Meet Spain’s Youth America’s Cup Team
The sailors of the Spanish Impulse team possess among them 12 world titles, six continental titles and two Olympic team members from Rio 2016. The team was assembled specifically with the goal of sailing for Spain in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup in Bermuda, with a belief that such experience could be the first step toward becoming the “Spanish Fifth Challenger” in the America’s Cup in the future.
The team’s goal, besides performing the best way they can, is to grow among the team members and learn from each other, in order to become better sailors and, what’s more important, greater people.
Jordi Xammar [skipper] Born in Barcelona in 1993, Jordi Xammar is a five-time Junior World Champion [three on the 420 and two on the 470] who was a member of the Spanish Olympic Team in Rio 2016, where he reached 12th place in the 470 class. He is already preparing for the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Jordi speaks six languages and balances his sailing with studies in administration and business management at UCAM.
Diego Botin A Madrid native [1993] who grew up in Santander, Diego Botin has earned a variety of honors in the 49er class, including the 2013 World Junior Championship and the 2016 European Championship [plus third overall], as well as first place in the Sailing World Cup Miami 2016 and the Delta Lloyd Regatta [2015, 2016]. As a member of the Spanish Olympic Team in Rio last year, he earned ninth on the 49er. Diego is the tactician for the Spanish Impulse team and is also working toward another Olympic campaign for Tokyo in 2020. He is additionally an avid surfer.
Luis Bugallo Spanish Impulse crew chief and trimmer Luis Bugallo Arriola, 21, has a strong background in the cruising class. The engineering student, who makes his home in Vigo, has earned Bronze at the Platu25 class World Championship, Silver at the European Championship, and four Spanish National Championships. He looks forward to finishing his studies to focus fully on sailing.
Florian Trittel Foils rake trimmer Florian Trittel Paul is a three-time World Champion, European Champion and Spanish Champion in the pre-Olympic 29er class. He has also earned honors including Vice Champion of the ISAF Sailing World Cup Final, and Vice European Champion in kite racing. Born in Barcelona in 1994, Flo now lives in Tarifa, and he studies business management in distance learning in the Universitat Nacional de Educación a Distanciaand Universitat Oberta de Catalunya.
Joan Cardona Born in 1998, Joan Cardona of Palma de Mallorca is a Laser sailor and the youngest member of the Spanish Impulse team, but he brings a wealth of experience to his role as grinder. Joan’s career successes include clinching Vice Spanish Optimist Champion at the age of 11 in 2009, Vice Under-19 World Laser Champion [2016], Bronze medallist at the Laser Under-19 World Championship [2015], and Bronze medallist in the Laser Under-19 European Championship in 2015 and 2016. He is training toward the goal of earning a berth on the Olympic team for Tokyo 2020.
Joel Rodriguez Responsible for foils extension on the Spanish Impulse boat, Joel Rodriguez has won titles including Laser Under-21 World Champion, Laser Radial Youth World Champion [two times], Laser Under-21 European Champion [also two times] and Laser Radial Youth European Champion. The 19-year-old from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is also in the “Becas Pódium Movistar” program created for the most promising Spanish sailors. He studies physical education at the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Juan Kevin Cabrera González is one of the top sailors in the Laser class, earning Silver at the World Championships, as well as at the European Championships [Laser 4.7 in 2011 and under-21 in Laser Radial in 2013]. He clinched the Spanish Laser 4.7 Championship as early as 2011 before going on to numerous other national and European podiums. Born in Lanzarote in 1994, Kevin now studies physical education and has begun coaching other sailors.
Santiago Alegre Born in 1996, Santiago Alegre spent his childhood in the Spanish mountains and then in the USA, so he didn’t take up sailing until his teens. But he has made up for lost time, earning second at the 2015 Spanish National 29er Championship, as well as seventh at the 49er Junior World Championship in 2016. In addition to sailing, Santi currently studies civil engineering at the Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña.
