CEAR Príncipe Felipe in Santander Celebrates Its 25th Anniversary

This weekend, sailing had a very special day with the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the CEAR in Santander, the home of sailing in Spain. And it does so at a crucial time, as the journey towards Los Angeles 2028 begins.

The event brought together institutional and sports authorities, along with athletes who have focused part of their training at these facilities, all agreeing on the fundamental role that CEAR in Santander has played in the development of sailing and the successes achieved by Spanish athletes in this sport.

The history of the CEAR began in 1995 with the construction of the building, officially inaugurated in September 1999; since then, a new generation of athletes has grown in Santander, led by an eminent house technician, Jane Abascal, future director of the center. In its iconic building, national athletes have tirelessly worked on campaigns for the last six Olympic Games (from Athens 2004 to Paris 2024, through Beijing, London, Rio, and Tokyo). Here, five Olympic golds, three silvers, two bronzes, and ten diplomas have been forged, apart from countless podiums in world and European championships.

The event featured authorities such as Beatriz Pellón, Councilor for Culture of the City of Santander; Lola Tello, Sailing Technician at the CSD; Cesar Díaz, president of the Port Authority of Santander; Joaquín González Devesa, president of the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation; members of the Board of Directors and presidents of the different territorial federations, as well as representatives of the various sponsors and collaborators of the RFEV, with the presence of Gerardo Pombo, president of the RFEV when the CEAR was born.

During the celebration, a round table was held in which some of the athletes who have forged the history of the CEAR and sailing in Spain participated, bringing together protagonists of successes and feats in this sport, from the beginnings of the CEAR to the present, such as Antón Paz, gold in Beijing 2008 with Fernando Echávarri in Tornado; Berta Betanzos, Olympian in London 2012 and Rio 2016, and promoter of the gym area of the CEAR; Tamara Echegoyen, the most recent Spanish flag bearer, with four Olympics under her belt, gold medalist in London 2012 with Ángela Pumariega and Sofía Toro- Elliott 6m, along with Diego Botín, recent gold medalist in Paris 2024, or Pablo Santurde, world champion of J80 and Class40, one of the heavyweights of this class, winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre 2021.

All of them highlighted the importance of having a center like the CEAR in Santander, with infrastructure and a location that allows the comprehensive development of athletes. They also noted that elite athletes from around the world have passed through the home of sailing in Spain, making it an internationally recognized center.

Lola Tello, Sailing Technician at the Consejo Superior del Deporte, emphasized that "high-performance centers and technical centers are an extremely important pillar in the preparation of athletes, a point of concentration and a place to share knowledge. This has been a pioneering center in sailing, a sport that cannot be practiced just anywhere, and that here benefits from exceptional conditions. The achievements obtained highlight the importance of this center."

Chimo González Devesa, president of the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, also highlighted the "importance of the CEAR in the achievements of sailing athletes, which would not have been possible without a center like this. Having the infrastructure of this center and in a bay like Santander is something that very few centers can boast of."