There the first great oceanic race took place in the Atlantic by the year 1866 with exit from New York and destiny to the island of Wight in England, and since then she is well-known like “the great race of 1866”. Three accumulated `gentlemen' of the New York Yacht Club were ventured in their schooners (the Vesta, the Fleetwing and the Henrietta) to cross in race the North Atlantic, betting each of them the sum of 30,000 dollars of then. The winner would take the total, that to date of today would be equivalent to about 500 million pesetas. Tempter no?

   Both first shipbuilders engaged crews good trained being they in earth, but James Gordon embarkment with their 30 crew in the Henrietta gaining regata of 14 days of duration.

   They had to spend years until arriving at the century XX in which already they began systematically to organize regatas like the first famous Transpac and regatas of the Bermuda. Since then they have been appearing some and disappearing others, being the list of most important as he follows:

The Regata of the Bermuda: She is oldest of all of them along with the Transpac. Rating is one regata with `' that takes place from 1906 and from 1924 it is organized biennially, the even years. Its route from Newport (Rhode Island in the New England the USA) to the Bermuda islands covers a distance with importance. It crosses and it uses the famous current of the gulf (Gulf Stream) to advance at greater speed. Until recently the technique was used to be measuring the temperature of the water to detect its presence, although sometimes it is evident by the presence of his eddies.

The Transpac: (Trans-Pacific RACE) Also it began to summon itself from 1906 and happens every two years, in the odd numbers and so it is complemented with the Bermuda. One is regata with `rating' that goes from the coast of California to the Hawaii islands and final destiny in Honolulu, covering a distance with 2,225 miles with lifting winds. That is to say, it is a very fast race where the Spi and Genaker must much speak.

The Fastnet: Also of `Rating' from Cowers in the island of Wight to the famous rock of the Fastnet to the southwest of Ireland and return to Plymouth to the south of England. 605 miles very hard with changing conditions of the sea. The Fastnet is with us from 1925 being won then ones by a sailboat of 14 meters, `Jolie Brise' that means in French `Pretty constructed breeze' in Le Havre in 1913, which was reconverted recreation cruise, later to be acquired by an English shipbuilder called Martin with whom it gained the new Bermuda in 1926 and two later FastNet in 1929 and 1930. Everything a pure blood! Although at the outset the FastNet was an annual race, step to summon itself from 1933 every year uneven. From 1957 she is one of the tests of Admiral' s Cup.

Sydney-Hobart: As it could not be of another form, it goes from the beautiful Sydney in Australia, to Hobart in Tasmania crossing 630 miles of these seas of the south. It takes place all the Christmases from 1945, and one competes in exciting 40º rugientes in which the winds and sea disturbance are continuously worrisome for some and acongojantes for the majority of the mortals.

Admiral' s Cup: A famous and prestigious match of nations by equipment, each one of as has 3 boats. Organized by the RORC (Royal Ocean Racing Club). It takes place the uneven years from 1957, and in her, each equipment must participate in four regatas two short and two long ones.

SORC (Southern Ocean Racing Conference): Regatas is formed by 6 of which 4 are triangular and two of mean range around the 300 miles, all of them developed in the coasts of Florida and the Bahamas. Very similar to the Admiral´s Cup in version the USA.

To sail to the limit

From 1970 and agreeing with a new generation of young people skippers and naval architects prepared to defy all the limits, `appears several regatas extreme' where it stops to win is necessary to take the machines to the limit and to strive until the debilitation. They finished the time in which it stops to compete was enough a good boat an intelligent navigation and desire to enjoy the wind the tides and the best defeats. Now an important equipment is made necessary of logistical support, great economic investments and mainly to have the capacity to support to the suffering and the debilitation until the limits of the human resistance. The boats have happened to be luxurious yachts with finished noble to authentic designed machines to run. No concession to the comfort, is rather torture machines where the vital space is minimum does not exist no unnecessary whim. The boats are designed by and for a race being obsolete in few months. Professional welcomes to regatas!

The Volvo Ocean RACE (before well-known like Whitbread). Race around the world by stages and with crew. Previously it was run in `Ratin' according to the IOR (from 1973 to 1994), but at the moment it is disputed only in real time with sailboats of 21 meters of length that meet the conditions especially designed. One summons every four years having always left Southampton, except for this year that for the first time has the exit from Vigo in Galicia. The scales vary in each edition and for example in 2001 it crossed Cape Town in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Florida, Baltimore and having the arrival in La Rochelle (France). Present edition 2005 leaves from Vigo in Galicia to Cape Town in South Africa, Melbourne in Australia, Wellington in New Zealand, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Baltimore and New York in the USA, Portsmouth in England, Rotterdam in Holland, finalizing in the city of Goteborg in Sweden. Altogether about 9 months of wild competition to cross like minimum 31,250 miles.

Around Alone (Regata the 5 oceans): (before well-known like the VOICE Challenge). Regata alone around the world and by stages is one. Organized the first time in 1968 by `Golden Globe RACE' of the Sunday Time, was famous by the unexpected decision of the Moitessier French, who instead of to arrive at final destiny decided to continue and to give another return to the world, because preparation did not feel to return to take contact with the society. Of the 10 participants Knox-Johnston regata only finalized after more than 7 months of hard navigation. At the moment which is celebrated every 3 or 4 years with a mean range of 26,000 miles with obligatory scales in which it is possible to realize repairs of his boats, causes that the navigators force their sailboats to the maximum knowing that soon they can repair.

Vendée Globe: Race alone around the world without stages and any type of attendance. A true hell for its participants who are themselves put under to the maximum limit that the human body can support. Its exit and arrival in `Them Sabers d' Olonnes' (French Britain). Considered as the test harder than never has existed, not only by its duration but by the conditions of deprivation of dream and tension which the sportsmen have themselves to face the terrible seas of the south in latitudes near the Pole while they circumnavigate the Antarctic from the west to return to take the way from return by the Atlantic Ocean, after making the Cape Horn.

Mini: Transatlantic Regata alone in sailboats of 6.5 meters of length! It is developed every 2 years and it lasts a month from Concarneau in France to the island of Guadalupe via the Canary Islands.

The Route of the Rum: Transatlantic Regata alone from France (Saint Malo) to the island of Guadalupe, summoned every 4 years and of 2 weeks of duration. The ideal race to beat record of speed in multihelmets.

Regata Figaro: One regata by stages and with boats monotype, being alone developed in the Atlantic between France, the British Spain and Islands. It was summoned for the first time in 1.970 (then Regata call of the Aurora) and at the moment is organized by the important French newspaper “Le Figaro”. It has served as proving stand for a great number of champions of the candle. From 1,990 monotype designed by the Finot Group is disputed solely in the boats “Figaro” and realized by the Beneteau shipyards.