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After the Christmas Race finished in the Bay of Palamós at the end of last year, numerous teams from different countries came down to the Bay of Cadiz to set up their training race 2003 ISAF World Sailing Championships that will take place from the 11th to 25th September.

November saw the 2002 world championships of the 49er class, Iker Martínez and Xavi Fernández, training with the Ukrainians Luka Rodion and George Leonchuk (second in the current ISAF World Sailing Rankings) and the team in third place in the ISAF's world ranking, Santiago López Vázquez and Javier de la Plaza. The New Year has brought even more European teams down to try out all the aspects of this race area before the Championships in September.

Puerto Sherry (El Puerto de Santa Maria) is now the base for the Swedish Laser team, which is made up by Daniel Birgmark (fourth in the current ISAF World Sailing Rankings), Rasmus Myrgren (Ranked tenth) and Gustav Carlsson, as well as two Finish 49er teams and four members of the Irish Europe team.

The national teams of Poland, Great Britain, Germany and France of the Mistral class came down to train with the Spanish pre-Olympic team at the beginning of October.

The members of the Dutch Yngling, Finn, Laser, 49er and 470 teams have confirmed that they will be training in the Bay of Cadiz from the 18th to 31st of January.

Not even the Siberian cold wave that hit Europe over the last few days has stopped some of the teams from taking to the water in their boats to enjoy the brisk northerly winds of over 15 knots and try out tactics, followed closely by their coaches, in the race areas that they will be using during the Worlds.