German sailors Ferdinand Gerz and Oliver Szymanski head the overall classification in the men’s 470 class after the first day of the 16th Semana Olímpica Canaria de Vela. The Canary Islands Olympic Sailing Week started on Friday in the bay of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and is organised by Real Club Náutico de Gran Canaria.

With unbeatable weather conditions, winds of 15 to 20 knots increasing at the end of the morning and a 2 metre long wave, racing was under way in 470, Laser Standard and Laser Radial, RS:X 9.5 and 8.5, Nacra17, F-18 and the 2.4mR Paralympic class, which is included in this competition for the first time.

Laser Standard is led by local sailor Joaquín Blanco, who had a first and a sixth place in the two regattas held today.

Dutch sailor Benjamin Wempe has a two-second lead in the two Laser Radial heats raced today and is followed by five Spanish sailors.

Ecki and Tine-Marie Kaphengst are in the lead in Nacra 17, Joan C Cardona (Spain) took two firsts and a second in RS:X 9.5, giving him the overall lead, and the provisional leader in RS:X 8.5 is Holland’s Sam Wennekes.

The host club’s newly created Paralympic team heads the competition in 2.4mR: José Guerra took three firsts and Javier Ugarte took a fourth, a third and a second.

The 16th Canary Islands Olympic Sailing Week includes 215 sailors representing 24 countries, with a total of 165 boats. The entire Russian team is present (both the pre-Olympics and the youth team); Portugal has brought its Laser and 470 pre-Olympic teams; and Spain’s men’s and women’s 470, Laser Standard and women’s Laser Radial pre-Olympic teams are participating. Lithuania is represented by its Laser Standard and women’s Laser Radial pre-Olympic teams. Youth sailors from around 20 countries are also battling it out in various classes.

Translated from Spanih by Jane McGrath