Alex Pella’s MaxiCat Victoria begins its oceanic campaign to prepare for the Absolute Record for the Round the World Journey to the West, with the assault on the absolute record for the circumnavigation of the Iberian Peninsula, uniting the cities of Bilbao and Barcelona.
On the sunny afternoon of Saturday, September 23, the imposing multihull crossed the starting line under the iconic Vizcaya Bridge, with the aim of breaking the sailing speed record, between the Basque capital in the Cantabrian Sea and the Catalan capital in the Mediterranean.
The leading clubs of both cities have created a new sports trophy, which will recognize the best annual time in completing the return to Spain by sailing.
The objective of Alex Pella and his crew is to highlight the Iberian route by breaking the current record and setting the reference time for the new oceanic trophy, which must be completed entirely under sail, without assistance and without stops.
Route
Alex Pella, recognized as one of the best ocean sailors in the world, declared before leaving; «This journey of 1,500 nautical miles, we must value it. The Vuelta a España by sailing is spectacular. The route brings together the harshness of the Cantabrian Sea, the mythical Finisterre Pass, the coast of Portugal, the complicated passage of the Strait of Gibraltar and the always unpredictable Mediterranean Sea. The start and finish lines in the ports of Bilbao or Barcelona are truly spectacular.
The new trophy can be played either way (Bilbao-Barcelona) or (Barcelona-Bilbao) and will be open to all types of boats and crews, without restrictions.
The last record for the return to Spain was established by the López-Doriga brothers in 2006, aboard the sailboat ‘Arte y Naturaleza’, with a time of 12 days and 13 hours, a time that Alex Pella aspires to lower in the coming years. days aboard the ‘MaxiCat Victoria’.
The challenge, open to all types of boats and crews without restrictions, stipulates the start or finish line, under the iconic Vizcaya suspension bridge and the timing lines between the wind farm in the port of Bilbao and the W hotel in Barcelona, where The clubs involved will take the official departure and arrival times of each challenging boat. The MaxiCat Victoria crossed the suspension bridge at five-thirty in the afternoon, accompanied by a good number of boats, and started the clock as it left the port of Bilbao at 6:00 p.m. 24m. and 30s.
Reference test
This initiative, promoted by Alex Pella within his campaign to prepare for the Elcano Oceanic Trophy, aims to highlight the return to Spain by sailing. According to Alex Pella, «The route is spectacular, with a series of brutal geographical passes. “This is a Trophy with enormous potential, with a view to becoming a reference test for international teams and especially for the French fleet.”
The initiative has the collaboration of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona, of which Alex Pella is an honorary member, and the Real Club Marítimo del Abra – Real Sporting Club, which this year celebrates its 125th anniversary. Through this project, both clubs strengthen their bond and commitment to ocean sailing.
At the end of each year, the team that has set the best time of the season will engrave its credentials on the aluminum sculpture guarded by the Real Club Marítimo del Abra – Real Sporting Club de Getxo.
«It is fantastic to launch this new Oceanic Trophy with the help of Alex Pella and the RCNB. In a year as special for us as the 125th Anniversary, being the starting point for the challenge of a navigator as prestigious as Alex Pella with the ‘MaxiCat Victoria’ is an enormous satisfaction and a luxury. We wish him and predict great success in his challenges, both in circumnavigation of the peninsula and in his preparation for the Absolute Record for Around the World. »estimates Manu Sendagorta, president of the Real Club Marítimo del Abra – Real Sporting Club.
For his part, the president of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona, Jordi Puig, declared: «At the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona we are very excited about Alex’s challenge of breaking the record for the non-stop return to Spain and establishing a new absolute record between Bilbao and Barcelona. The experience of Alex and his team, together with a legendary and updated boat to travel around the world, will set a reference for future challenges on this route. A long journey, not without difficulties, with departure and arrival in two relevant cities on the Spanish coast, represented by two clubs united by a great history and nautical tradition.»
The Trophy, which is expected to have a sponsor who will provide it with a cash prize, has been created by the renowned Basque artist Aitor Ruiz de Egino.
The sculpture has been made of aluminum cast from lost sand, and its finishing and polishing is completely manual. It has a height of 60 cm and a weight of 14 kg.
Its design represents a sailboat sailing in a very simple way. The main shape is based on an oblique cone with an elliptical base. The trophy is empty and its interior, painted in Bilbao red, is visible thanks to the void created by the 2 “B” (Bilbao – Barcelona), which creates an effect of dynamism and movement.
2023-09-24 11:48:26
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