Sailing has experienced a very special day with the celebration of the 25th anniversary of CEAR of Santander, the house of sailing in Spain. And it does so at a key moment, as the adventure towards Los Angeles 2028 begins.
The event brought together institutional and sports authorities, along with athletes who have focused part of their training in these facilities, all of them agreeing on the fundamental role that the CEAR of Santander has played in the development of sailing and the successes achieved by the Spanish athletes in this sport.
The history of CEAR begins in 1995 with the construction of the building, officially inaugurated in September 1999; A new generation of athletes then grew up in Santander, already led by an eminent technician of the house, Jane Abascal, future director of the center. In its emblematic building, national athletes have worked tirelessly in the campaigns of the last six Olympic Games (from Athens 2004 to Paris 2024, passing through Beijing, London, Rio and Tokyo). Five Olympic golds, three silvers, two bronzes and ten diplomas have been won here, in addition to countless podiums in world and European championships.
The event was attended by authorities such as Beatriz Pellón, Councilor for Culture of the Santander City Council; Lola Tello, CSD Sailing Technician; Cesar Díaz, president of the Santander Port Authority; Joaquín González Devesa, president of the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation; members of the Board of Directors and presidents of the different territorial federations, as well as those responsible for the different sponsors and collaborators of the RFEV, including Gerardo Pombo, president of the RFEV when the CEAR was born.
During the celebration, a round table was held in which some of the athletes who have forged the history of CEAR and sailing in Spain participated, bringing together protagonists of successes and exploits in this sport, from the beginnings of CEAR to the currently, like Antón Paz, gold in Beijing 2008 with Fernando Echávarri in Tornado; Berta Betanzos, Olympian in London 2012 and Rio 2016, and promoter of the CEAR gym area; Támara Echegoyen, the most recent Spanish flag bearer, with four Olympic Games under her belt, gold medal in London 2012 with Ángela Pumariega and Sofía Toro-Elliott 6m, along with Diego Botín, recent gold medal in Paris 2024, or Pablo Santurde, champion of the J80 and Class40 world, one of the heavyweights of this class, winner of the 2021 Transat Jacques Vabre.
All of them have highlighted the importance of having a center like the CEAR in Santander, with an infrastructure and in an enclave that allows the comprehensive development of athletes. They have also highlighted that elite athletes from all over the world have passed through the sailing house in Spain, becoming an international reference centre.
Chimo González Devesa, president of the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, also highlighted the «importance of CEAR in the achievements of sailing athletes, which would not have been possible without a center like this. Having the infrastructure of this center and in a bay like Santander is something that very few centers can have.”.
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