Biscay Challenge

Dateline: Hondarribia, Saturday, June 25, 11.00

This is Saturday, seven days after that difficult start last Sunday to the 2011 BNY Mellon Biscay Challenge and Dave Giddings and I prepare to make our way home after four really enjoyable days here in Hondarribia. So this will be my last blog for this year’s race.

We have so many good things to say about this place. In fact, I can hardly think of a negative thing. Dave suggested that I put some of my thoughts into an audio report and that is what I have done and if you tune into that, it will save me having to repeat most of that here.

But I really must mention again our thanks to Oriol of EKP Marinas and a Spanish National Racing Judge, who has become such a good friend, the effervescent Sito, who has been so kind to us since we have been here; Maite, who owns the hotel that we stay in and who is always helpful and of course Marcela and everyone at Club Nautico Hondarribia. We could not have had more friendly and generous partners to work with.

Last night we held our Race Dinner in a local restaurant organised by Sito & Oriol and although neither was able to join us, as Sito had a prior family date and Oriol was in Bilbao officiating at the finish of the Bordeaux to Bilboa race, we were joined by the last winners, Borja Garbizu and Charlie Lizancos and their wives and they presented the Biscay Challenge Trophy to the new winners, Andy Hill & Matthieu Lathoud, which was a nice touch.

It was also pleasing that Matt could be joined by his proud father Denis, who had travelled down from Paris and admitted that he had been hooked on the trackers, as had his other son living in Singapore. Denis is sailing back to the UK with Only Just.

Apart from polishing up the Cup, CNH presented both winners and runners up Txema and Santiago of Baobab with keeper trophies as well as giving them all their club shirts and caps. They even gave me a little trophy and as none of this was expected, it was all rather humbling.

You will be able to see some photos of the Dinner on the website and there will be more to come. Needless to say, it was very much enjoyed by all and everyone went home happy and vowing to see each other again next time.

Meanwhile, out on the racecourse, Nyda finally decided to pull the plug, having found herself in a large wind hole with no immediate prospect of a better wind coming in. I have been mildly criticised for not paying enough attention to Geoff and Graham and I have taken that on the chin, but I lose no time in paying a warm tribute to them now. Along with our other competitors, they have been two gutsy guys who have stuck it out until the bitter end. If you look at their sailed course on the tracker you will see that they have probably travelled as many sea miles as the finishers and they have endured some tough conditions. However, they report that the boat is undamaged and both crew are in good spirits. We wish them godspeed where ever they decide to go next.

Talking of trackers, this is the first time that we have used these and they have been a phenomenal success from all standpoints. Feedback has been hugely positive from all and sundry and one could only imagine what this would have been like if we had had more boats out there. Nick Farrell and Yellowbrick are justifiably market leaders in this technology and they have done a great job.

I would like to publicly take this opportunity to thank the Race Management Team for helping to put on what I believe is recognised as a really well organised event. Our Spanish translator Susana Sabin Fernandes (PhD!), who has become such a passionate advocate of this race, Cathy Crawley back at base camp for co-ordinating the administration, Mike Ford who has done such great work on the all important website and PR, and especially Mike Short who has been such a tower of strength and wisdom on technical and safety matters over the past two years and who sadly missed out on what might be construed as his reward of having a little ‘jolly’ here in Hondarribia.

Except that it is not really a jolly at all, in the sense that Dave and I have never been anywhere near a beach and we have spent more time in our race office poring over computers, or traipsing to and from the marina than we have actually spent outside sightseeing. Having said that, we did spend a pleasant hour walking around the historic walled old town and that was not to be missed. I commend Hondarribia and Hendaye to anyone wishing to take a civilised holiday and especially for those with young families.

Finally I must thank Dave who has suffered four days with me and has worked tirelessly on the communications front, as well as covering his perforced reduced duties as CRO.

Regrets? We have a few – but then again, too few to mention. Does that sound familiar?

Perhaps I could sum up our overall sentiments about this race by the wonderful buzz generated by like minded friends last night and the fact that Sito has insisted on coming to the hotel later this morning to bid us farewell. Is that a cue for yet another glass of tinto I wonder, but what better way could there be to prepare us to fall upon the mercy of Ryanair?

Hasta la Vista!!

Roger & Dave