Lucas Montoya (CNA), is the absolute winner of the 59th edition of the Great Day of Sailing - Bufete

The 59th edition of the Great Day of Sailing - Bufete Frau has come to its end with a big crowd at the ceremony of trophies at the Club Nàutic S’Arenal (CNA), after two intense weekends of races for the categories Optimist, 420, ILCA 6, ILCA 4, Open IQ Foil, Techno 293, Formula Windsurf, Musto Skiff, Lateen rig sailing and cruise boats, other than parallel activities, like the XX Travesía Sa Milla CNA - Cala Blava of swimming in open sea.

In total, there has been a participation of 800 sailors of the categories mentioned above, other than 400 swimmers participated in Sa Milla, to which it should be added all the families, friends, members and lovers of the sea, for which the club has lived many days of great nautical ambiance, with the facilities crowded of people of all ages.

The gathering celebrated in two parts, Saturday 19th to Monday the 21st, and Thursday 24th to Sunday 27th of august, the races were completed thanks to the great weather conditions of sun and wind, marked by the ‘embat’ characteristic of the Bay during these days, except for the last day of the second phase. In fact, the races planned for today Sunday, should be the last ones for the categories Optimist Sub13, Optimist Sub16, ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and 420, they have had to be canceled of consequence of the great storm troubled the island of Majorca, which has been in orange alert.

What has been able to celebrate this Sunday, from 19:30h was the traditional award-giving ceremony to all the champions of this 50th Great Day of Sailing - Bufete Frau, with the presence of the council of Tourism, Culture and Sports, Jaume Buazá and on behalf of the town council of Llucmajor, the councilor for sports and youth, Simó Adrover, as well as the mayoress of Llucmajor, Francisca Lascolas, who has given Trofeo Rei en Jaume III Town of Llucmajor, award to the absolute winner of the race, Lucas Montoya (CNA), champion of the category of Optimist Sub16, accompanied by Toni Fray, sponsor of the race, members of the club's board of directors  and the Federación balear de vela.

“The Great Day of Sailing - Bufete Frau consists every year of the beginning of the season of regattas. It works as a turning point, to say goodbye to the summer and face the start of the new season that is about to begin”, says Cati Darder, president of the Federación Balear de Vela. “Like every year, there has been a big participation and, furthermore, a super ambiance. The people have enjoyed this gathering a lot, other than many races there were social activities that everybody likes: cruisers, sailors of light sailing, … I specially like the award-giving ceremony, as there are the youngest sailors who have just started in this world of competition. It is great that they can enjoy this ambiance and help them get addicted to sailing even more”, points out. “the Balearic islands are a world reference in four races: many teams and boats choose to come and train, because it is one of the best places to sail. We have become a strategic location in the nautical world, and this regatta more than proves it” she concludes.

One of the team coming from the Península come every year to the Great Day of Sailing - Bufete Frau is the Club Náutico El Balís (Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, Barcelona). Its trainer, Eduard Ferrer, assures that “it consists of a very good regatta to keep going up in level for the sailors. It is celebrated in idyllic dates to start the pre-season, and there are teams from nearly all over Spain, with a high level”, Darder stresses. Magda Resano, technical coordinator of the competition and trainer of the ream 420 of the CN El Balís, points out that “the excellent treatment that is given to the sailors: the reception, food, social activities, … We come every year because we have a blast and we love it. It is an idyllic way to make the transition from the summer holidays to the initiation of the new season. Also it is a high level race”, she points out.

On one hand,  the sailor of the Real Club Náutico of Gran Canaria, Gustavo del Castillo, also points out the ambiance other than the regattas. “After every day of the races there is food and activities for everyone, where you can talk to other sailors and exchange experiences. It is my second year at the Great Day of Sailing - Bufete Frau and next year I will be back, although next year I will have to change category”.

“We took advantage of these very good days of races. Everyone has enjoyed it very much, specially the teams that come from abroad”, points out Joan Sabater, sport director of the CNA, “We have accomplished to make a summer race a date that exceeds every year, as the people that come aboard say. Moreover the great ambiance of fellowship and it is one of the most fun races of the year, it doesn’t mean that there is not a high level of competition. There is a very competitive side of the fleet, this regatta serves to test the level of the national fleet ahead of the start of the season. It is an idyllic moment in the annual calendar to come to S’Arenal, and not only to sail. They are days that we share with passion and contribute to give it more repercussion to our sport. With respect to next year, when the Great Day of Sailing -Bufete Frau celebrates its 60th anniversary, the club will have to make a step forward and do something special, which it has not been decided yet. The important thing is that the teams that have come they want to repeat again and those who have not been they have told us that they want to come, so for next year, there will be more and better” insists Sabater.

The Great Day of Sailing - Bufete Frau is the oldest regatta organized by the CNA and undoubtedly one of the most anticipated by sailing enthusiasts. It is one of the first regattas that were launched in the club, which faces it as a great celebration of the work done during the season. This great sporting and social event every year puts an end to the summer competitions and kicks off the new sporting season in the Balearic Islands.

The meeting, already consecrated in the regatta calendar of the Bay of Palma, is possible thanks to the collaboration of Bufete Frau. A company whose founder, José Frau Greenfield, has a historical relationship with the club in which he was formed and in which he has sailed since he was a child, achieving a not inconsiderable record, with titles such as Optimist world runner-up (1983), Spanish champion in Europe Class in 1984 and world runner-up in Europe Class in 1985. The family saga continued sailing in the CNA, so they are not only united by a commercial relationship, but also by an emotional one.