Meet the female talent of the Puig Women’s America’s Cup

• Sail Team BCN prepares for the first edition of the Puig Women’s America’s Cup

The women’s Sail Team BCN, established solely to compete in the new America’s Cup, has become one of the big stars in this competition. Formed in Barcelona with the support of the Real Club Náutico de Barcelona (RCNB), its five young sailors, including Olympic champions, medical students and daughters of legends of the sport, are looking to excel in a tournament that fuses experience, talent and the freshness of youth.

The Women’s America’s Cup is one of the two events running alongside 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 element to this truly legendary championship. This is the first edition of this women’s competition and opens up new opportunities for women sailors who, from 5 October until 13 October, will battle it out with 11 other teams in what promises to be a spectacle of skill and talent in the sailing world.

Sponsored by CaixaBank, a financial institution that decided to “support a unique project that provides opportunities for people”, Sail Team BCN operates under the leadership of veteran sailor Mónica Azón, Olympic medalist and world champion. “It seems incredible that it has been so hard to achieve and that nobody thought that there had to be a women’s edition in a competition with so much history,” said the coach.

The main competition now needs to include women among its sailors.  Although it is not prohibited, the fact remains that the teams are made up exclusively of men. For now, the women sailors are preparing to give their all in a competition that, with their presence alone, has already made history.

 

The women sailers of Sail Team

Neus Ballester (16/12/2003)

Neus is the youngest member of the women’s team, and the only one who also happens to be part of the youth team. The love of sailing is in her blood for two good reasons: she is the daughter of Olympic champion Pepote Ballester and world champion Neus Bover, and she herself can boast of having been a two-time 420 World Champion, bronze medalist in the European Youth 470 and fifth finisher in the World Youth 470.

I’m quite young still and to be told that I’m going to be part of the team, even if it’s not on the boat, just to be part of the team, is already a source of pride and something very important for me. It’s the first women’s America’s Cup in history and to be able to say that being so young I can already be on this team is simply amazing.

Neus Ballester

Silvia Mas (23/08/1996, Barcelona)

Silvia also comes from a family of sailors and has been sailing with her three brothers since she was a child. She was 470 world champion and Olympic champion in Tokyo, twice Junior World Champion, Spanish absolute champion and European bronze medalist.

I’m obviously delighted that it’s taking place in Barcelona, because it is at home, although it also comes with a responsibility. This is the beginning of a very long path. Let’s hope that the Copa America is here to stay and that, as the editions go on, it will get better and better.

Silvia Mas

Paula Barceló Martín (13/03/1996, Palma de Mallorca)

Paula won gold at the 2020 49er FX World Championships, bronze at the 2022 World Championships and bronze at the 2023 49er FX European Championships. She has taken part in two Olympic Games: Tokyo and Paris. Most impressively, she manages to combine elite sport with higher education: she is currently in her fifth year of medical school.

Aside from feeling lucky, I think it’s a huge responsibility. In the end, many barriers are being broken down in women’s sports and I believe that this competition, along with other major circuits that are introducing more and more women, is doing an impressive job. However, at the same time I also feel that I have a duty to continue breaking barriers for the future generations to come.

Paula Barceló Martín

María Cantero Izquierdo (26/06/1997, Canary Islands)

Maria comes fresh from winning the SailGP circuit with the Spanish team. She is also World Youth 49erFX bronze 2013, fifth and sixth finisher in the 2021 and 2022 49erFX World Championships, and bronze medallist in the Youth Foiling Gold Cup 2021 / RHKYC Team Agiplast.

For me it was something very special to hear that there would be a first women’s cup and that it would take place 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 huge responsibility because in the end you want to do your best and pave the way for the next generations to come.

María Cantero Izquierdo

The team is completed with a substitute fifth participant, Nicole van der Velden (26/10/1994, Madrid. Her track record includes first place in the Lanzarote international week iQFoil 2022, seventh in the 2021 European iQFoil, fourteenth in the 2019 World 49erFX, sixteenth in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Nacra 17, seventh in the 2015 World Nacra 17 and tenth in the 2021 European Nacra 17.