The elite of adapted sailing from the CVPA will show their technique in Barcelona

The Catalan Sailing Federation, the Barcelona Nautical Capital Foundation and the Mi Alex Foundation have presented the first edition of the Kakapo Open Race, an international adapted sailing regatta that aims to attract adapted sailors to Barcelona and is intended to be held every year.

This first edition of the event coincides this year with the celebration of the Spanish Adapted and Inclusive Sailing Championships, with participants scoring points in both competitions at the same time.  

Prior to the Kakapo Open Race, which will be held from 15 to 20 July at the Barcelona International Sailing Center (BISC), a sports clinic will be held on 12 and 13 May with the aim of offering more theoretical and practical resources to technicians and promoting Adapted Sailing in Catalonia. A training aimed at monitors and adapted sailing athletes with theoretical classes on land and instruction on the water, in which the coach of the Adapted Sailing team of the Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx and coach of the Paralympic team of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Juanjo Beltrán, will participate, along with 6 experienced sailors of the Andratx team.

The Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx, together with the Mi Alex Foundation, has been running an adapted sailing school since 2009. Throughout these more than 15 years of trajectory there have been many successes, not only on a sporting level, with sailors participating in national and international competitions and Olympic Games, but also on a social level, making the club a more inclusive space for all people.  

The organizers of the Kakapo Open Race expect the number of registered participants to break records, with more than 50 people registered, both national and international. For the first time in the same sporting event, there will be competition in two different types of 303 handcrafts: from the 15th to the 17th in individual adapted sailing and from the 18th to the 20th of July, in mixed inclusive sailing. 

The spirit of this regatta also aims to make visible the fact that sailing places us all on an equal footing, as it is something that anyone can do, regardless of their abilities. With this project, the institutions are working towards a fairer society, seeking to empower and guarantee equal opportunities for everyone by opening up the sea and the sport of sailing to all groups, especially the most vulnerable.

In parallel to the regatta, there will be a series of parallel activities to raise awareness of inclusivity, local culture and sailing aimed at all audiences. In addition, the participating sailors will be able to enjoy exclusive experiences linked to the America's Cup.