The female crews return to the scene and take their leading role again. Return your time, for the third consecutive year. The Real Club Marítimo del Abra-Real Sporting Club organizes from May 13 to 15 the third edition of the 'EKP International Women's Sailing Cup' in the J80 class, which will take place in the regatta course of the Biscayan waters of Abra. The race, sponsored by Euskadiko Kirol Portuak, is another of the great sailing events taking place in Getxo over the next few months, within an extensive calendar scheduled by the Club de Las Arenas, which has already successfully hosted the Spanish Cup in 2012, 2018 and 2021, and the World Cup of this class in 2019.

Thus, for the third year in a row, the navigation of female crews and the promotion of their leadership are promoted. This appointment begins this Friday the 13th with the opening of the regatta office, in addition to the registration and control of sails and equipment, on a day in which there will be training tests and a meeting of skippers. On Saturday 14, at 12 noon, the long-awaited departure of the first of the three proposed routes will take place, the same as on the final day on Sunday.

Participants

The participation of fifteen women's boats from different parts of Spain is planned, among which will be, for example, the local crews of the Fhimasa Escuela de Vela José Luis de Ugarte de Joana Abásolo, the Surne Women's Team of Carmen Arbaiza or the Pakea Getxo Bela . The favorites, one more year, are the winners of the two editions held: the Dorsia Covirán Sailing Team of Ana Pujol (Marina Burriananova) -with the Olympic medalist Natalia Via-Dufresne-, without ruling out the girls of Olatz Muñoz's Decoexsa, runners-up and third in 2020 and 2021, respectively, as well as world champions in Denmark. Also registered are the Zero Stress teams, from Hondarribia; the Biobizz of María Sánchez, from Santander; the female crew of the Real Club de Regatas de Alicante; that of the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona; Simona Manfredini's Code Zero from Lanzarote; or the AGD of Helena Alegre (Palma de Mallorca).

The 'III EKP International Women's Sailing Cup' is organized by the Real Club Marítimo del Abra Real Sporting Club, with the collaboration of the Getxo City Council, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, and the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation together with the Basque and Biscayan Federations de Vela and the Association of Owners of J80 of Spain.

Boats from many origins

As in the two previous editions, the most outstanding female sailors of this J80 class will take part in Getxo in this important event of a thriving modality. More than fifty women distributed in different boats from many parts of the country will attend. Getxo will once again be the capital of women's sailing this weekend in May. Six races are scheduled to be completed in this unique event which will also feature women-led organizing staff on land and at sea. The Dorsia Covirán Sailing Team is once again the team to beat after confirming the forecasts in the two disputed editions, the first of them skippered by the Olympic medalist Natalia Via-Dufresne during the two sailing days. The waters of the Abra await the girls again.

Women's Sailing League

In addition, this test is framed in the Women's Sailing League promoted by the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, the Real Club Marítimo del Abra-Real Sporting Club -where it was presented last week-, the Real Club Náutico de Palma and the Monte Real Bayonne Yacht Club with the collaboration of the Regional Federations hosting the regattas. The first of the tests is this III EKP International Women's Sailing Cup, from May 13 to 15, a test that will be followed by the Tabarca Vela Diputación de Alicante, which will be organized by the R.C.R. Alicante on July 8 and 9. The J80 women's fleet will meet again during the Copa del Rey, from August 1 to 6, at the R.C.N. Palma and, once again, the season and the League will be closed by the Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona from October 7 to 9, revealing the winning team.

exhibition of photographs

Also, in the program of the 'III International Women's Sailing Cup' you can see in El Saltillo del Real Club Marítimo del Abra-Real Sporting Club, like last year, an 'Exhibition of photographs of women in sailing' ( -Portraits of Salt- by Juan Félix Ruiz Núñez). The project is a look that shows the less recognized side of women: physical effort and competition. The portraits collect without artifice, naturally, the faces of the women after the competition. In this case, the portraits correspond to the participation in the 2019 J80 World Cup, also organized by the Real Club Marítimo del Abra-Real Sporting Club.

Carmen Galdós, sailor: “We have come a long way in our sport. For example, there are more and more girls in our Sailing School. This type of regattas gives visibility and the girls are encouraged to participate. What is observed is that there is a path for the future. We face these tests as a challenge. I encourage the girls to try this beautiful and special sport”.

Olatz Muñoz, world champion and patron of Decoexsa: “Once again it is a satisfaction to be in this event, which means another big step in the purpose of promoting and contributing to equality between women and men. This test will allow the presence of the woman in the candle to be noticed. There weren't many women sailing and there are more and more of us. I myself returned to compete thanks to these initiatives. All those who have doubts that try to navigate in J80. Those who do repeat it”.

Manu Sendagorta, president of the R.C.M.A.-R.S.C.: “We are very happy to continue with this important test that is in its third edition and in which it is about promoting women's sport, in this case from sailing. In previous editions we have had a very interesting participation that is repeated in an exciting way, in a class that is increasingly active in 2022 with boats from all over Spain. Our Club is going to be a women's sailing party with a competition of quality and consistency and in which many girls sail, as can be seen in the different tests”.

José Azqueta, Commodore of the R.C.M.A.-R.S.C.: "For us it is a privilege to also be the first round of the Iberdrola League. Already in the first edition of the EKP International Women's Sailing Cup we tried to raise awareness and support women's sport. Even after that At the beginning there were girls who told us that they had returned to practicing sports. With this competition they have been able to compete again. And the young women of our José Luis de Ugarte Sailing School also have the opportunity to compete with reference sailors such as Olympic medalists. We have to sow and then harvest, with the possibility of taking the leap after passing through the dinghy. This test is one more advance. There are fifteen registered teams and the committees are also chaired by women, who are also given the leading role within the technical area.