The Balearic Sailors Set Their Sights on the ILCA 6 National Championship

The CAR Infanta Cristina, located in the waters of the Mar Menor, will host the Spanish Championship for the ILCA 6 class from February 6 to 9, with the participation of 152 boats from all over Spain. Among them are 22 sailors from the Balearic Islands, representing Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa, Real Club Náutico de Palma, Club Nàutic s’Arenal, Reial Club Nàutic Port de Pollença, Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita, and Club Marítimo de Mahón.

This first national title up for grabs marks the beginning of a new cycle, introducing a new generation of sailors coming from the ILCA 4 class, with the men's category serving as a stepping stone to the Olympic ILCA 7 class. Meanwhile, for the women's category, this event represents the start of the journey towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The competition will be fierce, with the participation of Lara Himmes (RCR Alicante), the current Spanish women's champion and number one in the national ranking, as well as Tim Lubat (RCN Palma), the absolute Spanish runner-up, both of whom are the top contenders in their respective categories.

Among the younger competitors, we find Iker Múgica (CN Cambrils), the reigning Spanish champion and World Nations champion in the Optimist class, along with the recent winners of the ILCA 4 Spanish Cup, Sergio López (RCR Cartagena) and Nikko Palou (RCN Palma), who claimed their titles less than a week ago in the waters of Tenerife.

The fleet will be divided into two groups, blue and yellow, for the qualifying phase on Thursday and Friday, with six races scheduled. If at least four races are completed, the Final Series will take place on Saturday and Sunday, where the boats that make it to the Gold Group will compete for the podium. The races are scheduled to start at 11:00 AM.

For the Spanish Championship by Autonomous Communities, the top absolute and U19 sailor, in both the men’s and women’s categories, will contribute points. The final ranking will be determined by the sum of each sailor’s position, following a low-point scoring system. The autonomous community with the lowest total score will be the winner. The participating territories include: Andalusia, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Cantabria, Catalonia, Valencian Community, Galicia, Basque Country, and the Region of Murcia.

Additionally, the event will feature international crews from Great Britain, Ireland, Peru, Portugal, and Romania, though they will not be eligible for the national title.