in Sanxenxo.

Caprice (José Luis Angoso)
Designed by MC Gruer in 1946 in Scotland. It is the largest length of all units arrived in Spain. He was abandoned and ended up even being a hens. After its reconstruction in 2002 it is one of the most competitive units.

Gallant (José Cusí)
Designed by Arvid Laurin in 1947 in Sweden. It was later rebuilt in Canada and in its palmarés has two outstanding titles: a World Championship and a European Championship. It is currently one of the fastest ships in the world.

Alibabá II (Peter Dubens and Tara Getty)
Designed by Tore Holm in 1942 in Sweden, achieving two Olympic medals. Built for Sven Salen, magnate and maximum 6-meter drive in Sweden.

Aída (Juan Carlos Escotec and Francisco Botas)
Designed by Bjorne Aas in Sweden in 1936. Reformed in Germany, he has been participating in almost every race in the world calendar. It has so far been the most competitive 6m in Germany.

Erica (Violeta Álvarez)
Designed and built by Camper & Nicholson in Gosport (England) in 1938. In its first race in Spain, this Trophy InterRías Travel, has been shown as one of the fastest in the current fleet.