Nacra17 Europeans in Barcelona

The list of 39 teams from 23 countries that have already registered for the Nacra 17 European Championship includes almost all the top ten of this stunning double Olympic class.

Vittorio Bissaro/Silvia Sicouri (ITA), world ranking leaders and current European runners -in the photo, at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia Iberostar 2015-, and Ben Saxton/Nicola Groves (GBR), ranked fifth in the ISAF classification, will compete in Barcelona and fight for the European title.

Darren Bundock/Nina Curtis (AUS) and Franck Cammas/Sophie de Turckheim (FRA) will be also likely in the battle for the podium, as well as Gemma Jones/Jason Saunders (NZL), fourth in the last World Championship in Aarhus (Denmark), and Santiago Lange/Cecilia Carranza (ARG), second at the Santander 2014 Worlds.

The double Olympic Spanish medalist Iker Martinez will defend the European title in Barcelona’s waters, but according to the entry list this time he will race with his new crew Marina Lopez. The new couple could spring a surprise, but the lack of experience together (they have sailed together just some months) could be a handicap in the Europeans, to be held from September 25 to October 3 based at the Barcelona International Sailing Center (BISC).