The HSN Sailing Team secured the 2026 J70 Spanish Open title in the waters of Vigo’s Ría de Vigo, finishing with 14 points and clinching the national ranking crown despite competing without regular team member Ricardo Terrades, Huelva24 reported.
Vigo Fleet Navigates Light Winds and Kelp Beds
Racing across Vigo’s Ría de Vigo demanded strict concentration as light and shifting breezes tested the fleet. Competing crews faced soft winds, water currents, pressure shifts, and patches of drifting seaweed that turned each leg into a tactical puzzle. A minor miscalculation could drop a boat several spots in the standings.
HSN Sailing Team relied on steady boat speed and precise strategy to secure a commanding lead before the final race. Huelva24 noted that the team mathematically secured the championship before even starting the ninth and final heat.
Javier Padrón Helms Crew to Four Saturday Wins
With Ricardo Terrades absent due to professional duties, the crew adapted by placing Gran Canaria sailor Javier Padrón at the helm. The boat also featured Galician sailors Pablo Iglesias as tactician, Juan Debén on the mainsail, and Ramón Lago trimming the jib and spinnaker.
After a two-hour wind delay on the opening day yielded two third-place finishes, the squad delivered an unblemished Saturday. The crew swept all four races on the second day, capitalizing on a 6-7 knot southwest breeze to build an insurmountable advantage.
HSN Sailing Team Leads 2026 J70 National Ranking
HSN Sailing Team finished the Open de España with 14 points, holding a nine-point margin over the second-place boat Noticia, helmed by Luis Martín Cabiedes, which totaled 23 points. Marnatura finished third with 26 points under stand-in Portuguese skipper Manel María Cunha.
The victory in Vigo cemented the team’s position at the top of the 2026 J70 National Ranking. The national standings combine results from June’s Spanish Championship in Barcelona—where HSN placed second—and the Vigo Open.
International Campaign Prepares Team for Barcelona Winter Series
The Vigo victory caps a 2026 season that included a sixth-place overall finish and a double runner-up showing in both the absolute and Corinthian divisions at July’s European Championship in Barcelona.
The squad returns to competition at the International Barcelona Winter Series, scheduled from October 9 to October 11 in Barcelona waters.
