(Acapulco, Mexico)- The basis for this event was the result of a
passionate sailor who wished to bring together youth sailors from across
Mexico to join other international Optimist sailors in Acapulco, a
venue famous for its sailing conditions and extraordinary hospitality.
That person, Aaron “El Chato” Saenz, believed in bringing together the
hottest, best sailors so that everyone could learn together and improve
the “state of Mexican sailing” to a much higher level. The regatta has
succeeded beyond “El Chat’s” wildest imaginations. This year, in
addition to the huge Optimist class, they invited other fleets to
participate, including the Mexican J/70 class.The Club de Yates Acapulco rolled out the red carpet for the huge fleet of twenty-two J/70s that showed up in Acapulco to participate in the event. All of the top boats in Mexico were present to have fun and take a page from their Optimist friends and treat the event as a way to train those who wished to learn how to sail faster and handle their boats better.
In
the end, it was Mexico’s top J/70 team that took class honors after a
nine race series. In what one might call FLOCO II (e.g. FLOJITO Y
COOPERANDO), it was clear the team of Julian Fernandez from Club Nautico
Valle de Bravo and his crew of Erick Brockman, Willem van Waay (an
American from San Diego, CA) and Diego Cervantes were benefitting from
their sailing at the top level in the American J/70 regattas. After
posting five bullets and three 2nds, The FLOCO II gang won with 11 pts
net. Behind Fernandez’s crew, it was a very close battle not just to be on the podium, but also to be in the top five. A top all Mexican J/24 team took second overall for the regatta, Jorge Murrieta and his crew of Javier Navarro, Javier Patron, and Ander Belauteguigoitia. Third was another top J/24 team, Eduardo Saenz from the host CY Acapulco with crew of Jimena Saenz, Jay Lutz (an American from Houston, TX), and Eduardo Saenz Jr. Rounding out the top five was Giovanni Aloi Timeus Salvato from CY Acapulco taking fourth with crew of Matt Ciesicki (an American from San Francisco, CA), Fernando Bulajch and Alejandro Sole (an Argentinean Olympic class 470 sailor living in Houston, TX). Fifth was another all Mexican crew, Ricardo Brockman Ohea from YC Acapulco and crew of Daniel Inde, Jeronimo Mariscal and Diego Velazco. For more Copa Aaron Saenz sailing information
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