The America's Cup is a competition that is unlike anything seen before.

Leslie Ryan is the captain in charge of the first America's Cup to be held in Barcelona, the oldest sporting competition in the world and one of those with the greatest economic and media impact, only behind the Olympic Games and football World Cups. From her office in the World Trade Center, the director of the 37th edition of this regatta looks at the sea every day to see how it is. "Sailors are obsessed with the weather," Ryan tells The New Barcelona Post in an interview. Although she admits she has not yet sailed in Catalan waters, she promises to do so without fail this summer.

Born in Dublin, with a very different sea and much more wind, her first America's Cup was in Auckland, almost 20 years ago, no less. Since then, she has participated in six editions, from various positions, either in charge of marketing or leading the organization as this time. And, when she wasn't, she remained linked to nautical, working on events such as the Ocean Race that departed from Alicante this month or the Olympics.

When Barcelona was selected as the venue for the 2024 regatta, Ryan began to travel back and forth from the United Kingdom until, in September, she packed her house in the car, dog included, to move permanently. Engaged in preparations, a new team has recently joined the regatta, the French one, becoming the sixth. With all the pieces on the board, Ryan foresees a "very, very tight" competition.

--- How has Barcelona welcomed you?

--- I am very happy. I went back to Ireland for Christmas and it rained every day. I told myself, how nice, I live in a place where you wake up most days with sunlight.

--- Is this your first time in the city?

--- I came many years ago for the Olympic Games. It was incredible. Then I also organized an event here in 2014, a transatlantic regatta that went from New York to Barcelona. I was here for six weeks and I thought I really liked this place.

--- So you already knew it a little.

--- But there are many places to see. I live in Sarrià with my dog, a very large husky that came with me from the United Kingdom. I brought him because I couldn't leave him behind for two years. So I had to find a house that had a small garden because he doesn't fit on a terrace. We live near Collserola. It's completely different from the city. I really wanted to live in Barcelona, but not in the tourist area. I really like Sarrià because it feels more local. Even so, during the America's Cup, I will move to the center to be closer.

--- You have settled in well in advance.

--- It's a great opportunity to come and live here. It's an amazing city. But I need to know for sure. I have worked in many America's Cups. And it's easy to focus so much on the event that you forget to live in the place you are in. Now, I have two years to really discover Barcelona. Otherwise, you can be anywhere in the world and you forget to look.

"I really wanted to live in Barcelona, but not in the tourist area. I really like Sarrià because it feels more local"

--- My father was a very passionate sailor. Therefore, when I was a child, I couldn't refuse to sail. That's how I learned to sail and also participated in many regattas. It was my hobby. Then, I managed to combine it with my work. I am very fortunate. I studied Business in London and started working in different companies. I was in an advertising agency when a client came to us to create the brand for the British America's Cup team. Since I liked sailing, it fell to me. And then I left the company to work for the team itself.

--- Why do you like the sea so much?

--- For me, it means freedom. Especially when you are offshore, there is no noise, just fresh air. It's fascinating. You move solely by natural elements and, moreover, every day is different. It depends on the wind, the waves, the current... You have to be aware of many things.

--- I suppose all these variables will have been studied for the 2024 competition in Barcelona waters.

--- Of course. Before choosing Barcelona as the venue, we did a weather study in the city during the months of August, September, and October for the last ten years. We have had to analyze issues such as the wind because, if it blows too little, you cannot sail, but, otherwise, it is dangerous. In fact, all America's Cup teams have meteorologists who are now studying the climate so that the boats they design for the competition fit here. And there are no guarantees either because there can be a week without wind in the middle of the regattas, which makes the event very challenging. As organizers, this implies having a flexible calendar in case the program has to be canceled one day.

--- How long can they be designing the boats?

--- In each edition, they have to build a new one and they have to do it in their country of origin. A boat for Auckland ---the last America's Cup venue--- has nothing to do with those that will be in Barcelona. It is one of the rules of the competition. When they have it ready, they will bring it here to train. We estimate that the new boats will be finished by early 2024. Until then, they will practice with the boats built for the previous regattas, as the Swiss team, Alinghi Red Bull Racing, is already doing in Barcelona.

"In each edition of the America's Cup, a new boat must be built. A boat for Auckland has nothing to do with those that will be in Barcelona"

--- The teams have until this June to build their bases. The Port of Barcelona gave them instructions and they submitted their proposals last November. The next step will be to hire local engineering and construction companies to start working from April. In June, the six teams will be installed in Barcelona, training until October 2023. In the case of the Swiss team, they were allowed to train here earlier because they did not participate in the previous America's Cup. It was a way to give them an opportunity to catch up. Besides, Switzerland has no sea.

--- So, this summer fans will be able to come.

--- Exactly. The activity will be very visible this year. All the teams will be here and their boats can be seen. So this summer there will already be noise, which will help us communicate what the competition will be like. In addition, this year we will convert the Imax to explain the America's Cup. There will be an interactive area with simulators and the different boat models that have been used to explain the regattas and the history of the competition. This space will open in June and a part will be free. In the cinema, which will be renovated, tickets can be bought and films about the competition can be watched.

--- Thinking about the race days, where will one have to go to watch them?

--- There will be a village, at the Moll de la Fusta, which will be free and accessible and from where the races can be followed. There will also be shops and areas for children. The races will pass right in front. To choose which area to compete in the world of sailing, it is very rare that it can be very close to the coast, because boats need a lot of depth. Here we have been lucky and they will be only 200 meters from the beach, so anyone sitting on the sand will be able to see the competition. There will also be spaces for fans along the beach, from the W Hotel to the Port Olímpic. They will have screens where the progress of the race will be explained. Superfans will approach with their boats, there will be many.

--- You have announced that you will be looking for volunteers for the event's operation.

--- We will have land and sea volunteers. For the former, we will need between 1,500 and 2,000 people. They will be the visible face of the event to talk to the public, guide them, tell them what is happening... We will open it to everyone. As the America's Cup lasts a long time, a total of 68 days, we will divide the tasks into ten-day periods. On the other hand, for sea volunteers, as these are more specific functions, we will do it through nautical clubs and sailing academies, relying on people who have some experience in the water.

"We will need between 1,500 and 2,000 volunteers. They will be the visible face of the event to talk to the public, guide them and tell them what is happening"

--- Come and see something that is a world-class sporting competition, but unlike anything you've seen before. It's a sailing regatta, but it's not really. The boats go 100 kilometers per hour and fly over the water! It's crazy. But also come and be entertained and immerse yourself in the world of the America's Cup, there's a lot to learn. And you'll be right next to the sea. You have a city with an incredible Mediterranean just around the corner and I get the impression that few people look at the sea and visit it. It's something we don't understand, because the sea is everything to us, we always want to be close to the water. I think the point is to look at the sea differently. They say that in Barcelona they have their backs to the sea and we have to make them turn around so they look at it again and realize the spectacle they have so close.

--- And what would you tell the people of Barcelona about their city?

--- We studied 60 locations and Barcelona scored very high in all the aspects we valued. Beyond the physical and climatic conditions for the competition, it is an iconic city, very well known throughout the world. It's like Sydney or New York, one of those cities that has an incredible reputation and people like to go there. It's not expensive to fly here and book a hotel, it has a good time zone for televisions and interests advertisers. And we felt there was a strong bond: everything Barcelona has done, is doing or wants to do fits very well with our values. The commitment to technology, innovation and sustainability, with projects such as promoting the blue economy. In addition, in many of the meetings we had at the beginning, there was talk of the pride that the Olympic Games generated in the city, and that there was a clear will to recover it through a great event like ours. Since we've been here, we see that there is a sincere energy behind all this and that makes our job much easier. Without a doubt, it is the ideal place to celebrate the America's Cup.