Barcelona World Race closing ceremony attended by Royalty

by Barcelona World Race on 6 May 2011 Barcelona World Race 2011 is the first only non-stop double-handed (two-crew) regatta around the world organised by the Fundació Navegació Oceànica Barcelona.

HRH The Prince of Asturias and Girona attended the Prize Giving Ceremony and official closure of the second edition of the race, won by French skippers Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron on board Virbac-Paprec 3 having covered 25,200 nautical miles of the course in 93 days, 22 hours, 20 minutes and 36 seconds. In second place were Spaniards Iker Martínez and Xabi Fernández (Mapfre), who took 94 days, 21 hours, 17 minutes and 35 seconds to circle the globe and in third place were fellow Spaniards Pachi Rivero and Toño Piris (Renault Z.E.), having taken 97 days, 18 hours, 47 minutes and 36 seconds.

Prince Felipe de Borbón congratulated all of the participants, winners and otherwise, 'because this is a singular challenge where extreme sport and adventure meet and which requires a special physical and mental mettle'. The Prince of Asturias and Girona awarded the trophies personally to the three top entries and also thanked the Fundació Navegació Oceànica Barcelona for 'conceiving, promoting and organising this magnificent offshore sailing event, which opens up a window to titanic limits of endurance and effort'.

The Mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu, also thanked the participants, the true stars of the ceremony, both the winners and those who finished, as well as the entrants forced to withdraw from the race. 'With you, Barcelona has been taken around the world'. He congratulated the 'global strategic vision' of the regatta, which was accompanied by a series of parallel programmes inspired by education, technological innovation and the struggle for global sustainability. So a new challenge has also been launched: the 2014 edition will be a challenge 'with zero contaminating emissions'.

Those at the ceremony were able to appreciate the tough nature of the double-handed round the world race, starting and finishing in Barcelona and the difficulties faced by the 28 skippers on the starting line at Barcelona on December 31st. Each of them were awarded the Barcelona World Race Sail Trophy, following the screening of some of the most significant moments in the regatta.

The only absentees were Jaume Mumbrú and Cali Sanmartí, still racing, who sent a message to the guests at the ceremony from on board We Are Water in the Atlantic , en route to Barcelona.

'Your regatta is very beautiful'

Jean-Pierre Dick and Loïck Peyron were greeted by all of the participants with a standing ovation to show their appreciation. After receiving the Barcelona World Golden Sail trophy, Dick expressed his 'emotion, in this moment of intense happiness'. He also congratulated the organisers 'yours is a beautiful regatta', and thanked his partner for the three months they shared on board Virbac-Paprec 3.

Iker Martínez expressed his happiness at collecting this prize: 'It means so much to us, because thanks to this regatta we have learned so much and we've become more experienced offshore sailors. There is no doubt that the Barcelona World Race is a great regatta and between all of us we must work together to make the next edition even better and we will seek to put together a team with the potential to win the regatta before even taking the start'.

Toño Piris was pleased to be among 'the lucky ones, the entries who didn't have to make a stopover'.

Performance by the Sant Jordi Choir
Held at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, the ceremony began with a performance by the Sant Jordi Choir who performed 'La Mer', directed by Lluís Vidal.

Also attending the ceremony were Vicepresident of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Joana Ortega; Secretary General for Tourism and Internal Commerce, Joan Mesquida; President of the Barcelona Port Authorities, Sixte Cambra; President of the Fira de Barcelona, Josep-Lluís Bonet; President of Barcelona's International Boat Show, the Salón Náutico, Luis Conde; President of the Fundació Navegació Oceànica Barcelona, Pere Alcober; President of the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Miquel Valls, and President of the General Council of the Vendée, Bruno Retailleau.

Also at the Prize Giving Ceremony were Ramón Agenjo, Director of the Damm Group; Robert Manson, Chief Executive of Teknon; Antonio Gassó, Director General of GAES; Cees Spaans, Consul General of Holland; Till Pohlmann, CEO of Hugo Boss; Toni Tió, President of Fòrum Marítim Català; Pedro Astals, Chief Executive of Central Lechera Asturiana; Antonio Palma, Chief Executive of Mirabaud Group; Alejandro Pérez Calzada, President of Mirabaud Spain; Jean-Marie Corteville, President of Azimut; Gabriel Sandoval, CEO of the Marina Port Vell; Jesús Turró, President of Spain's Royal National Cruiser Association; Luc Talbourdet, President of IMOCA, and José Mª Martín Puertas, Vice President of Spain's Royal National Sailing Federation Barcelona World Race website