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La Sal 2003
La Ruta de la Sal
XVIª EDITION
Easter 2003
Records with a taste of salt
For the Ruta de La Sal regatta this year has
been one in which many records were broken, practically a year
of innovation, of circumstances which have, in more than one
sense broken away from approaches that seemed unchangeable after
16 years. For the first time, the fleet coming from Barcelona
has been faster than the one coming from Denia. “ That
was something which had to happen sooner or later, and from
now on this presents a new challenge for the Ruta de La Sal,
“ Pepe Ferrer, director of the trial, said. The participants
of the Northern Version of the Ruta de La Sal covered the distance
of 156 nautical miles to the finishing line opposite the harbour
of Ibiza much faster; the Judel/Vrolijk 45,Jaime Serra’s
La Maison de L’eléfant, winner in real time, crossed
the line after a regatta in which thermal winds and calm seas
were predominant, after 28 hours 4 min and 3 seconds of competing
at 16:29:57 on Friday, 18th April with an average speed of just
under 5,5 knots.
The winner in real time of the Eastern Version “ Plis
Play “, Vicente García Torres’ Sun Fast 52,
took a total of 42 hours 30 min and 30 seconds to cover the
117 nautical miles from Denia to Ibiza, passing by Tagomago,
arriving in the harbour of Ibiza at 11:15:30 on Saturday, 19th
April, reaching an average speed of 2,7 knots. The regatta from
Denia, needles to say, was very hard, practically a mile after
mile fight against the calm sea, weak thermal winds and swells.
An exercise which has put to test the patience and skills of
the fleet. It was also a situation in which more than once,
it was feared that no one would arrive within the time limit.
Another novelty was that the winner of the general classification,
in both versions were Ibizan boats, quite a success for the
Pitiusan fleet which each time is more competitive. Jaime Serra’s
La Maison de L’el’efant of the Nautical Club Ibiza,
as we have already mentioned, was the winner in real time and
in compensated time with a really impressive result –
28h, 4 min and 3 seconds – obtaining an extraordinary
advantage compared to the second winner Albert Marcus Oliva’s
Fusion 62 A Todo Trapo of the RM Barcelona who crossed the line
at 20:54:22 on Friday, 18th April after 32 hours, 37 min and
45 seconds. An advantage based on a tactic which forced the
Ibizan yacht to opt for navigating towards the Ebro delta and
then to cross over to Ibiza instead of, as most of the fleet
did, in straighter line towards Tagomago. This allowed him to
navigate at all times with more or less constant wind and only
one incident of dropped wind. In the Eastern Version in the
general table, Antonio Torres Ripoll’s Dione 88, as well
from the Nautical Club of Ibiza, won by sailing 44 hours, 11
min and 43 seconds, crossing the line at 15:41:14 on Saturday,
19th April. A novelty was also that in the end 321 yachts took
part in the event, 165 from Barcelona, 156 from Denia, a record
participation of extraordinary dimensions, considering that
more than another hundred were on the waiting list.
But perhaps the most spectacular innovation is that from this
edition onwards, the Ruta de La Sal will be a trial officially
approved by the RORC- Royal Ocean Racing Club- which will be
co-organizer of the event. This will in principle serve to assure
an international projection of the Ruta de La Sal, considering
that in their event calendar only the very best regattas in
the world are included so that great international prestige
will be gained, being next to the Fastnet Race, the Middle Sea
Race or the Sydney-Hobart among others. The event will probably
receive entries from yachts from all over the world registered
in this emblematic association from the next edition on, programmed
for Easter 2004. Also the technical profile regarding the service
of the IRC will better considerably and it will turn into one
of the absolute musts, as happens with all trial approved by
the RORC with an impeccable organization and the most modern
equipments regarding the RORC’s system IR2000, at present
the most extended worldwide, where deep sea competitions are
concerned. Great news and a guaranty of quality for all the
participants in this symbolic regatta.
According to Richard Powell, vice-commodore of the RORC “
to participate in the 16th Ruta de La Sal as technical observer
and procedure analyst has been an extraordinary experience.
This is an event with great personality and without doubt a
very difficult regatta and great fun for the participants. The
day runs from Denia as well as from Barcelona offer important
incentives as regards deep sea navigation. The approach to Tagomago
and the final stretch to the harbour of Ibiza demand immense
skills. The same applies to the strategies, depending on the
meteorological conditions and their possible evolution, chosen
when setting off from Barcelona to Ibiza, or navigating the
stretch form Formentera to Tagomago. This is doubtless a real
deep sea regatta for the RORC, it includes all the technical
and organizational profiles in order for us to gladly accept
to take part in the administration as co-organizer next to the
ANAM and we will therefore proceed to its immediate international
approval as a trial recommended by the RORC in view of the following
years. The Ruta de La Sa - continued Powell, who came over from
the UK specially to participate in the regatta as representative
of the RORC - magnificently summarizes what the basic approaches
to deep sea competitions should be like, as are the setting
off from one harbour and arriving at another, navigation by
night with everything this implies, the tactics regarding the
interpretation of the meteorological conditions and really amazing
numbers of participants.
In its category it is one of the regattas on the continent with
a record number of participants and also achieves a way of distributing
the really mixed fleet in the most just and reasonable manner,
as classifying the boats by the year of their design, their
technical characteristics or the crew profile from single member
crews to complete crews. This is a magnificent idea which allows
for a variety of possibilities of participating. All in all
a very interesting regatta, in line with the philosophy of the
RORC, amazingly organized with brilliant ideas, such as the
communication systems between the fleet and the control boat
and with extraordinary activities on land for all the participants.
Next year we will enter some teams from the RORC itself for
the trial, as I think the regatta is revolutionary, really one
that will have many followers.”
As always the Ruta de La Sal finished with a magic night in
Ibiza.
The official act of presentation of the trophies, presided by
Pilar Costa, the president of the Consell d’Eivissa i
Formentera, followed by the closing dinner
for the more than 2000 regatta participants with live music
at Ibiza’s trade centre was a great success. At this meeting
Gerardo Pombo, president of the Spanish royal Sailing federation
and participant in the regatta, Richard Powell, vice-commodore
of the RORC and Pepe Ferres, president of the ANAM all thanked
the participants for their determination and patience in one
of the harshest trails of the Ruta de La Sal and at the same
time predicted a magnificent future for the regatta. Overall
a great success, as well as, hours before the reception at the
town hall for the participants, the first classic car rally
of the Ruta de La Sal, organized by Ibiza’s Classic Automobile
Club or Village’s activities during the regatta and last
not least the drinks at Keeper and Pacha, where the nearly 2000
participants in this year’s Ruta de La Sal finished after
navigating the streets of the old town. At that moment among
laughter, happiness and salty anecdotes the regatta for 2004
was planned, as always.
click here to see the
Results of "La Ruta de la Sal 2003"
(PDF format)
The Rally of "La Sal" 2003
– Clasifications
PRIZES CLASSIC AUTOMOBILES
- Prize to the automobile that best represents an
epoch
CITROEN LIGERO, DE JOSE JUAN GUASCH
- Prize to the automobile best restored
CITROEN 8, DE TONI GUASCH
- Prize to the oldest automobile
MGA, DE CURRO DEL MORAL
- Prize to the automobile best conserved in original
state
JAGUAR 3.8 DE DAVID MONUTAIN
I RALLY OF "LA SAL"
- Prize "GUAY": WOLS WAGEN ESCARABAJO
DE MARISA Y LLILI
- 1st: MGB DE THEO MONKS
- 2nd: JAGUAR XK 150 DE MICHAEL LIEFHART
- 3rd: FORD A PICK-UP, DE KAREL VAN MOOK
- 1st DAMAS: BUGY DE LALI Y SU MAMA
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