The Barcelona Capital Nàutica Foundation and the Catalan Sailing Federation have joined forces to make 2024 the year of sailing in Barcelona. Coinciding with the America's Cup, which will be held from August to October in the Catalan capital, both entities have promoted common projects with the aim of promoting sailing as a sport, and for the competition to leave as a legacy the extension of its practice in Catalonia.
The agreement, announced at the Barcelona International Sailing Center (BISC), in the Fòrum, aims to boost the practice of sailing in Catalonia, making it more inclusive, training new generations and supporting athletes and competitions with the collaboration of the network of Catalan clubs.
In addition to promoting the practice of sailing, the agreement aims to build networks among the Catalan nautical community and highlight the work carried out by clubs, athletes and the sector as a whole, in a context marked by the America's Cup. This must leave "a legacy in the city beyond the days of the competition," defended the Vice President of the Generalitat, Laura Vilagrà, at the presentation of the agreement. The Barcelona Sports Councilor, David Escudé, agreed with her, stating that the legacy of the regatta "should reach all citizens."
Among the projects that will be promoted from the agreement is the program Mar Inclusiu. In collaboration with Mi Fundación Alex, work will be done to ensure that athletes can practice sailing with accessibility and autonomy. To this end, they will promote adapted sailing, and Catalan clubs will be supported so that they can include inclusive sailing among their range of activities.
The agreement also includes supporting the Mini class to professionalize it and attract more sailors, as well as promoting the practice of foil, which allows boats to fly over the water. In addition, the agreement includes a sailing league between schools that will foreseeably be active in the coming months. This project will be key to popularizing sailing and making it known among new generations.
All this with the aim of "taking the sailing sector and sport further, and reaching as many people as possible," according to the general director of the Fundació Barcelona Capital Nàutica, Ignasi Armengol. For his part, the president of the Federació Catalana de Vela, Xavier Torres, has stressed that this agreement will facilitate that the America's Cup "leaves a sporting and promotional legacy not only in Barcelona, but throughout Catalonia", a legacy that goes beyond the sporting sphere and that is accelerating urban transformations such as that of Port Olímpic and improvements in Port Vell.