Meet the 29er Fleet: 2022 Women's World Champions, Spanish sisters Paula and Isabel Laiseca
by International 29er Class 8 Dec 2022 21:05 AEDT
2022 Women's 29er World Champions - Spanish sisters Paula and Isabel Laiseca © Laura Carrau / CN El Balis
This week we meet 2022 Women's World Champions - Spanish sisters Paula and Isabel Laiseca
How long have you sailed the 29er?
As a team, we have been sailing together for 2 years in 420 and then we started in 29er about 1 year and a half ago. Our first 29er World Championship was last year in Valencia.
What do you love about sailing the 29er and the racing?
We love sailing in 29er because it is a really fast boat. We also love sailing in the Canary Islands because the conditions here allow us to sail 29er to its best. Racing in the 29er class is very challenging, and that really makes us enjoy it. The 29er fleet is large in number, which makes championships fun on and off water, as we have the opportunity to meet sailors from many different places.
What are your strengths as a team?
We consider that being family is one of our strengths because we have a lot of confidence and we trust each other. That also allows us to communicate and inform each other about everything but always with the intention to improve and do things better each time. We think it is also important to enjoy every moment in the water.
Who does which job in the boat and what are you both good at?
We have divided our tasks so that we know what we have to do and what we have to focus on during the race. One of us is in charge of the tactic and strategy and the other is focused on the speed.
Why do you think you've been so successful in the 29er?
We have worked very hard everyday ever since we started, and we have also enjoyed the journey. I think it is key to trust the process and remember that it's all worth the effort.
We sailed 420 before 29er and still like to sail in both classes. There are many things we learned in 420 and use in 29er and vice versa, so I think sailing in more than one class can be really beneficial.
Do you have any top tips for people just starting in the 29er, for fellow female sailors and for those looking to improve their performance for next year?
I think communication is key and also good organization, discipline and effort.
Try to help each other inside the boat, to work as a team and if something isn't going as expected, don't give up. If you enjoy the journey and try to be a little better each day, the improvement will show up.
For female sailors I would say that the 29er is a boat open to opportunities. It is a class which is constantly growing and that gives us the chance to keep progressing.
Anything else you'd like to share, we'd love to hear.
We would like to thank you for your hospitality and the friendly environment at the worlds. We felt really comfortable and it was a pleasure for us to be there. We had a great time.