The Cadiz Grand Prix is already a reality and it began with Spain dreaming of taking a place in the Grand Final this Sunday. Of course, for this the F50 Victoria will be forced to go back because this Saturday it has gone on a roller coaster. He has lived through a whirlwind of sensations because he has managed to win the second heat of the day (it is the first Spanish victory in SailGP), but a last place and a fifth have weighed down for the general classification. Spain is sixth with 14 points. Of course, the distance with the rivals that surpass him is not insurmountable because Denmark, third, has 15 points. The United States is second and Australia, with 19 points, is the leader.
It seems that competing at home took a toll on the F50 Victoria and the Cadiz Grand Prix started with many doubts. A series of bad decisions and maneuvers led him to live difficult moments because he could barely fly in the first heat and thus his last position is explained. Although that setback made him wake up and in the second test he showed muscle and got rid of his nerves. A great start propelled him to the first position and gave no choice to his rivals at any time. The Spanish team showed very good manners and only needed 12 minutes and six seconds to score the victory. Japan, second, crossed the finish line 18 seconds and Denmark, third, one minute and 23 seconds behind the F50 Victoria. In the third heat, with little wind and crews of four, the Spanish team suffered again and was fifth. It went well, but it was diluted. “I trust the team a lot and I think we have a lot of options to reach the final. In addition, competing in Cádiz is incredible because of the atmosphere that there is and what the people support us. Hopefully we can give them a show and great joy,” explained Florian Trittel.
But there was not only a show on the water because Cádiz is delivered to SailGP and it could be verified in the Paseo de Santa Bárbara and in the Baluarte de la Candelaria. 1,400 boats registered to follow the sleeves from the water and thousands of people also gathered in the stands and in the different spaces enabled to vibrate with the fastest flying catamarans in the world. The intense heat did not seem to make a dent in some spectators who tried to transfer their breath to the Spanish F50 Victoria at all times.
King Felipe VI sailed aboard the F50 Victoria
King Felipe VI is in Cádiz and as a great sailing fan he did not want to lose the SailGP competition. Last Friday he followed closely the teams’ training sessions and presented the Juan Sebastián Elcano trophy and this Saturday he went aboard the F50 Victoria. In the morning he visited the base of the Spanish team, became interested in all the technological part of the F50 and then went sailing as one more member of the crew during the training sessions prior to the start of the competition. “I wanted to know how to go from side to side because it is relatively complicated when you get on the boat for the first time and it is foiling. We have been fortunate to have those conditions where the maneuvers were barely in the air. As soon as we took off on the fastest course he started screaming and you could see on his face that he was very excited and excited to live this experience. As a sailing enthusiast, it is nice that he lives the present and the future of this sport and that he supports us and follows us “, commented Florian Trittel about the experience of having Felipe VI aboard the F50 Victoria.