Spanish line-up confirmed for SailGP Season 2

Spanish line-up confirmed for SailGP Season 2 © SailGP

With less than one month to the start of SailGP Season 2, the newest team in the global championship has been unveiled. The Spain SailGP Team features Olympians and world champions from across the country, and will be the youngest team to compete in the world's fastest sail racing. Jordi Xammar will helm the Spanish entry following the 2020 Olympic Games, with SailGP veteran Phil Robertson serving in an interim capacity to start the season.

The Spanish squad includes Xammar, 26, of Barcelona (helm); Florian Trittel, 25, of Barcelona (wing trimmer); Luis Bugallo, 24, of Vigo (wing trimmer); Joel Rodríguez, 22, of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (flight controller); Diego Botín, 26, of Santander (flight controller); Joan Cardona, 21, Palma de Mallorca (grinder); Iago López Marra, 29, of A Coruña (grinder); and Mateu Barber, 27, of Palma de Mallorca.

Xammar finished 12th in the 470 class at the 2016 Olympic Games and will be a medal contender for Spain at Tokyo 2020, having already secured his position for his second Olympic appearance. Robertson, 32, of Auckland, who steered the China team to podium success in Season 1, will start the season as interim helm to help accelerate the team's learning curve on the F50.

Xammar said: "Ever since SailGP launched last year, I knew that I wanted to be involved and represent my country. I am so excited to put together a team and think SailGP is a fantastic opportunity to engage a mainstream audience in the sport of sailing. I hope we will deliver a great show on the water and do Spain proud."

Xammar is already familiar with the majority of his team as he was joined by Botín, Bugallo, Cardona, Rodríguez and Trittel for the 2017 Youth America's Cup in Bermuda. Those six plus López Marra have all been part of Spanish Impulse, a group initially formed for the Youth America's Cup, and now with a focus on the Olympics and developing athletes in high-performance foiling boats.

Trittel will take on the role of wing trimmer on the F50. He is no stranger to high speeds on the water - an accomplished high-performance sailor who turned his attention to kite board racing, Trittel is expected to represent Spain in the Olympics this year, competing in the foiling Nacra 17 class.

In the flight controller position will be 2016 Olympian Botín, who is on track to represent Spain in Tokyo in the 49er class. Two-time European champion and ninth-place finisher at the Rio Games in the 49er alongside Spain SailGP teammate López Marra, this successful pairing will be counting on its strong relationship to succeed in both SailGP and on the Olympic circuit this season.

For the youngest team member, Cardona, SailGP offers the opportunity to face his sailing idols. Growing up sailing a Laser before stepping up to the Finn class - in which he's a U23 world champion - Cardona cites British helm Sir Ben Ainslie and reigning SailGP champion Tom Slingsby as his two biggest sailing heroes. He is looking to not only meet them on the SailGP racecourse but also mirror their Olympic successes this season.

Spain SailGP Team CEO María del Mar de Ros said: "Competing in SailGP is a dream come true. It is something we have achieved thanks to the confidence of SailGP and the effort, work and passion that are the pillars of our team."

The new Spanish team has already stepped onboard the F50 in New Zealand for a number of training days and has attended a simulator session in London.

The global championship returns to Sydney Harbour on February 28-29. After Sydney, SailGP returns to San Francisco (May 2-3) and New York (June 12-13), ahead of the first European event of the year in Cowes on the Isle of Wight (August 14-15). The remainder of the schedule will be announced in February.

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