El Puerto de Santa María, 25th June 2024 – The seventh edition of the Semana Clásica, Memorial Pedro Bores, begins this Wednesday in Puerto Sherry and the Bay of Cádiz, a regatta that goes beyond sporting interest to become one of the events with the greatest social and tourist impact for the region, featuring boats and crews that are known as Joyas y Señores del Mar for their harmony and care for beauty on board. The one that is about to begin is a spectacle that is a journey through time, where elegance and tradition evoke the glory of sailing in the past.

The biennial Semana Clásica is organised by the Club Náutico Puerto Sherry and the Fundación Vela Clásica de España, and has the main sponsorship of the Junta de Andalucía, the Diputación de Cádiz, Marina Puerto de Santa María, and the companies Grupo Cuñado and Grupo Omega, together with Gipsy Blu 1927 and Bodegas Miguel Domecq – Entrechuelos, and the collaboration of the City Council of El Puerto de Santa María as an asset of the summer in El Puerto de Santa María.

The Semana Clásica de Puerto Sherry is a regatta that is endorsed by the Spanish (RFEV) and Andalusian Sailing Federations (FAV), the Royal National Cruising Association (RANC) and the Spanish Association of Vintage and Classic Boats (AEBEC), and is a full member of the exclusive classic sailing circuit. As well as scoring points for the XIV Trofeo Clásicos Mare Nostrum and the Copa de España de Barcos Clásicos y Época C.I.M., the winners of the Andalusian regatta will lift the Copa de España de Barcos Clásicos y Época JCH in Cadiz waters.

Open to Época y Clásicos boats (launched before 1949), Retro (before 1993), Mini Clásicos (under 7 metres in length) and Espíritu de Tradición (boats built from 1970 onwards using modern techniques and materials but with a look and style faithful to a traditional vintage or classic design), the standard bearer of the fleet will be one of the four survivors of the prestigious 15 metre class, ‘The Lady Anne’, a British flagged yacht built in 1912 at the William Fife & Son shipyard in Fairlie, Scotland, famous for producing some of the most beautiful and successful yachts of its time. The Lady Anne’ has a wooden hull, typical of yachts built in that era and after undergoing several restorations has retained its integrity and modern racing performance intact, preserving both the original aesthetics and seaworthiness.

Also noteworthy is the participation of the ‘Livia‘, a boat that sank in Valencia during the DANA Filomena, and which has been restored in the shipyard that the Fundación de Vela Clásica de España has in Puerto Sherry, or the ‘Germania‘, one of the most emblematic yachts in nautical history. Built in 1908 in Germany, it stood out for its speed and elegance, and won numerous regattas in its early years. During the First World War, it was captured and sold to various owners, but its legacy in the world of classic sailing remains intact.

Along with both of them, other boats that are faithful to the regatta are also competing for the Spanish Cup, such as Luis Galnares’ ‘Centinela‘ and Javier Gonzalo’s ‘Guadalmina‘, both with the flag of the RCMT Punta Umbría, Ricardo Contreras’ ‘Disparate‘ from Huelva, the ‘Gipsy‘ of the owner and CEO of the commercial firm, Pepete Rubio, with the flag of the CN Puerto Sherry or the ‘Seventy Senda Azul‘ of the CN Estrella del Viento from Malaga.

From León, Javier Moreno’s ‘Tina Neruda‘ will be sharing the same goal with Gabriel Mateo’s ‘Orion‘, Esther Duarte’s ‘Infiel II‘ or Sergio Llorca’s ‘Jaque Mate‘, all three representing the organising club, Mariangeles Pérez’s ‘Salina Tres’ based at the RCN de Cádiz, or one of the defending champions, Eric Perignat’s ‘Buzz Lightyear’ with the flag of the RCN de El Puerto de Santa María, among others. The locals will be strong in the absence of some Mediterranean boats, which have not wanted to risk a possible attack by killer whales in the Strait of Gibraltar for fear of suffering a setback at the start of the classics season.

The programme of the VII Puerto Sherry Classic Week starts on Wednesday 26th June with the traditional registration of participants and the official welcome to the sailors, which will take place from 20:00 hours on the terrace of the Hotel Puerto Sherry. The sea trials will begin on Thursday 27th, with coastal courses which will give free rein to the sailing show, and will continue on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th June, the last day of the regatta, which will see the presentation of trophies to the winners of the different divisions in the afternoon.