Santurzi rowers in last year’s edition. /
The men’s time trial will be on the 31st of this month and the women’s on September 1. The test will wink at the first round the world by ElCano
The organization of the Flag of La Concha, which was officially presented this Thursday in society, “regrets” that Santurtzi, winner last year, cannot compete in the classification of this edition “for reasons unrelated to Donostia Kultura for not having formalized registration in due time and form”, pointed out the mayor of the Gipuzkoan capital, Eneko Goia. The president argued that, “although there is the possibility of invitation, it would have been an offense for other clubs that have signed up on time and which should be left out,” he explained.
The men’s round of the season’s summit event will take place this year on Wednesday, August 31 instead of September 1, the date on which the women’s time trial will take place. The twenty-four traineras in contention have been, as usual, divided into two groups of twelve boats each. The 10 boats of the Eusko Label Liga will row in A –Urdaibai, Cabo Cruz, Ares, Getaria, Kaiku, Lekittarra, Hondarribia, Ondarroa, Orio and Zierbena–, since Donostiarra has a guaranteed ticket as a local trainera and the ‘Sotera has been outside. Along with them will be the champions of ARC 1 and La Liga Gallega, San Pedro and Bueu.
In Group B, for their part, Arkote, Castro, Castropol, Zumaia, Deusto, Hibaika, Lapurdi, Mutriku, San Juan, Meira, Pedreña and Zarautz will compete. As for the women’s qualifying on September 1, the trainers of group one will be Cape Cruz, Chapela, Zumaia, Deusto, Arraun Lagunak, Hibaika, Hondarribia, Orio, Tiran and Tolosaldea, while in the second they will compete for one of the seven places in play – Donostiarra is also already qualified in women – Castro, Castropol, Perillo, Rianxo, Hernani, Mugardos, Ondarroa, Portugalete and Zarautz.
The present edition of the Flag of La Concha recovers, after two years, normality with the presence of the public. “We were looking forward to recovering that energy and color offered by the different regatta hobbies,” Goia stressed. The event will also carry out, as it did a hundred years ago, a nod to the 500th anniversary of the first voyage around the world by Getaria sailor Juan Sebastián ElCano, whose deed is commemorated precisely on September 6. The Caravel Vera Cruz will be in the bay of San Sebastian on the first day of the peak event of the season –September 4– and a dozen people will have the opportunity to follow the event from its deck. In addition, the two flags, both the male and the female that will be delivered to the winners, will carry a commemorative loop of that first circumnavigation.
