Noticias

Sail Team BCN has started official training ahead of its debut in the first edition of the Women’s America’s Cup, which will be on Sunday 6 October, although the competition starts on 5 October.

After two days of free training, the skippers and trimmers of Sail Team BCN have completed the first official training regatta with buoys and a race committee. Finally, the skippers who will be on board the AC40 will be Silvia Mas and Neus Ballester and the trimmers will be María Cantero and Paula Barceló, with Nicole Van der Velden as reserve sailor.

The Women’s America’s Cup is one of the two modalities that accompany the main competition in the 37th edition of the America’s Cup. Together with the Youth America’s Cup, it adds an innovative and inclusive component to this legendary championship. This is the first edition of this women’s competition and it opens up new opportunities for female sailors who, from October 5 to 13, will compete against 11 other teams.

The Sail Team BCN sailors are:

Neus Ballester (16/12/2003, Mallorca)
Neus is the youngest member of the women’s team and the only one who is also part of the youth team. She is the daughter of Olympic champion Pepote Ballester and world champion Neus Bover. She herself can boast of having been twice World Champion in the 420, bronze in the European Youth Championship in the 470 and fifth in the World Youth Championship in the 470.
“I am quite young and to be told that I am going to be part of it, even if it wasn’t on the boat, just being part of the team is already a source of pride and something very important to me. It is the first women’s America’s Cup in history and being able to say that being so young I can be on this team is amazing,” she said.

Silvia Mas (23/08/1996, Barcelona)
Silvia also comes from a family of sailors and has been sailing since she was a child with her three brothers. She was a world champion in the 470m and an Olympic champion in Tokyo, twice a Junior World Champion, absolute champion of Spain and a European bronze medallist.
Silvia has stated that she is “aware that it is something historic, it is the first time that women have participated in the America’s Cup. I am obviously super happy that it is in Barcelona, ​​which is at home and also with a responsibility. This is the beginning of a very long road. Let’s hope that the America’s Cup is here to stay and that, as the editions go by, it gets better.”

Paula Barceló Martín (03/13/1996, Palma de Mallorca)
Paula won gold at the 2020 49er Fx World Championship, bronze at the 2022 World Championship and bronze at the 2023 49er Fx European Championship. She has participated in two Olympic Games: Tokyo and Paris and, most surprisingly, she combines elite sport with her higher education: she is in her fifth year of Medicine.
Paula has said she feels “super lucky to be able to be in the first girls’ team that is going to race the America’s Cup. I think that, apart from being lucky, it is a great responsibility. In the end, many barriers are being broken in women’s sport and I think that this, together with other great circuits that are increasingly introducing women, are doing an impressive job, but at the same time I feel that I have that responsibility to continue breaking barriers for the future generations to come.”

Maria Cantero (06/26/1997, Canary Islands)
María is a bronze medalist in the 2013 49erFX Youth World Championship, fifth and sixth in the 2022 49erFX World Championship and bronze medalist in the 2021 Youth Foiling Gold Cup.
“For me it was something very special to know that there would be a first women’s cup and that, in addition, it would be in Barcelona. In my opinion, we as athletes can really inspire people and try to convey a message. And being the first edition in which women compete in the cup, we have a great responsibility because in the end you want to do it as well as possible and pave the way for the next generations,” said Maria.

Nicole van der Velden (10/26/1994, Madrid)
Nicole is coming off being the protagonist of the Spanish team’s victory on the SailGP circuit. Her achievements include finishing first at the Lanzarote International Week IQFoil 2022, seventh at the European IQFoil 2021, fourteenth at the 49erFX World Championship 2019, sixteenth at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Nacra 17 2016, seventh at the Nacra 17 World Championship 2015 and tenth at the European Nacra 17.
“It’s great to participate in the Women’s America’s Cup. It’s a great opportunity for us to learn and grow in the world of professional sailing,” Nicole said.

Jordi Puig, president of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona, ​​the club for which Sail Team BCN sails, is very excited about the challenge. “From the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona, ​​I would like to wish the best of luck to Sail Team BCN in their challenge for the titles of the 37th Women’s America’s Cup. The presence of the America’s Cup in our city is a unique opportunity that enhances the projection of Barcelona in the world of sailing. As a club, we contribute

September 28, 2024

The Equipo de regatas del RCNBarcelona  has had the opportunity to enjoy an inspiring afternoon in the company of Olympic sailor Jordi Xammar, an Socio de Honor of the club, who has shared with us his career and achievements since he started in this wonderful sport that is sailing. Thank you very much, Jordi.

This year, in addition to the Optimist team, we have expanded our project with the 420 team, and we are very proud to be able to present it. We continue to shape the present and future of sailing from RCNBarcelona.

Here’s to many more successes, team!

Barcelona, ​​2 October 2024_ The Reial Club Nàutic de Barcelona (RCNB) is now ready to host the Barcelona SuperYacht Regatta 2024, which will take place from 4 to 6 October, as part of the 37th America’s Cup. This three-day event, organised in collaboration with BWA Yachting and sanctioned by the SuperYacht Racing Association (SYRA), will bring together some of the world’s most impressive yachts in an exciting sporting challenge. This outstanding event is part of the Premier Regatta Series, a series of competitions that run in parallel to the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, and is organised in conjunction with America’s Cup Events (ACE).

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September 22, 2024_ The Barcelona Team Racing d’Optimist has arrived at its launch, with Team 1 of the Federació Catalana de Vela proclaiming the winner. Despite the complicated weather conditions, insufficient wind and wind, all round robin events have been completed, but it has not been possible to hold the semi-finals or the Grand Final. For this reason, the podium has been decided according to the current classification, with the Turkish National Team in second position and the Federació Catalana de Vela Team 2 in third.

Team 1 of the Federació Catalana de Vela, formatted by Juan Lleonart, Pepe García, Agnès Hadzi and Anna Rentería, has shown great consistency throughout the competition. In the second position, the Turkish National Team has been classified, made up of Derin Değişen, Mehmet Erkut, Zeynep Özer and Cengiz Eren. Team 2 of the Federació Catalana de Vela, together with Lluc Garcés, Damiano Tierno, Daniela Garcia and Giulia Sandri, completed the podium in third position.

The Federació Catalana de Vela’s Team 1 now adds a new victory after its great performance at the Campeonato de España de Optimist of Autonomías, which will be held in July as well as at the Barcelona International Sailing Center. Thanks to that victory, the team will achieve classification for the European Team Racing Optimist, which will be held from October 15 to 20 in Monaco. The Turkish National Team will also participate in Europe.

The championship, organized by the Federació Catalana de Vela, the Reial Club Nàutic de Barcelona and the Reial Club Marítim de Barcelona, ​​has been held at the Barcelona International Sailing Center (BISC), one of the most prestigious sailing technology facilities. of the mon This competition is part of the 4a Setmana Catalana de l’Esport, promoted by the Unió de Federacions Esportives de Catalunya (UFEC) and the Departament d’Esports de la Generalitat de Catalunya. The championship has also been supported by the Ajuntament de Barcelona, World Sailing and the International Optimist Dinghy Association (IODA), Port Fòrum and Òscar Trives-Solucions Nàutiques.

In the award ceremony was capçalat the treasurer of thela Federació Catalana de Vela, Federico Comajuan, who thanked and congratulated all the participating teams for their continued involvement and effort throughout the competition.

Barcelona, ​​23 September 2024 – The Real Club Náutico de Barcelona is the host of the Barcelona Maxi Yacht Regatta 2024, which will take place from 24 to 29 September in the waters of Barcelona. This outstanding event is part of the Premier Regatta Series, a series of competitions that run in parallel to the 37th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup, and is organised in conjunction with America’s Cup Events (ACE).

The Barcelona Maxi Yacht Regatta will bring together some of the most impressive yachts in the world in a top-level nautical spectacle, as part of one of the most eagerly awaited competitions of the international sailing season.

Preparations will begin on Tuesday 24 September with the confirmation of registrations at the Marina Port Forum, where the impressive boats are already moored. In the afternoon, the RCNB Race Village will host the skippers’ meeting, where the weather forecast and key instructions for the competition will be discussed.

The race schedule will run from Wednesday to Sunday, with a maximum of six races combining different modalities. The programme includes two coastal races (one long and one short), and two days of windward-leeward racing, with two races per day.

Friday is reserved as a rest or adjustment day, depending on the weather conditions. The event will culminate on Sunday 29 September with the awards ceremony to be held in the afternoon at the Race Village of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona.

Among the outstanding competitors are world-renowned boats such as ‘Galateia’ from the New York Yacht Club, ‘V’, ‘Scallywag’ from the Royal Hong Yacht Club, and ‘Bullitt’ from the Yacht Club Costa Esmeralda. These boats, belonging to some of the most prestigious clubs in the world, will compete in a competition that promises strong emotions and a high technical level.

The Barcelona Maxi Yacht Regatta 2024 is organised under the authority of the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, in collaboration with the Marina Port Forum. The Real Club Náutico de Barcelona once again reinforces its commitment to excellence in the organisation of high-level sailing events, consolidating the city of Barcelona as an international benchmark in the field of sailing sports.

September 23, 2024 – Sail Team BCN has today sealed its passport to the semi-finals of the youth America’s Cup after closing the last day of the qualifying phase with a victory and a second place in the last two races of the first round.

The local team has had a spectacular day, effectively overcoming the technical difficulties that the sailboat they have competed with from the first day of competition has shown and showing remarkable maturity to perform at the highest level in the decisive moments.

Martín Wizner, starboard skipper of Sail Team BCN, summed up the great feelings of the team. “The best thing is being able to enjoy the boat for one more day because it is an amazing boat, now we are looking forward to facing the big teams and seeing what the highest level is like in this type of sailing. We are looking forward to having them close, competing and comparing ourselves with them.”

For his part, Jaime Framis, starboard trimmer, acknowledged the desire they have to face the semi-finals. “It was a good day, but our goal from the start was to be in the top three to make it to the semi-finals and compare ourselves a bit with the big teams, who we know are way ahead of us from the information they have had access to and the hours they have had on the boat. Obviously we are competitive and we will always want to win, but being realistic, I think we have done a good job so far and from tomorrow onwards everything that comes will be welcome and we have to enjoy it to the fullest.”

After today’s great result, Sail Team BCN has finished the qualifying phase in second place in Pool B, behind Sweden and ahead of Australia. These three invited teams will face Luna Rossa, American Magic and Athena Pathway (Ineos Britannia) in the semi-finals, which have been the three qualified from Pool A (affiliates of the big America’s Cup challenges).

The format of the semi-finals determines four fleet races between these six qualified teams, all of which are scheduled to be contested tomorrow Tuesday. At the end of these four races, the top two finishers will face each other in the grand final of the Junior America’s Cup, which will be held on Thursday, wind permitting, in a single match race.

Pool B standings:
1. Swedish Challenge (SWE) 62
2. Sail Team BCN (ESP) 45
3. Team Australia (AUS) 43
4. Concord Pacific (CAN) 31
5. Jajo – Dutch Team (NED)  28
6. Team Germany (GER) 14

Sail Team BCN has Foundation 0 and CaixaBank as its main sponsors, and the Ajuntament de Barcelona , Port de Sitges, Highfield, Musto, BWA Yachting, Sailproof and Time Out as its collaborators. The team sails representing the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona.

Sail Team BCN, the Spanish representative in the Unicredit Youth America’s Cup, and sailing for the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona, ​​has had a dream debut in the youth America’s Cup by taking victory in the first race contested by the six teams in pool B, made up of participants who do not belong to a major America’s Cup challenge. In addition to the local team, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands have started their participation today after pool A, made up of the affiliates of the major challenges, did so last Wednesday.

The wind, which was light and shifty after the heavy rains that fell during the morning in Barcelona, ​​allowed the contesting of a single race, in which Sail Team BCN had a spectacular performance. After a brilliant start by Sweden, which dominated the first two thirds of the race, the Nordic sailboat stopped flying when it fell off its foils and Sail Team BCN, which had been sailing in second place from the start, managed to stay in flight throughout the final stretch to overtake the Swedes and take a historic victory.

Martín Wizner, the starboard skipper of the boat, was very satisfied after the victory. “This has been thanks to the effort of the whole team and the training. We have tried to keep things simple, take care of the batteries and do as few manoeuvres as possible. We have hit a couple of logs, but we were lucky that it didn’t affect us and we have taken the victory. We have to be realistic and our objective is to go to the semi-finals to have another day of racing and compete against people who have had many hours on this boat.”

Antonio Torrado, port trimmer, highlighted the team’s strategy. “It was a very difficult day because there was very little wind, so taking off was difficult, but once flying it was easier. Our goal was to stay flying and not move the sails or foils too much so as not to wear out the batteries and we achieved that. We had a good race, to be honest.”

Sail Team BCN faces the second day of competition this Saturday from 2 p.m. if the wind allows it. In theory they will have to compete in eight races in this first phase, and the top three finishers will go on to the semi-finals. Pool B standings after the first race:
1. Sail Team BCN (ESP) 10
2. Concord Pacific (CAN) 7
3. Swedish Challenge (SWE) 5
4. Team Germany (GER) 3
5. Team Australia (AUS) 2
6. Dutch Team (NED)  1

Sail Team BCN is sponsored by Foundation 0 and CaixaBank, and is supported by Ajuntament de Barcelona, Port de Sitges, Highfield, Musto, BWA Yachting, Sailproof and Time Out. The team is sailing on behalf of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona.

September 17, 2024_ The time for young people has come. This Tuesday, the Unicredit Youth America’s Cup competition begins, in which SailTeam BCN, the Spanish team that will sail under the banner of the Reial Club Nàutic de Barcelona and is sponsored by CaixaBank, will make its debut.

Sail Team BCN, the team that will represent Spain in the Women’s and Youth America’s Cup, makes its debut this Thursday, September 19, in competition with the first youth races, in which all participants are under 26 years of age.

The presentation of the Junior America’s Cup was held in Barcelona on Monday, in which twelve teams will compete: the six supported by a challenge from the ‘big’ America’s Cup (New Zealand, Great Britain, Italy, France, Switzerland and the United States), which form pool A, and the invited teams (Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden and Spain), which form pool B.

Martín Wizner represented Sail Team BCN at the skippers’ press conference. “It’s an honour to be here in Spain and to compete with these cool boats. The main objective is to try to be an AC team in the next Cup, this is the way and I’m really looking forward to it this week,” said the Spanish skipper.

The competition format establishes two groups: pool A, which starts competing this Tuesday, and pool B, which starts on Wednesday. After competing up to eight fleet races spread over two days of competition, the top three will go on to the semi-finals, which will take place on Sunday 22 September. The top two from the semi-finals will compete in the final on September 26.

Along with Wizner, the other skipper of the team will be Conrad Konitzer, while the trimmer position will be occupied by Jaime Framis and Antonio Torrado. Albert Torres and Neus Ballester will be the reserve skippers, and Marcos Fernández will be the trimmer.

Smeralda 888 Class competes in Premier Regatta Series organised by Barcelona, ​​11 September 2024 – The Smeralda 888 class regatta was held last weekend in Barcelona, ​​as part of the Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup, with the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona hosting this important event.

Smeralda 888 teams competed from 6 to 8 September in the sixth round of the prestigious Smeralda 888 International Championship of the 2024 calendar. 6 of the 9 scheduled races were contested in challenging weather conditions, with rain, storms, moderate winds and waves. Three races were completed on Friday and Saturday, while on Sunday the races were suspended due to adverse conditions. The team “Vamos Mi Amor” took the victory, followed by “Giada” in second place and “Beda” in third position, the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona and the America’s Cup Event (ACE).

Press release.

Barcelona, ​​September 7, 2024 – The XVII Regata Puig Vela Clàssica successfully closes its most spectacular edition, consolidating itself as a world reference in classic sailing. With 77 boats and more than 800 sailors, this edition leaves an indelible mark on the history of the competition and classic sailing in Spain.⠀
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The coincidence with the America’s Cup in time and space, waters of the Catalan coast, together with the proximity of the regatta field during these 4 days, has left spectacular images for both professionals and sailing enthusiasts. Special mention must be made of the 12Ms, legends of the America’s Cup in the 70s and 80s, which this year have undoubtedly been the stars and which, together with the 15 metres, the vintage P Class and the rest of the classic categories, have made history by coming together for the first time in a single event, offering an unprecedented display in the world of classic sailing, which will go down in history.

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