Learning To Sail
Fernando first sailed in a 38 feet ketch at age eight and soon joined the local sailing school where he excelled in the Optimist fleet of the ria de pontevedra. His brothers and sister soon joined him and made sailing their common passion, racing regattas all over Spain and Portugal. Although his parents (Carlos and Beatriz) did not sail, they adapted their spare time and vacations to their kids racing calendar, always encouraging them to enjoy the sport. At age 15, Fernando completed the Optimist class and entered the laser (dinghy) class sailing the standard rig while only 60 kg and 170 cm. Although only competitive in light conditions, he soon developed a special technique downwind that gave him fantastic results at a national level.
Read more about this topic: Fernando Echavarri
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