Stories from the Sea: Gonzalo

I've always been close to the sea, and even in my childhood I sailed with vintage boats and the Catalan...

GONZALO INFANTE MARTINEZ-PARDO

Discover Gonzalo's inspiring journey from novice to seasoned sailor in our latest Stories of the Sea feature - an honest reflection on resilience, adventure, and life lived on the water.

A Lifelong Passion for the Sea

I've always been close to the sea, and even in my childhood I sailed with vintage boats and the Catalan dinghy. Years later, I moved to Alicante with my family and met Bernard Moitiser, who stopped there. At 18, I bought a Vaurien with the first money I earned from giving private lessons. It was clear that sailing was my great passion, and luckily, my future father-in-law had a 36-foot Sirocco, and with that boat, I began to familiarize myself with cruising. Later, I bought a Hobie Cat 14 to experience the vertigo of speed (and capsizing).

I wanted to buy a good, definitive boat that would be useful for racing and cruising, but I couldn't find one, at least not within my budget. In the meantime, I dedicated myself to windsurfing to experience more of that sensation of riding the waves. I participated in numerous regional and national regattas. My passion and competitive spirit led me to Hawaii, to Kailua Beach, where the World Windsurfing Championship was being held. I went there to learn from the greats.

Eventually, I found my boat, the one I had imagined, like in the novel The Ship Hunter. I found my Swany, a Sparkman & Stephens Swan 44.

Then my life of racing and sailing began.

The Birth of a Racing Journey

The first race was in 1989. It was a race that was in its infancy but became famous for its toughness. It's called the 200 Miles a Dos de Altea (Alicante). It started and departed from Altea, then went around Ibiza and back to Altea. It's very tough because of the cold, wind, and waves that are usually present at the beginning of March. In that edition, 40 of us started, but no one finished.

I've done that race every year until 2017, about 25 times. I've done it with a son or a friend.

From that experience, I participated in many races: the 300 Miles a Tres de Moraira, Denia Sailing, Two Islands a Two, Salt Route, Spanish Two-Handed Championship, Mare Nostrum, International Week of Puerto de Santa Maria, Cartagena-Melilla, etc.

Always with great success, this led me to trust in myself and my boat. In 1995, I participated in the ARC Atlantic Regatta, where we finished first in the Cruiser II Class. In 1996, since the boat was in the Caribbean, I formed another crew, and we went to Antigua Sailing Week, where we finished third overall.

After the race, we returned to Alicante, where the boat is based.

Reaching New Heights on International Waters

We participated in the Rolex Swan Cup in Portocervo in 1998 and 2004 with good results. In the Copa del Rey in 1989, finishing third overall, and in 1992.

From 2000 to 2006, I participated in the Spanish Double-handed Championship (only two crew members), sailing a total of more than 25,000 miles, including boat transport.

I was also the skipper of the classic sailing boat ARGOS, a Holman and Pie sloop from 1966, winning the discipline for several years. We competed in the classic sailing circuit in Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Menorca, Porto Rotondo (Sardinia), Saint Tropez (France), Cannes (France), and Imperia (Italy).

A Family United by the Sea

Some of my children participated in some regattas, and all of us participated in the Salt Route. During the summer, we sailed with the family around the Mediterranean, the Balearic Islands, the French Riviera, etc. During the regattas, we became known as the family that sails together. This is how my children were raised, and three of them have become professional sailors.

In 2013, I participated in the Fasnet Race aboard the Swan 85 PLIS PLAY. We finished second overall. That same year, I participated with my son Gonzalo in the Cape Horn Regatta organized by the Cedena Puerto Williams Club.

In 2016, we participated again in the ARC Regatta aboard the Outremer 60 catamaran with Knut Frostad, owner and skipper. My son Gonzalo, a navigator and meteorologist, also came. We won the regatta.

In short, I've sailed thousands of miles cruising, racing, with family and friends, and, at almost 80 years of age, God willing, I'll continue to.