Spaniards Iker Martínez and Xabi Fernández, double Olympic medallists and three time European and World champions in the 49er Class have become Spain's most successful sailing team ever. Both skippers are taking on the Barcelona World Race 2010 as a new offshore challenge, following their experiences in the 2005 and 2008/09 editions of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Iker and Xabi have been sailing together in the 49er Class since 1999 and they also embarked on their offshore careers together onboard the Volvo Ocean Race Movistar team in 2005, with Iker as skipper and Xabi at the helm and trimming. They weren't able to complete the circumnavigation of the globe on that occasion, but they managed to do so on Telefónica Blue in 2009, with an overall third place finish, two leg victories and four inshore wins. This duo has an extensive successful archive of races together and works together perfectly. The pair will sail the former Foncia, the yacht Michel Desjoyeaux took to victory in the previous Vendée Globe and with which the Spanish duo took fifth place in this year's Sailing Tour of Spain.
THE TEAM
Iker Martínez
Birthplace: Donosti, Spain
Residence: Santander, Spain
Marital Status: Married with one child
Age at start: 33
Previous entrant in the BWR: no
Team website: www.iker-xabi.com
Xabi Fernández
Birthplace: Ibarra, Guipúzcoa (Spain)
Residence: Tolosa, Spain
Marital Status: Married with 2 children
Age at start: 34
Previous entrant in the BWR: no
Team website: www.iker-xabi.com
Iker Martínez
Round the world regattas:
- Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 (3rd) on Telefónica azul (VOR 70) with crew.
- Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006 (abandoned) on Movistar (VOR 70) with crew.
Other long-distance regattas:
- Round Spain Race 2010 (IMOCA Open 60) with crew.
- Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race 2010 (2nd) (VOR 70) with crew.
Other racing:
- Olympic Sailing: 49er
- Gold medal, Athens Olympic Games 2004.
- Silver medal, Beijing Olympic Games 2008.
- 3 World Championships. 2002, 2004, 2010.
- 1 World runner-up. 2001.
- 3 European Championships. 2002, 2007, 2008.
- 1 European runner-up. 2001.
- 3 Bronzes in European Championships. 2000, 2003, 2006.
Xabi Fernández
Round the world regattas:
- Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009 (3rd) on Telefónica azul (VOR 70) with crew.
- Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006 (abandoned) on Movistar (VOR 70) with crew.
Other long-distance regattas:
- Round Spain Race 2010 (IMOCA Open 60) with crew.
- Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race 2010 (2nd) (VOR 70) with crew.
Other racing:
- Olympic Sailing: 49er
- Gold medal, Athens Olympic Games 2004.
- Silver medal, Beijing Olympic Games 2008.
- 3 World Championships. 2002, 2004, 2010.
- 1 World runner-up. 2001.
- 3 European Championships. 2002, 2007, 2008.
- 1 European runner-up. 2001.
- 3 Bronzes in European Championships. 2000, 2003, 2006.
The boat
Mapfre is a model from the penultimate generation of IMOCA yachts, and was launched in 2007. Her CV speaks for itself, in terms of both speed and performance. With her former skipper, Michel Desjoyeaux at the helm, this Bruce Farr design won the Vendée Globe in 2008 and the Istanbul Europa Race in 2009 and took fourth place in the 2009 Transat Jacques Vabre. This is a very balanced yacht, with a rotating mast and outriggers, with great performance across the board in very different wind and sea conditions. Xabi and Iker were able to train alongside Desjoyeaux in Sanxenxo and also welcomed the yachtsman onboard for one of the legs in the Sailing Tour of Spain, which has definitely been a valuable addition to the preparation process.
Technical Characteristics+
Designer: Farr Yacht Design
Shipyard: CDK Technologies.
Launch: 2007
Previous names: Foncia
Length: 18.28 m
Beam: 5.9m
Draught: 4.5 m
Displacement: 8,000 kg
Centreboards (number and type): 2 straight
Keel blade material: Stainless steel
Bulb material: Lead
Mast height: 28m
Rigging: rotating mast with outriggers
Total sail area close-hauled: 300 m2
Total sail area downwind: 620 m2
Number of sails onboard: 10
Rudder: tiller
Rudder blades: hanging kick-up
Autopilots onboard: 2
Onboard energy source: generator
