In a few weeks one year is over of the designation of Barcelona as the headquarters of the 37 edition of the America’s Cup of Sailing 2024. In March of last year, the sports councilor of Barcelona, David Escudé, assured that such was the magnitude of the Copa América that it was going to take “not only the maritime waters of the municipal area of the city”. And that is what is beginning to happen on the Barcelona coast. sitgesone of the towns with the highest nautical tradition of the environment, hotel infrastructure enough and desire, could become the first to accompany the Catalan capital in the organization of the big sporting event.
municipal officials have met this Wednesday with directors of the Spanish team Sail Team BCN to finalize a “protocol of intent“that, if everything goes according to plan, will sign and will make it public next week, as confirmed to this newspaper by the mayoress from Sitges, Aurora Carbonell. However, the fact that there are still aspects to be specified and that it is a international event with many companies and interests, causes that at the moment those involved are cautious in the explanations.
“Absolute willingness”
“We talked about it a long time ago and the Sitges predisposition is absolute, we are willing to contribute whatever is needed, we have three ports available and the necessary hotels”, the mayoress postulates, who advances that some of these tests could be held this same 2023. Carbonell has maintained contacts with the sailor and team manager Sail Team, William Altadill.
The organizers are under the baton of the champion of the last edition, the Emirates Team New Zealand, who will defend the title. in front is Grant Dalton. There is also a previous competition to choose the defiant ship, who will challenge the champion. So far there are four: Inneos Britannia (Great Britain), the Alinghi Red Bull Racing (Switzerland), the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team (Italy) and the NYYC American Magic (USA), although Until May 31 from 2023 more can be added. In fact, the Alinghi team with an AC40 (a smaller boat than the AC75) is in Barcelona for weeksas they explained themselves in their social networks.
Our AC40 has arrived!
This marks the start of the next phase of our challenge for the @AmericasCup. Smaller, simpler but just as sleek as her big sister the AC75.The 40-foot one-design will be the boat used in the first two pre-regattas, and the Youth & Women’s America’s Cup. ? pic.twitter.com/OORaALiT8J
—alinghiredbullracing (@alinghiredbull) February 14, 2023
A springboard for women
The Spanish Sail Team, linked to the Royal Nautical Club of Barcelonawill be measured in youth competitions and also in the feminine. In fact, the 37th edition of the Copa América will be the first in the long history of the competition in which there is a women’s event. The objective, explained a spokesperson for the organization, is for it to become a “springboard” for discover new talents in this aquatic sport, as happened in his day with the young promises: “The young team of 2013 was the one who won the Copa América in 2017″, he recalls.
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It remains to be seen then if the talks finalized these days between the Spanish team and Sitges serve to test the women’s team or to compete directly, since the Cup tests will be between August and October 2024.
Preparations at the Port
Meanwhile, in the Port of Barcelona they continue with the preparations. If it was known a few days ago that Endesa was already working on the electrical infrastructure to strengthen the networknext Wednesday it is also expected that they will make public the proceedings in the Marina Port Vellwhich is led by the general director, David Pino. One of the virtues of the Catalan candidacy is that no new infrastructure will have to be builtbut the existing ones will be reformed or expanded, which especially like both the organizers of the event and the authorities of all colors.