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Measurement takes place today before racing kicks off tomorrow, Friday with the start of the Spanish National Championships for the 49er, Mistral Men and Mistral Women classes.

The installations of the Andalusian Sailing Federation at El Puerto de Santa Maria are already bustling with sailors who have come to train prior to the event, which is expected to attract over one hundred and fifty boats. The national sailors will be fighting for the titles of Spanish Champion in the 49er, Mistral Men and Mistral Women classes. The event is also the Spanish Cup for the Mistral Junior class and the Andalusian Cup for the 420, Laser Standard and Laser Radial.

Now in its fifth year, the Carnival Race is consolidating its position as one of the most important events on the Andalusian racing calendar. It is a selection event for the senior and youth national teams in the case of the Mistral to decide who will be representing Spain at the Mediterranean Games in Almeria and the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championship in Korea, respectively. It is also and ISAF Grade 3 event for the Olympic classes (Laser standard, Laser radial and 49er).

Combined with the good race area and favourable climatic conditions, it is not surprising that some of the best foreign sailors come here year after year to take part in a regatta that was started five years ago as a test event for the 2003 ISAF Sailing World Championship. The colours of the flags of Spain, Great Britain, Germany, Ukraine, Italy, Poland, France and Portugal will add a brilliant touch to the Bay of Cadiz, and yet again confirm the popularity of the races held in this bay

Among the classes competing, the 49er and Mistral are the ones with the largest number of foreign sailors competing. The Ukrainian silver medallists from Athens in the 49er class, Rodion LUKA and George LEONCHUK, will be racing together with crews from Germany, Italy, France and Poland. Many of them have been based in Cadiz since Christmas and the race marks for many the start of the 2005 European circuit.

The Mistral class has attracted windsurfers from Austria, Italy, France, Poland, Germany and Spain. The entry list includes the likes of 'Pont', the 2003 World Champion, 2004 European Champion who also finished second at the 2004 Worlds and fifth at the Olympic Sailing Competition in Athens; Nicolas BEDOU from France, Zofia KLEPACKA, champion at the ISAF Youth World Championship in 2002, 2003 and 2004; Flavia TARTAGLINI (ITA), Mistral Youth Women's World Champion in 2004, and Federico ESPINOSO, without forgetting local sailor, Blanca MANCHON, who finished second at the 2004 Europeans and eighth in Athens.

Daily results will be published at the event website via the link below.