The Alicante City & Beach area welcomed a premier sailing event last weekend as the Real Club de Regatas de Alicante (RCRA) hosted a high-profile regatta. The Alicante City & Beach Trophy Final Iberdrola League 2023 marked the pinnacle of the Spanish Women’s Sailing Championship, set in the calm waters of the Gulf of Alicante. From October 20 to 22, Alicante stood as the focal point of Spain’s sailing scene, gathering top crews and spectators alike under the sunlit skies. The event was organized with the collaboration of the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation, Iberdrola, and the Alicante City Council through the Alicante City & Beach program, which emphasizes sport as a social catalyst.
Real Club de Regatas de Alicante champions inclusivity and gender equality in sport
AGAIN
The competition began with a Friday symposium at the club’s headquarters, titled “Women and Sports.” The roundtable featured a diverse lineup of speakers including Ana Sánchez del Campo, president of the international jury for the Paris 2024 Games; Natalia Via-Dufresne, a sailing world-class athlete and Olympic medalist with more than three decades of experience; Maria del Mar Ros, a consultant and entrepreneur in the sailing sector; Raul Cosin, a journalist who specializes in women’s sports; Cuchi Whale, a physiotherapist and ultrarunner; and Pilar Conde, head of psychology and psychiatry at Clínicas Origen. The discussion explored pathways for increasing female participation in competitive sailing and leadership roles within the sport. The event was moderated by a Tourism Council member who highlighted the region’s commitment to nurturing talent and opportunity for women sailors.
Competition overview
The Real Club de Regatas de Alicante fielded its own teams for the event. Two crews competed under the Alicante City & Beach banner, supported by local sponsorship. The teams took part in national circuits, racing under the Alicante city brand and the RCRA emblem. The young squad “Dorsia Covirán” joined the seasoned team of “Alicante City & Beach” for rounds that included notable events such as Jóvenes Promesas, Palma Vela, Copa de Rey, Prince of Asturias, and the Vela of Tabarca. The youth roster for Alicante City & Beach “Young Promesas” featured Berta Campos, Lara Himmes, Paola Lombardía, Berta Ramón-Borja, and María Moreno. The paired squad “Dorsia Covirán” consisted of Nuria Sánchez, Natalia Vía-Dufresne, Marta Peñarrubia, María Torcida, and Gisela Pulido.
Final standings
In the final standings of the Iberdrola Women’s Sailing League 2023, the competition remained tightly contested. Dorsia Covirán-Alicante City & Beach carried a slender lead of one point over Palma’s Baleària Team, led by María Bover. In a dramatic finale, Baleària-RCN won the Alicante City & Beach Trophy and clinched the Iberdrola League title, crossing the finish line just ahead of Dorsia Covirán in the last race of the event. The results highlighted the depth of talent in Spanish women’s sailing and underscored Alicante’s role as a hub for competitive sailing across the national circuit.