Gales Halt Eurocup 29er Racing In Valencia

14th February 2026

Afloat.ie Team

Wind Warning – 29er Eurocup flags fly at RCN Valencia as strong coastal gales force cancellation of Day Three racing during Olympic Week CV Youth, following port authority closure to navigation

Racing at the 2026 Eurocup 29er in Valencia, Spain, was abandoned on Saturday after severe weather alerts closed the port and halted sailing.

The third day of Olympic Week CV Youth at Real Club Náutico de Valencia (RCNV) was cancelled as strong winds swept the Valencian coast.

The decision followed official alerts issued late Friday by the Port Authority of Valencia, which ordered a total closure to navigation, and by the Valencian Regional Government.

Organisers confirmed racing could not proceed safely.

“The absolute priority is the safety of sailors, coaches and technical teams,” the race committee said. Wind speeds on Saturday were described as strong enough to risk damage to boats and compromise participant safety.

The event has yet to complete a race.

Conditions on Thursday and Friday were also deemed unsuitable, with more than 200 boats in the 29er and ILCA 4 fleets unable to reach the regatta area.

After three consecutive days without competition at the RCNV Regatta Base, the schedule has been revised.

The first warning signal for Sunday’s fourth and final day will now sound at 9:30 am, brought forward to take advantage of more stable morning conditions.

Organisers said they remain hopeful racing can conclude on Sunday, with results potentially deciding podium places.

RCNV reiterated its commitment to safety and organisational standards, stating all decisions were made in the interests of competitors’ welfare.

Published in 29er

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29er

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About the 29er Skiff Dinghy

The 29er is a one-design double-handed, single trapeze skiff for youth sailors.

There is an active class in Ireland, just one of the 38-countries from across all continents now racing the high-performance skiff.

The 29er is one of the latest dinghy classes to arrive in Ireland and has a 50/50 split between boys and girls.

The class like to describe the boat as "The most popular skiff for sailors who want to go fast!".

Derived from the Olympic class 49er class and designed by Julian Bethwaite the 29er was first produced in 1998.

Two sailors sail the 29er, one on trapeze.

The class is targeted at youth sailors aiming at sailing the larger 49er which is an Olympic class.

The 6.25-metre high rig features a fractional asymmetrical spinnaker; a self-tacking jib decreases the workload of the crew, making manoeuvres more efficient and freeing the crew to take the mainsheet upwind and on two-sail reaches.

The 15.00 m2 spinnaker rigging set-up challenges crews to be fit and coordinated, and manoeuvres in the boat require athleticism due to its lack of inherent stability and the high speed with which the fully battened mainsail and jib power up.

The 74kg weight hull is constructed of fibreglass-reinforced polyester in a foam sandwich layout.

The fully battened mainsail and jib are made from a transparent Mylar laminate with orange or red Dacron trimming, while the spinnaker is manufactured from ripstop Nylon.

The mast is in three parts - an aluminium bottom and middle section, with a polyester-fibreglass composite tip to increase mast bend and decrease both overall weights, and the capsizing moment a heavy mast tip can generate. Foils are aluminium or fibreglass.