Tata Patagonia participated in the J/24 World Sailing Championships in Seattle

SAN CARLOS DE BARILOCHE – The week of September 31 to October 6, the Tata Patagonia team participated in Seattle of the J/24 World Championship 2024world championship in this category.

The Tata managed to position itself 15th in the final total of points, a more than encouraging result considering that it was within the first quarter among 58 boats, and that it far surpassed the performance of the previous year in which it was a mid-fleet team. But, in addition, and as an even more commendable fact, it came in 6th place among the amateur projects.

The J/24 is a one-design fixed-keel sailing vessel, with 100 active fleets in almost 40 countries. Among them is Tata Patagonia, which for the second consecutive year represents the country in the discipline, this time in the waters of the United States.

In racing, the J/24 crew is made up of five people. In the case of Tata Patagonia, the team is made up of sailors that Lake Nahuel Huapi brought together throughout its nautical life: Ramiro Clemente (Bariloche), Pedro Meroni (La Plata), Valentín Campero (San Isidro), Martín Santarelli (Cipolletti), Luciano Barbagallo (Bariloche) and Juan Pablo Manoni (Bariloche).

The Seattle Experience

Seattle left the team full of good feelings and with experience acquired as a team, technically and humanly invaluable.

The regatta area is located in the state of Washington, in the extreme Northwest of the United States. With landscapes very similar to that of the Patagonian lakes, although unlike Nahuel Huapi, Seattle is located at sea level, in the Puget Sound, a set of fjords that enter from the northern Pacific and extend in countless arms towards the south. The championship took place in Shilshole Bay, the central bay of said fjord and headquarters of the Corinthian Yacht Club.

The wind in general was medium to light, averaging 10 knots throughout the championship, with most days of very cold north wind direct from Alaska. It was vital for this championship to have been on site a week before the start, which allowed the team to prepare the boat without rushing and train enough alongside the best.

Thanks to experience in Greece the previous year, this year an alliance was sealed with the Irish team, “Headcase”, current two-time European champions. Together with them and the Honey Badger, North American Champion, they were able to train during the previous week, which allowed them to find the maximum performance of the boat, constantly adjusting the setting of the mast and sails.

The fleet consisted of 58 teams of 12 different nationalities, with a significant majority from North America, a fleet that also has the highest level worldwide, and the teams from the rest of the world that traveled were the best. This generated a very intense and varied competition in terms of positions, taking as an example the Honey Badger, a team that was the winner, and which achieved positions between 1 and 28, also highlighting that the new world champion began its World Cup campaign in 2012.

Background and direction

It is worth remembering that the Tata Patagonia project was born in Bariloche as an idea during the pandemic, when Pepe Irusta, a great sailor on the lake, gave the team the responsibility of carrying forward the legacy of his boat. Today, three years since this project began, Tata has reaped triumphs and positioned itself as one of the leaders at the local level, with the support of its sponsors. Slopes of Cerro Perito Moreno as main, RMMBs S.A., Bahia Manzano Resort, Andares Rent a Car y Reptile.

In 2023 he won the CAVLA Cup, the Southern Championship and the Vuelta al Lago; in 2024, the Southern Championship, the Vuelta al Lago and a second place in the Argentine Championship. In addition, at the international level he won first place in the Chilean National Championship held in Talcahuano and participated in the 2023 World Cup in Thessaloniki, Greece. The next objective is clear: compete in the next world championship, Plymouth 2025.