The Esquadrilha da Fumaça returned to colour the sky of Ilhabela (SP) this Sunday (26). The surprise display marked the opening of the 53rd Ilhabela Daycoval International Sailing Week, the biggest nautical spectacle in Latin America.
The participation of the Esquadrilha da Fumaça was an initiative of the Yacht Club de Ilhabela, organiser of the event, to surprise sailors, residents and visitors during the traditional Boat Parade. The aircraft appeared as the fleet passed the Píer da Vila, in the Historic Centre of Ilhabela. The manoeuvres in the sky turned the opening of the SIVI Daycoval into a spectacle in the air and at sea.
The parade of the 127 boats, with the presence of the jets, was watched by thousands of people, who filled the Píer da Vila and the surrounding area, in the Historic Centre of Ilhabela (SP). The ceremony also featured the presence of the frigate Tamandaré F200. The vessel is the newest frigate incorporated into the Brazilian fleet and one of the most modern of the Brazilian Navy.
"The first day of our regatta exceeded all expectations and has already gone down in history. The traditional parade of the vessels delivered a spectacle of impressive visual quality and beauty. Seeing the boats perfectly aligned, with their sails open contrasting with the stunning shores of Ilhabela, was an absolutely wonderful moment for the public and for the lovers of the sport," celebrated the Commodore of the Yacht Club de Ilhabela, Paulo Palermo.
The Commodore also highlighted the special participation of the Esquadrilha da Fumaça. "This display was specially authorised by the Air Force Command, in a kind and honourable response to the request made by the Commodore's office of the Yacht Club. We are ready for a historic week of high-level sailing," said Paulo Palermo.
Challenges open the race course
After the parade, the sailboats headed to the starts of the three coastal races that opened the course of the 53rd SIVI Daycoval: Alcatrazes por Boreste Marinha do Brasil, Ilha de Toque-Toque por Boreste and Renato Frankenthal.
The main challenge of the event, the Alcatrazes por Boreste Marinha do Brasil Regatta brings together the boats of the ORC and Bra-RGS A and B classes. The course is approximately 55 nautical miles and goes around the Alcatrazes Archipelago. The strong wind that blew outside the island, to the east, provided a faster race, but also a tougher one, for the teams.
The line-honours boat (Fita Azul) was the Uruguayan Albariño, of the Bra-RGS class, skippered by Marcelo Cipolina. The boat crossed the finish line at 21h39min52, and took fifth place in its class on corrected time, with 09h30min39.
"The race was very good. Fortunately this year the calm was not so hard, and we managed to complete the course in a good time. Alcatrazes is always a very beautiful race, from the parade to the whistle at the finish. The biggest challenge is knowing how to stay calm when the conditions change, and staying alert after several hours sailing. Being Fita Azul is an honour, and we hope that in the coming days we will have good conditions and races," said skipper Marcelo Cipolina.
The challenge was tougher for the boats of the C30, Bra-RGS C, RGS-Cruiser and Classics, which contested the Ilha de Toque-Toque por Boreste Regatta. The south wind inside the São Sebastião channel shifted to the northeast and then to the east, leading the sailboats to "hunt" for the breeze, in a more technical and strategic race. The first to arrive were the Relaxa Building of Tomás Mangabeira in the C30 class and the classic Chancegger of Fred Paim.
The HPE25 sailboats, which competed in the Renato Frankenthal Regatta, faced light wind and the currents inside the channel, forcing the Race Committee to shorten the course, from 10 nautical miles to just over 6 nautical miles. The first place went to the Espetáculo II, of Luiz Fernando Staub.
"On the water, the first day confirmed the high technical level of the competition. The race was contested on a beautiful sunny day, with winds of varying intensity and constant changes of direction, demanding maximum concentration, strategy and skill from the crews," observed the YCI Sailing Director, Paulo Cotrim. "The conditions challenged the competitors from start to finish, providing a balanced, dynamic and extremely exciting contest, showing why the Ilhabela International Sailing Week is considered one of the most important ocean-sailing competitions in Latin America."
By: Redação Mundo Mar
Photo: FOTOP
