Nacra Cup València 2026 Day 1: Argentina's Majdalani and Bosco set the pace
by Pep Portas / RCNV 21 Oct 19:04 BST
21-24 October 2026
The Nacra Cup València got under way today with three races completed in the waters of the Gulf of València, in winds of 10 to 12 knots from a direction between 220° and 240°.
- The opening day at the RCN de Valencia saw all three scheduled races completed in excellent sailing conditions
- Sweden's Emil Järudd and Hanna Jonsson and New Zealand's Micah Wilkinson and Kate Stewart are tied on nine points in second and third place, respectively
The forecast had called for a westerly wind, and conditions followed expectations. As a result, the race committee decided yesterday to bring the start time forward by one hour, allowing the fleet of 24 boats to begin racing at 11:00.
On the racecourse, the main contenders lived up to expectations. Argentina's Mateo Majdalani and Eugenia Bosco stood out with an impressive performance in the waters of the Gulf of València. The Argentine pair claimed two race wins from the three races sailed, adding a second place in the remaining race to take the overall lead.
With the Argentinians setting the pace, the battle for the places behind them proved equally competitive. Sweden's Emil Järudd and Hanna Jonsson hold second place, tied on points with New Zealand's Micah Wilkinson and Kate Stewart.
The Swedish crew's scoreline of 3-1-5, highlighted by a race win in the second race, puts them ahead of their rivals on the tie-break. Wilkinson and Stewart, meanwhile, completed the opening day with a consistent 2-3-4 series, keeping them firmly in contention near the top of the standings.
The Spanish crew of siblings Daniel and Nora García de la Casa, representing CN El Masnou, also made their mark on the opening day. They sit seventh overall on 21 points, following a scoreline of 5-5-11. The Spanish pair are just five points behind fourth-placed Swedes Ida Svensson and Marcus Dackhammar, who have 16 points after recording an 8-6-2 series.
The top ten is completed by Austria's Lukas Haberl and Clara Stamminger, Finland's Akseli Keskinen and Katariina Roihu, and Türkiye's Sinem Kurtbay and Alican Kaynar, all tied on 24 points. The United States' Stephan Baker and Sophia Fisher are ninth on 25 points, while Austria's Laura Farese and Matthäus Zöchling round out the top ten on 28 points.
Looking ahead to the second day, the race committee has scheduled the first warning signal for 13:00, as the forecast suggests that wind conditions may be less favourable around midday. The later start is intended to give the fleet the best possible opportunity to race when suitable conditions develop.
Provisional Results after Day 1: (top ten)
1. ARG Mateo Majdalani / Eugenia Bosco 1-2-1 4
2. SWE Emil Järudd / Hanna Jonsson 3-1-5 9
3. NZL Micah Wilkinson / Kate Stewart 2-3-4 9
4. SWE Ida Svensson / Marcus Dackhammar 8-6-2 16
5. ESP Daniel García de la Casa / Nora García de la Casa 5-5-11 21
6. AUT Lukas Haberl / Clara Stamminger 13-8-3 24
7. FIN Akseli Keskinen / Katariina Roihu 4-7-13 24
8. TUR Sinem Kurtbay / Alican Kaynar 6-11-7 24
9. USA Stephan Baker / Sophia Fisher 7-12-6 25
10. AUT Laura Farese / Matthäus Zöchling 10-4-14 28