2023-07-13 11:31:39
in the games of Barcelona’92 a total of 50.000 personas 35,000 enrolled as volunteers in the Olympics and 15,000 in the Paralympics. Following this trail, the organizers of the America’s Cup of Sailing registrations opened at the beginning of June to attract 2,650 people, a call that is going from strength to strength, according to America’s Cup Events (ACE). two of them are Ariadna Vallverdu y Tomas Wutkewhich in exactly two months will premiere in Vilanova y la Geltrú (Garraf, Barcelona) at the first preliminary race.
“I was encouraged by padre, who works on local television. I have always liked the mar but what really attracts me is the media. That’s why I want to be close to them and, incidentally, help my city,” says Ariadna, from 19 years old, freshman of Business Administration and Management at the University of Barcelona. The volunteer program, which is accessed through the website of the 37th edition of the sporting event, offers this function by accompanying the pressbe on land or in the agua.
El Team B
From the choice they make the appliers and the aptitudes of each one, the 350 volunteers of Vilanova and the 2,300 from Barcelona between August and October 2024. They will be the Team B, in reference to the B of Barcelona. “I don’t care which of the three groups I’m assigned to, though I would rather be at sea“, confesses Tomas, who accumulates many hours at the helm behind him.
Born in Germany, this 64 year old neighbor who lives between Sitges and Vilanova, has been sailing since he was a child. He dedicates himself professionally to consulting companies such as shipyards, with which his job and his passion have always gone hand in hand. “I have never competed, but I have always sailed. I have a classic boat over 100 years oldwhich I have been restoring for 25 years and with which I participate in classic regattas”, he proudly describes.
Simile with skating
The contrast between that type of boat and the AC40 that will be disputed first preliminary in Vilanova as of September 14 and for four days it is abysmal. The America’s Cup sailing monohulls can reach 50 knots (about 100 kilometers per hour) and ‘fly’ thanks to the ‘foils’ (hydrofoils) with which they slide across the surface.
“It has something of a similarity”, laughs Ariadna when comparing it with the sport that she has practiced all her life, the figure skating. She is now a monitor for the little ones in her club and is part of the local group of popular dances. Her sociable spirit, as well as being a neighbor of Vilanova, make her a good profile. The inscriptions for the September appointment, despite the fact that 690 people have already signed up and they have covered the needs, they are open until the end of the month.
10 day commitment
When they close, a heterogeneous group will be formed by age (they must be 18 this year), origins, abilities (you have to speak one of the three languages officials of the appointment: Catalan, Spanish or English) and availability, since it is necessary to commit during 10 days in the case of the Catalan capital and 4 if it is Vilanova.
Related news
In the case of Barcelona, after more than a year, the requests to be a volunteer in the Sailing America’s Cup will lengthen until November, although the involvement of the people is remarkable. Right now there are already 1,314 signed up and 468 of them have done so for both appointments.
change perception
“You have to encourage people. change perception than it is sometimes thought to be. It is true that a lot of money moves, but the candle is a very humble sport in England, France, Germany. It’s not rich. It would be perfect for this event to drag more vocations to navigate”, invokes Wuttke.
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