Valencia Trader

Altea Yacht Race

Sailing fans will have their eyes on Altea this weekend, a seafaring town par excellence on the coast of the Region of Valencia. Altea is newsworthy due to the 200 millas a Dos Altea-Ibiza-Altea regatta, which has already turned into a classic and which puts the expertise of the competitors from all over Spain to the test. The regatta will be held on the first weekend of the month of March: on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th and it counts towards the Campeonato de España A Dos (A Dos Spanish Championship).

None of the 200 millas a Dos regattas, in its 21 years of existence, have had the same conditions. There have been years of total calm and others of raging seas, crossing the finishing line that has taken several hours or journeys so fast that they were beyond all forecasts. In a few short hours the weather goes from the typical Altea calm periods to the strong northern winds that tend to rise up around the island of Ibiza. During one of the first years, that of 1989, only one boat returned, the rest had to be rescued by the military patrol boat that follows the trial and by the Levante and Pitiusas National Sea Rescue Services.

The predicted duration of the regatta, which leaves Altea on 2nd March, oscillates between two and three days, the majority will return on the Sunday, although on some occasions the return has been delayed until the Tuesday. The journey sets off from Altea, reaches Ibiza by starboard, crosses the Paso de Freus and heads back to Altea. The boats pass three control points during the trial: in San Antonio, Tagonago and Paso de Freus.

On Friday 9th March, at 10pm, the awarding of the trophies will take place. All the crews receive a bronze ingot for having participated. The first classified will also receive another one kilogramme silver ingot, the second a half a kilogramme one and the third a quarter of a kilogramme one.