Arraun Lagunac wants to win it all
Donostia Arraun Lagunac is the main favorite to win the new edition Euskotren League, which starts this Saturday in Corunna (17:25). The boat from the capital of Gipuzkoa cruised through June, confidently winning the Gipuzkoa Championship, the Euskadi Championship and the Spanish Championship. Last season, it was Donostiarra who won the territorial and regional titles, while the team led by Juan Marie Echabe won the championship and the Bandera de la Concha. Arraun Lagunac will be looking to win it all this year.
The Euskotren League will feature the same main players this year as in 2023. For the second year in a row, eight trawlers will compete in the top category. Arraun Lagunac was replaced in the classification by Orio, Donostiarra, Tolozaldea, Hondarribia, Jibica and Galician boats from Cabo and Tirana.
Last season, two coaches from Galicia were assured of continuity in the elite, but this year they will lose immunity. The team finishing eighth, whoever it is, will not continue next season in the Euskotrena League.and the seventh classified team must participate in a playoff at the end of the league to ensure consistency, along with two boats from the ETE league and two other boats from the Galician league. The two days will take place on September 14 and 15 in Bermeo and Portugalete and will be held in a time trial format.
This year’s competition will last 16 days, two more than last year, although the first regatta in 2023 was not successful. Zarautz will also continue to put the finishing touches on the league.
Although That Luganen become a big favorite for the championship title, the battle for flags could be just as intense as last year. The champions received five flags, while Orio and Donostiarra received four.
Arraun Lagunac, the favorite
Champion of the last edition, Arraun Lagunac further strengthened its status as a candidate to win the league in the federal championships. Team coach LuganenJuan Marie Echabe will not be able to count on the experience of Eli Pescador this season, but in general he retains the block of the champion crew.
Orio, the 2023 runner-up, has made nine withdrawals and six sign-ups this summer. Chickswhich continues under the orders of Patsy Frances, opens a new cycle without Nadet Aguirre at the stern. Oyarzuarra Maider Echanis, 24, with experience in San Juan, arrived to do the long rowing. a replacement patron who will go down in the history of the club and the sport.
Veteran Amaya Galdos, for his part, returns to the toast of Orio Tarras after two seasons sailing in his native Ondarroa.
Donostiarra Rufo Urtisberea, who finished third last summer, will also have a similar line-up. The boat from the capital of Gipuzkoa ended the previous league with bitterness. Yes, the disqualification he suffered on the sixth day, in the waters of Orio, completely deprived him of the chance to fight with Arraún Lagunac for the first position in the league.
There were no major changes to Tolosaldea’s team, which finished fourth in 2023. although a very significant one. And Ramon Erostarbe will not be able to count on Izaro Lestayo to lead his shirt.
Hibaika, very much renovated
Hondarribiafifth last season, will try to avoid playoffs for constancy. Iker Cortes’ trawler surpassed in 2023 Hibaikawho had to fight for this place despite being sixth. This year, despite losing the immunity of Cabo and Tirana, it will also be difficult for the rejuvenated team of Iñaki Mendizabal not to qualify for the playoffs. The Errenteria crew lost eleven people, including captains Natalia Tubio (now in the ranks of Cabo) and Zuriñe Alberdi, and resorted mainly to young people from their quarry to try to compensate for this absence, as well as four rowers who arrived from Levante.
Tirán, in last place in 2023, will face the league after winning the Galician championship ahead of Cabo., which has made numerous changes to its toast this summer. Neither of the two trawlers were present at the last Spanish championship, held in Donostia, and their behavior towards the Gipuzkoan boats is still a mystery to be solved.
Two Galician boats will compete this year under the pressure of losing their category.and that will likely add excitement to the fight at the bottom of the standings beyond the flag dispute.