'Feeling the Freedom': The Story of Ten Pioneering Women in the Nautical World

Today, CaixaBank’s All in One office in Barcelona hosted the presentation of the book Feeling the Freedom, a symbolic and unprecedented journey through the lives of ten extraordinary women who dared to break barriers and overcome limits to fulfill their dreams: becoming a captain, merchant marine, harbor pilot, ocean navigator, elite athlete, and Olympic champion.

The project was born in the context of the 37th America’s Cup, which for the first time in history includes a women’s competition. CaixaBank, an official sponsor of the Sail Team BCN, the youth and women’s team representing Spain in this competition, promoted the publication of this work.

In her speech, CaixaBank’s Director of Communication and Institutional Relations, María Luisa Martínez, highlighted her pride in supporting a work that not only tells the personal stories of ten extraordinary women but also speaks of overcoming obstacles, courage, and great fighting spirit. This effort paves the way for young girls who dare to dream big and need role models to inspire them.

During the journey, in pairs, they share their lives, careers, challenges, and achievements. They describe how they overcame barriers, obstacles, and limitations to become who they wanted to be, paving the way for and guiding future generations. The America’s Cup, a globally significant event, inspired this story based on real lives where the sea and navigation serve as metaphors for life, guiding readers through experiences that serve as life examples applicable to any field and person.

The 37th edition, to be held in Barcelona, will mark a milestone in the history of the world’s oldest and most important sailing competition. Over 173 years, the America’s Cup has evolved in terms of boats and rules, but 2024 will mark a significant evolution. For the first time, women’s teams will have a place in this competition, along with debut teams of promising young sailors. The first edition of the Women’s Cup and the Youth America’s Cup represents a historic milestone and a significant step forward worthy of celebration. This book narrates a journey to highlight advances toward equality and inclusion that transcend sports boundaries.

The experiences of these pioneering women help to highlight the role of women in all fields and sectors, showing new realities with the goal of contributing to and promoting a more inclusive and sustainable world.

Inspiring Women

• Theresa Zabell: The only Spanish woman with two Olympic gold medals and a successful sports career. She is currently the president of the Ecomar Foundation.
• Natàlia Vía-Dufresne: Double Olympic medalist, silver in Barcelona 92 and Atlanta 2004. She is currently the Operations Director of the America’s Cup.
• Mònica Azón: Olympic sailor and world champion, currently coach of the Sail Team BCN, the Spanish team competing in the Women’s America’s Cup.
• Támara Echegoyen: Olympic champion in London 2012 and the first Spanish woman to compete in two editions of the Ocean Race. She will be the flag bearer for the Spanish delegation at the Paris 2024 Olympics, competing alongside Paula Barceló. Both are part of the Sail Team BCN.
• Estíbaliz Amatriain: Captain and Operations Director of the Port Olímpic de Barcelona.
• Anna Corbella: Sailor and ocean navigator, the first Spanish woman to sail around the world non-stop and one of only three women worldwide to complete this feat.
• Pilar Pasanau: Merchant marine captain and one of the first women to cross the Atlantic solo, having participated in four Mini-Transat races. She is currently preparing for her next major challenge: sailing around the world solo in a 5.8-meter boat.
• Elena Delgado: The maritime captain of Valencia with a long career in the General Directorate of the Merchant Marine.
• Macarena Gil: The first female harbor pilot in Spain, currently serving in the Port of Algeciras.
• Lali Pujol: Operator at the Maritime Coordination Center of Barcelona, previously Coordinator of Maritime Rescue in the towers of Tarragona and Barcelona.

The book also features a special mention of the sailors of the Sail Team BCN, sponsored by CaixaBank: Paula Barceló from Club Nàutic S’Arenal; María Cantero; Silvia Mas; Neus Ballester from Club Nàutic Sa Ràpita; and Nicole van der Velden, who, alongside Támara Echegoyen, are poised to write a new chapter in the history of one of the world’s most important sporting competitions.

All these women are pioneers, and this project is also pioneering and innovative. This book will allow readers to write their own chapters in history. The final chapter need not be the end, as each person can decide how it continues by participating in creating their own story of freedom.

CaixaBank, along with author Asun Paniagua, has designed a pioneering initiative that combines reading as a source of knowledge with artificial intelligence as a language tool, helping readers experience, explore, and discover new ways to use technology as an ally in creating their own unique chapter. At the end of the book, readers will find a QR code that leads to the platform historiasdelibertad.com. There, they will follow simple steps to start their story.

To overcome writer's block, the AI, trained for this project with inclusive language, will present three broad questions to help create characters, plot, and conclusion, allowing readers to add all the details they want to complete their chapter. Imagination and creativity will make the difference. Once the chapter is completed, readers can request their personalized book in digital or print format, creating a unique and unprecedented work for themselves or as a gift.

For the first time, a book will come to life in the hands of its readers by combining literary creation, innovation, and technology to open new paths, new learnings, and new connections that take us beyond our limits, just like these pioneering women and many others who changed the course of history.