Bravo3 Repsol Team Heads to Abu Dhabi to Take Part in the Al Ain Air Championship

Castor Fantoba, Current European Champion, Will Fly With Juan Velarde to Delight Over 45 Thousand Spectators

The Aerobatic Team Bravo3 Repsol Will Conclude Their Sporting Season at One of the Most Well-Known International Air Shows: the Al Ain Air Championship Which Takes Place 17 - 19 December in the UAE

The Bravo3 Repsol Team Took Home the Team Bronze Medal at the Most Recently Held European Championships, and Includes Renowned Pilots Fantoba Castor, Anselmo Gamez and Juan Velarde Flying Sukhoi Su26's


MADRID, SPAIN--(Marketwired - Dec 11, 2015) - The Bravo3 Repsol aerobatic pilots complete their 2015 season at the "Al Ain Air Championship" to be held between 17 and 19 December at the Al Ain International Airport in the UAE.

This championship, previously known as the Al Ain Aerobatic Show has been renamed the Al Ain Air Championship in its 11th edition. This event is organized by the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi) and supported by the UAE Air Force (UAEAF) and Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC).

The event, considered one of the cornerstone events of the air show season, is today the most prestigious in the Middle East. The venue spans over 60,000 m2 and will host and pilots from around the world.

This new edition offers a new scoring format. During the tournament, teams will be judged by a panel of four judges who grant their score, with a weight of 65% of the total; the remaining 35% will be decided by the fans, who through digital voting by mobile phone, can choose their favourite team.

The Bravo3 Repsol team is formed by three of the best international pilots: Castor Fantoba, Anselmo Gámez and Juan Velarde. Six years after its inception, the team has achieved international recognition and is currently the only active Sukhoi formation in the world. The pilots have the sponsorship of Repsol and Angry Fish. The energy company has been sponsoring Fantoba, Gamez and Velarde since 2011 and is a driving force behind their sporting success.

Castor Fantoba, reigning European Champion, double bronze medallist at the World Championship this year and overall winner, for the sixth time, at the Spanish Nationals, commented: "We are delighted to be taking part in the Al Ain event, it's an outstanding venue, once again attracting a great line-up of teams with the talent to impress and entertain everyone."

For his part, Juan Velarde, added: "I hope that our participation at this reference event will serve to further promote the sport and talent that Al Ain consistently attracts."

Notes for Editors
The Pilots

Created in 2009, The Bravo3 Repsol, has won over 30 medals in national and international competitions in under a decade, including three team medals (two silver and one bronze) representing Spain.

Anselmo born in Madrid in 1971. Anselmo is a commercial airline pilot and currently captain of the Airbus A319/20/21 range and a flight instructor. He is a member of the Spanish National Aerobatic Team since 2004 and is recognised as an elite sportman by the Spanish Government (DAN) and member of the formation team Bravo3 Repsol.

2015 Bronze Medal, Spanish National Aerobatic Championships (ES).
2014 Team Bronze Medal, FAI European Aerobatic Championships (HU).
2014 Bronze Medal, Spanish National Aerobatic Championships (ES).
2013 Spanish National Unlimited Aerobatic Champion, Unlimited category (ES).
2012 Bronze Medal, Spanish National Aerobatic Championships (ES).
2011 Bronze Medal, Spanish National Aerobatic Championships (ES).
2010 Silver Medal, Spanish National Aerobatic Championships (ES).
 Team 3rd place (H/C), European Aerobatic Championships (CZ).
2009 Silver Medal, Copa Triangular de Vuelo Acrobático (ES).
2008 Spanish National Champion, Unlimited Category (ES).
Team Bronze Medal, European Aerobatic Championships (CZ).
Gold Medal, Portuguese National Aerobatic Championships (PT).
Silver Medal, Lithuanian National Aerobatic Championships (LT).
Bronze Medal, Copa Triangular de Vuelo Acrobático (ES).
2007 Team Silver Medal, World Aerobatic Championships (ES).
Bronze Medal, Copa Triangular de Vuelo Acrobático (ES).
2006 Team Silver Medal, European Aerobatic Championships (CH).

Cástor born in Pamplona in 1966. Born in Pamplona, Spain 1966. An Aeronautical Engineer by training, Cástor's passion for flying drove him to become a professional pilot. He gained his extensive flying experience in different areas such as aerial advertising, skywriting, crop-dusting and water-bombing. He is also an Airline Captain, flying in Boeing 737, 757 and 767. He is also an aerobatic flying instructor, member of the formation team Bravo3 Repsol and member of the Spanish National Aerobatic Team since 1999. Won his first National in 2002. He is the reigning European Aerobatic Champion and Spanish National Champion (6 times) and is officially recognised as an elite sportsman by the Spanish Government (DAN).

Spanish National Champion, Unlimited Category: 2002, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015

2015/16 Bronze Medal, Classic, FAI World Aerobatic Championships, (FRA).
 Bronze Medal, Freestyle, FAI World Aerobatic Championships, (FRA).
 Silver Medal, Free Programme, Classic, FAI World Aerobatic Championships, (FRA).
2014/15 Champion, FAI European Aerobatic Championships (HU).
Gold Medal, Known Programme, FAI EAC (HU).
Silver Medal, First Unknown, FAI EAC (HU).
Bronze Medal, Second Unknown, FAI EAC (HU).
Bronze Medal, Free Programme, FAI EAC (HU).
 Team Bronze Medal, FAI European Aerobatic Championships (HU).
2011 Champion, FAI Desert Challenge (UAE).
2nd Overall, Freestyle H/C, World Aerobatic Championships (IT).
3rd Free Programme, H/C, World Aerobatic Championships (IT).
4th Overall, Classic H/C, World Aerobatic Championships (IT).
Silver Medal Overall, China Aerobatic Challenge (CH).
2010 Champion, Sebring Aerobatic Championships (USA).
 Bronze Medal Overall, Al Ain Aerobatic Show (UAE).
 Team 3rd place (H/C), European Aerobatic Championships (CZ).
 Bronze Medal Overall, China Aerobatic Challenge (CH).
2009 Champion, FAI World Elite Aerobatic Formula (RU).
Champion, Copa Triangular de Vuelo Acrobático (ES).
Bronze Medal Overall, China Aerobatic Challenge (CH).
2008 Silver Medal, Freestyle, European Championships (CZ).
Silver Medal, Copa Triangular de Vuelo Acrobático (ES).
Silver Medal, FAI Grand Prix of Japan (JP).
Team Bronze Medal, European Championships (CZ).
4th Overall, Men's category, European Aerobatic Championships (CZ).
2007 Team Silver Medal, World Aerobatic Championships (ES).
 Silver Medal, Copa Triangular de Vuelo Acrobático (ES).
 4th World Men's category, World Aerobatic Championships (ES).
 1st place Known Program, World Aerobatic Championships (ES).
2006 Champion, Copa Triangular de Vuelo Acrobático (ES).
 Gold Medal, Second Unknown Programme, European Aerobatic Championships (CH). 
 Team Silver Medal, European Aerobatic Championships (CH).
5th Overall, Men's category, European Aerobatic Championships (CH).

Juan born in Madrid in 1974. Juan is a commercial Airline Pilot currently flying Airbus A340.He is a flight instructor, glider pilot and parachute sky diver and has been a member of the Spanish National Aerobatic Team since 2004.Juan is officially recognised as an elite sportsman by the Spanish Government (DAN), is a member of the formation team Bravo3 Repsol and flies for the Vintage Airplane Collection, Fundación Infante de Orleans (FIO). He is also a pilot of Red Bull Air Race.

2015 2nd place, Spanish National Aerobatic Championship (ES).
2014 2nd place, Spanish National Aerobatic Championship (ES).
 3rd place, Challenger Cup, Red Bull Air Race (UAE).
2013 2nd place, Spanish National Aerobatic Championship (ES).
2012 2nd place, Spanish National Aerobatic Championship (ES).
 6th place, Aerobatic Freestyle Challenge, (CZ).
2011 2nd place, Spanish National Aerobatic Championship (ES).
 Bronze Medal, Classic Program, FAI Desert Aerobatic Challenge (UAE).
 5th place Freestyle on FAI China Aerobatic Challenge (CN).
2010 Spanish National Unlimited Aerobatic Champion, Unlimited category (ES).
 Team 3rd place (H/C), European Aerobatic Championship (CZ).
 6th place on FAI China Aerobatic Challenge (CN).
2009 Bronze Medal, Classic Program, FAI China Aerobatic Challenge (CN)
 Silver Medal, Copa Triangular de Vuelo Acrobático (ES).
2008 Team Bronze Medal, European Aerobatic Championship (CZ).
 Champion, Copa Triangular de Vuelo Acrobático (ES).
 Silver Medal, Portuguese National Aerobatic Championship (PT).
 4th place on Ivan Tucek Cup, European Aerobatic Championship (CZ).
2007 Team Silver Medal, World Aerobatic Championship (ES).
 6th place Freestyle Program, World Aerobatic Championship (ES).
 Champion, Copa Triangular de Vuelo Acrobático (ES).
 Bronze Medal, Spanish National Aerobatic Championship (ES).

The airplanes: The Sukhoi - 26

The most successful aerobatic plane ever built. Designed to meet the requirements of the URSS aerobatic champions in the 80's with all the most modern Space Age technology. The Sukhoi's outstanding performance at all speeds, its size, impressive look and stunning sound of a roaring engine, makes it one of the best aerobatic airshow aircraft ever designed. These aircraft are equipped with a Vedeneyev M14PF 400 hp, nine-cylinder radial air-cooled, which has a proven track record in aviation sport as the most robust and reliable powerplant on the world aerobatic circuit. The fuselage, propeller and engine are all designed to withstand both positive and negative accelerations up to 25 G.

If you wish to contact the pilots during the competition you can call +34 670 799 335

Contact Information:

For more information or images:
Melvin Agapito

+34 91 531 2388 / +34 650 047 069

Bravo 3 Repsol