In order to promote and support the sailing sports, as well as to spread the natural beauties and our coast’s infrastructure and increase the tourism in our country, the Mexico Cup took place, which in its Nextel bicentennial edition, was an effort made together with the federal government and the sailing Mexican associations.

It was a great international event, multi class, which already has a permanent character because it will take place every two years in different coasts and littorals of our country. The Mexico Cup took place from February 27 to March 13 in the Banderas Bay paradise destination, in front of the coast of Riviera Nayarit, thanks to the exceptional conditions that are offered for practicing sailing sports and the marine infrastructures.

The place for the event Oceanica Class and J24, as well as windsurfing was the recently inaugurated and flamboyant Riviera Nayarit navy, in the Cruz de Huanacaxtle, where the participating fleet was concentrated, several social events were made and awards for different classes.

 

 

The official lodging venue was the Marival Resorts and Suites Hotel and the Marival Residences and World Spa, where more than 2000 qualified competitors in five different sailing classes where staying: Oceanica Class which are the sail boats of 32 to 78 feet long from length to stern, with an average crew of 15 by boat.  The J24 class is the sailing boats of 24 feet from length to stern, with an average crew of 5 on board; the traditional Optimist, as well as the windsurf class and the kite surf, that today is the most popular sport around the world. In this last category the world champion of this specialty competed, Sean Farley Gomez, who is a Manzanillo, Colima native.

 

 

It’s important to know that this internationally renowned event has the same importance of international races such as the Rolex Cup, Key West Race Week and MUMM Cup.

During the first day of Oceanica Class competition, while the crews set their vessels and less than eleven minutes away from the begging of the competition, we were informed that on board of the regata´s committee ship was the president of Mexico, Felipe Calderon, along with the Secretary of the Navy, who by their radio frequency in which we were waiting for the competition countdown welcomed all the competitors in english as well as in spanish thanking and cheering the participants of the race.

Fifteen minutes after the regata had started, the Quintessence vessel leaded by Eduardo Saenz accompanied by his family and friends had an accident due to the broken ship’s mast with no serious consequences for anyone in the crew. This left him out of the competition. The other competitors enjoyed the wind of 14 and 16 knots for which the competition was unbeatable.

 

 

 

 

 

Another relevant event was the arrival of Tania Elias Calles to the navy, after beating a world Guinness record by crossing alone on a laser 3 meters long type ship, from Cabo San Lucas to Riviera Nayarit. The record established was of 300 miles, beating the previous record that was 170 miles on a similar vessel. The nautical event was complemented with several activities such as a football quadrangular and a beach volleyball tournament.

 The Mexico Cup was a success, because of the number of participants in different classes and the assistance of visitors and the event’s diffusion on a national an International level.

Due to its size the queen category, Oceanica Mexorc, was won by the Mexican crew  Flojito y Co-operando, leaded by Bernardo Mincow.

Brazilian crews made the 1-3 in the J24 category, which was lead by Bruschetta, de Mauricio Santacruz: Jorge Murrieta, leading Vive Mexico, was in fourth place as the best mexican. In windsurf the name of a mexican, David Mier y Teran was written as a cup’s champion in this first edition, which surpassed the peruan fleet. The kite surf class was for Adam Koch, from the United States and the Optimist for the Mexican Ander Belausteguigoitia.

 

 

 

 

 

Text: Pablo Fernández ± Photo: Cortesía del Comité Organizador de la Regata Copa México Edición Nextel Bicentenario, Jay Ailworth.