“We have already forgotten what it was like in quarantine. For me, it was our first time in a hotel, and although it was only three days, we were surprised at how difficult it was,” he explains from Sydney. Jordi Piper Olympic bronze in 470 in Tokyo and that Trained at the Australian Grand Prix as a coach for the Spanish SailGP team In the absence of Xabi Fernandez. The epidemic numbers there are a far cry from those of other countries – 229,000 infections and 2,072 deaths from Covid-19 – but its government is very strict with restrictions.

that eight teams They will play on Friday and Saturday the penultimate Grand Prix of the season – Esbaa occupies sixth place in the general classification – they should have done it Spend three lonely days in hotel rooms Even though there was a previous negative PCR, vaccination and another test is done when you get there. But The crew wasted no time. “We take the opportunity to do exercises with rubber bands, cores and some high-intensity circuits to raise the heart rate a little bit,” he explains. Juan CardonaFinn, Olympic bronze in Tokyo 2020. “We were able to analyze many things and come to a better preparation. The goal can only be to enter the final race in Sydney and try to win it,” he adds.

We arrived better prepared and the goal can only be to enter the final race in Sydney and try to win it.”

Juan Cardona, the mill of the Spanish SailGP team

“It was very strange for me to be so trapped again. Since we arrived, everything reminds me of the beginning of the epidemic in Spain”, aade Andrea Eamonn, the only member of the Spanish team in Australia who For the first time on Cdiz In the last Grand Prix. “The inclusion of women is essential because diversity breeds growth,” she says convinced. She has dual roles on the team: data analyst and part of the crew.

Still with Cdiz’s fans retina successful, but also with the immersion of the last day, Emon realizes that “this event will greatly improve team coordination and communication. And we know the ship better after all. What? Happened,” he explains.

It made me so strange to be so confined again, it reminds me of the beginning of the epidemic in Spain

Andrea Eamonn, crew member of the Spanish SailGP team

Quarantine reduced training time in the water to just two days.. They haven’t trained together since mid-October. “But all teams are alike, that’s no excuse,” says Florian Trettle, who was delighted that next year the test of the season will be held in Kediz (September 24 and 25). “Sailing in front of our staff gives you a bonus. We are sure we will soon be there. Winning there was one of the most exciting moments of our career because in sailing we don’t have such an audience. Close. Winning my first regatta at Cdiz gave me goosebumps,” he admits. .

Trial time escalates

The Spanish team traveled to Sydney reduced to a bare minimum due to restrictions. There is only the crew and shore crew who assemble the ship, so Many support tasks must be done on their own or remotely.

It was one of the biggest challenges F50 Victoria ‘disassembled’ in record time at Cdiz to reach Sydney. They have experienced logistical delays due to container holdings, which also led to a delay in assembly. Also, the team had to work extra hours at night. This must be added Challenge to repair the wing counterclockwise (sail) who – which broke out in cdiz s A member of the Spanish ground team has been isolated for a week because the plane he was on tested positive.

SailGP, which transports about 250 people per Grand Prix, has had to cut them down to 180 due to the pandemic in this latest wave. It was exactly in Sydney where the F50 Victoria began its SailGP journey nearly two years ago, before the outbreak of Covid-19.