The Spanish Trawler Championship will be held in Basque waters 32 years later

2023-12-28 23:06:15

You have to go back a long time, specifically 32 years, to find the last time the Spanish Trawler Championship was held in Basque waters. It was mid-August 1992. Arraun Lagunak won the title ahead of Orio and Donibaneko Arraunlariak in the waters of La Concha. Four seasons later (1996) Ondarroa also requested the organization of the test, but finally resigned a week before the date of the event due to pressure exerted by radical groups. The regatta of that edition was ultimately held in Castro Urdiales and was won by Tirán, flanked on the podium by Orio and Amegrove.

Since then, Cantabria has been precisely the territory that has hosted the Nacional the most times (15), followed by Galicia and Asturias. Next summer, the championship, which in recent years had been greatly affected by the absence of elite crews due to the impossibility of squaring calendars with the Eusko Label, Euskotren and ARC men’s and women’s leagues, will return to Euskadi. And, once again, it will take place in the San Sebastian bay. The Basque Rowing Federation had formally requested to host it and the board of directors of La Española this week gave its approval to the request. Rowing breathes new air.

As ELCORREO announced at the end of last month, the fact that the reluctance of some communities has finally been overcome and the event has been moved forward from August to June – the 15th and 16th –, in the style of what has happened with the championships. from Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa and Euskadi, could be a turning point in the resurgence of a Nacional that has been in decline for a long time for this reason and also for the absence of awards like in the past.

Aware of this, Hispaniola already tried to advance the dates last season, but “the boycott of some territorial leaders” prevented it at the last minute. On this occasion, last month the initiative had the support of a vast majority of fixed-bank clubs who were aware that the event was headed down a dangerous path. In fact, numerous athletes and technicians from different leading clubs have been calling for “higher-mindedness” for some time to solve the matter.

Elimination time trial

One of the issues still to be determined is the participation system. Some communities contest their regional titles later and would therefore not be able to establish their top two pots for June. Thus, everything suggests that the Spanish Championship, at least in the first edition of this new venture, could be free to participate. If this point is confirmed, on Saturday, June 15, a time trial would be held between all those registered, from which the eight boats would compete for the winding on Sunday, June 16, divided into two rounds.

With regard to the women’s competition, it will be necessary to see if the trawlers from the Euskotren and ETE leagues attend the test since the Española has decided that the regatta will continue to be held over four lengths instead of two, which is how it is They develop the First and Second Division for girls. And if the Spanish Trawler Championship will be held next summer in Euskadi, the Boat Championship will be in Galicia. This competition is scheduled for April 27 and 28, while the trainerillas competition, which will have a cadet category for the first time, will be on May 25 and 26.