The young Balearic squad will fight for the Optimist national title in Santander.

Santander Bay is, as of this Tuesday, April 15, the setting for one of the most important sporting events on the national sailing calendar: the Optimist Spanish Sailing Championship.

Until next Sunday, April 20, more than 150 sailors from 11 autonomous communities will compete for the national title in this event organized by the Real Club Marítimo de Santander with the support of the City Council and the Government of Cantabria.

20 Balearic sailors, from Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx, Club Nàutic S’Arenal, Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita, Club Marítimo San Antonio de la Playa, Club Nàutic S’Estanyol, Reial Club Nàutic Port de Pollença, and Real Club Náutico de Palma will race alongside the country’s top athletes in three intense days of competition, with more than ten races scheduled.

The event will unfold in two distinct phases. Tuesday the 15th and Wednesday the 16th are dedicated to technical measuring and registration tasks, essential for ensuring equal conditions among competitors. Racing will begin on Thursday the 17th.

In this way, Santander once again hosts this competition nearly fifty years after the first edition, held in 1975. Back then, young Luis Doreste, who would later become a double Olympic medalist, claimed the title.

The Optimist class is an international class of light sailing dinghy, extremely popular worldwide for athletes between the ages of 6 and 15, and is considered the cradle of competitive sailing.