The institutional presentation of the 2012 RS:X World Windsurfing
Championships took place today at the High-Performance Training
Centre home to the Andalusian Sailing Federation, in Puerto Sherry
15 March.- The institutional presentation of RS:X World Windsurfing Championships to be held in the Bay of Cadiz from 21-28 March, took place today at the High-Performance Training Centre, and home to the Andalusian Sailing Federation, in Puerto Sherry, El Puerto de Santa María.
Eduardo Zalvide, President of the Andalusian Sailing Federation, which is hosting the event; Ignacio Rodríguez, General Secretary for Sport of the Regional Ministry for Tourism, Trade and Sport of the Regional Government of Andalusia, the co-organiser and main sponsor of the event; Enrique Moresco, the Mayor of El Puerto de Santa Maria; Anna Graczyk-Stankiewicz, RS:X Assistant Class Secretary; Juan Manuel Moreno, a member of the Spanish pre-Olympic RS:X Men team and who will be sailing on home water, and Marina Alabáu, the current European Champion and who will be representing Spain at the 2012 Games, were present at the event.
After Moresco and Zalvide had welcomed the members of the press and praised the magnificent installations, Juanma and Maria stressed how pleased and proud they are to welcome all the competitors to their "home" and "... to compete here where we learnt to sail...", explained Moreno. Juanma was also the impromptu translator for Graczyk-Stankiewicz, who said she was happy with the warm welcome she had received and pleased to be holding the class championship "... at this magnificent venue, both due to the shore infrastructure and facilities, and the racing area". Marina Alabáu ended by saying that ”... apart from the good logistics, as we are always catching planes and travelling from one place to another, racing on home waters is always a plus”.
Ignacio Rodriguez brought the event to a close by stressing the role of the Regional Ministry as the main sponsor of an event, “... that combines some of the basic pillars of the Ministry’s sport policy: encouraging people to take up sports, first-rate facilities and organising international sports events to promote Andalucia as a tourist destination. And this time with the added bonus of the spotlight being on Andalusian athletes who are at the top of their sport internationally."
Rodriguez added, “... our windsurfers, Marina, Juanma and also Blanca Manchón who is not here today, deserve to have a championship on home waters to thank them for the magnificent job they have done of showcasing the name of Andalucia around the world. This event and the opening of this centre is the Regional Government’s way of recognising the years of hard work of the Andalusian Sailing Federation that has been endorsed by the success of its sailors":
The competition is being hosted by the Andalusian Sailing Federation and the Regional Ministry for Tourism, Trade and Sports, in cooperation with EL Puerto De Santa Maria City Council.
