El Nano Belda: A living legend of the Valencian and Spanish candle

José María "El Nano" Belda, the oldest partner of the Royal Nautical Club of Valencia, has just been declared the Legend Master's Champion in the Spanish Snipe Master Class Championship held in Santander. At the age of 84, he may boast of having traveled the world of race in race, always driven by the wind but especially by the unlimited passion he feels for the sea and the candle.

In the dining room of his house, surrounded by trophies, photographs and boat models, El "Nano Belda " He confesses with bright eyes that sailing makes him immensely happy and that thanks to this he has had the opportunity to meet great people and make even greater friends that have been "a great support in the worst moments." The oldest partner of the Royal Nautical Club of Valencia was captain of his first ship at only 6 years old, when an aunt of his gave him a toy sailing boat that perhaps raised curiosity about this world. Later and almost by chance, the Nano and his best friend at school got them a Snipe-class ship they shared and with which the seas were raised being two teenagers. The Nano has had almost 20 ships throughout his life, but his favorite was a Lagos with the red cover which, according to him, "was a plane" and with which he won several of the trophies he accumulates in the window of his living room. He was also very fond of getting forgotten boats that he himself restored by giving them a new chance.

Nano Belda is a charismatic man and a sailor, but even more of his family. "This is the biggest thing" counts by showing a photograph of two of his little grandchildren sailing with him. And as the pages of his life's memory album pass, thousands of images of his friends, his children, his travels, plane tickets, restaurant and hotel cards and even metal plates from some of his ships appear. I wish we all could get to his age having come such a full way. His secret? According to him, "God's sailors give us a day of life for every day we embark." Then we have Nano for a while. When we ask him what his best trophy is, he does not doubt, the Master Legend Champion who just won in the Spanish Championship, possibly his last race. A recognition of a whole life dedicated to the candle of which he is certainly very proud. Aldous Huxley said that "the secret of genius is to keep the spirit of the child until old age, which means never lose the enthusiasm," it will turn out that besides being a legend, Nano Belda is a genius.