Javier Padrón Retains J/80 European Championship Title in Abra

(Abra, Spain)- The Real Club Marítimo del Abra-Real Sporting Club hosted the J/80 European Championship from June 24-28, bringing together forty-eight boats and the continent’s top crews. Teams were represented from Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Ireland.

The final day of competition took place amidst a persistent, fine drizzle. The Race Committee struggled to run a race because the winds were shifting wildly— swinging from 280° (west) to 90° (east) and varying between 2 and 6 knots. Finally, at 2:40 PM, a race was successfully started in a north-northwesterly wind.

The Canary Islands skipper- Javier Padrón- and his team on EUROFRITS & AVIKO NEWWIND FOODS held off the challenge from the French team on CV AILEE-ECOLE NAVALE, led by skipper Pierre Laouenan, following a rainy final day, in which the three-time world champion triumphed in the decisive race.

The final day of the European Championship was full of excitement. Padron’s EUROFRITS & AVIKO NEWWIND FOODS team finished with 13 points, compared to 22 pts for Laouenan’s French team on CV AILEE-ECOLE NAVALE, which placed eleventh in the eighth race and also secured the title of best Master-class boat of the championship. The Cantabrian boat FREDO LA ESTRELLA DEL NORTE, skippered by Pichu Torcida—himself a world champion— rounded out the podium with 39 pts.

The balance of the top five included Jaime Piris Turner’s Spanish team on MERCURY AVATOR in fourth place with 45 pts, and Simon Moriceau’s French team on DENTALASSIST in fifth place with 53 pts.

For more J/80 European Championship sailing information
https://www.cyberaltura.com/rcma/091/index.php?cl=1202