Valencia Spain

Sailing

Yacht Race - 200 millas a 2 de Altea

This weekend all eyes will be on Altea, when the 200 millas a 2 de Altea yacht race, now a classic, puts to the test the skills of fifty contestants from all over Spain. The race will begin on Friday 22 February 2008 and will continue throughout the weekend

The 200 millas a 2 de Altea race has always been different. Over the last 20 years there have been editions when all was calm, and others when the sea was rough; races in which it took the competitors hours to cross the finish line, and competitions that finished way ahead of schedule. Owing to the time of year when the event takes place, in a matter of hours the typically calm weather in Altea will give way to the northerly winds that are usually met when rounding Ibiza. In the 1989 edition, only one boat returned, the resting having had to be rescued by the military escorting the race and the Levante y Pitiusas lifesavers.

Crews of two participants each will navigate the waters from Altea to Eivissa across the Freus Pass and the Formentera buoy, and back to Altea. The race starts on February 22nd. Arrivals depend on sea conditions. In normal conditions, the race lasts between 2 and 3 days. The awards will be handed out on March 1st. Both winners and participants who come in second and third will receive silver bars of different weights for each of the categories.