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New York-Barcelona Transoceanic Sailing Record website
A sparkling award ceremony for the NY-BCN record
May 4, 2010
H.R.H. Felipe of Borbón, the Spanish Royal Family’s Prince of Asturias and Girona, awarded Alex Pella, Pepe Ribes and Stan Schreyer, the crew of Estrella Damm, with the trophy bearing his name to confirm them as the official holders of the inaugural New York-Barcelona Transoceanic Sailing Record. The mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu and the Spanish State Secretary for Sport, Jaime Lissavetzky joined H.R.H. Felipe of Borbón as hosts of the event, during which an emotional tribute was paid to Spaniard Enric Puig, who laid the early foundations of the NY-BCN Transoceanic Sailing Record before his sudden death in 2008. The Record has been set at 12 days, 06 hours, 03 minutes and 48 seconds and is now an open challenge to other crews to attempt to beat it to take the Prince of Asturias and Girona Trophy.
The awards ceremony took place yesterday evening for the New York-Barcelona Transoceanic Sailing Record at Barcelona's Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. HRH Felipe of Borbón, Prince of Asturias and Girona hosted the glittering ceremony and took pleasure in awarding the trophy bearing his name to the crew of Estrella Damm, Spain’s Alex Pella and Pepe Ribes and US sailor Stan Schreyer (NYYC member).
In congratulating the team H.R.H. Felipe of Borbón said:
“Today we are celebrating a dream coming true, a dream that goes right back to my Great-Grandfather, Alfonso XIII, who, in 1928 backed the first competition between New York and Santander[…] That dream inspired others, such as those of Enrique Puig and his family. It makes me happy that the inspiration is enjoying continuity, such as the second edition of the Barcelona World Race, where we hope to see another milestone and a success for the Fundació Navegació Oceànica Barcelona, for Barcelona, and for Spanish sailing. […] The New York-Barcelona Transoceanic Sailing Record marks a triple record; a brand new competition; bringing together an Atlantic city and a Mediterranean city for the first time in a record, with two cultures that admire one another, linked together once more; and the success of the record, which has made History, and an excellent finishing time for the course. I would like to thank the FNOB for their fantastic organization of the record and for choosing my name for the trophy. As a sailor, sea-lover, yachtsman and sportsman myself, it is a special honor for me.”
Estrella Damm covered the 3,670 nautical mile (6,800 Km) course from New York to Barcelona in 12 days, 06 hours, 03 minutes and 48 seconds; setting an average speed of 12.11 knots, well ahead of early expectations. The bar has been set high for any future attempts.
Pachi Rivero, Toño Piris and Peter B. Becker (NYYC member), the crew on W Hotels-Nova Bocana, were also given an award, having finished the course just nine hours behind Estrella Damm.
A challenge and a success
The record is now an open challenge to anyone who wishes to attempt to beat it.
The Prince of Asturias and Girona Trophy will be awarded to any future crew to beat the record. It is a reproduction of Spanish sculptor Robert Llimós' 'Miraestels', a figure staring skywards with a star in its hands. The work was first exhibited in 2006 at the Barcelona International Boat Show, the Salon Naútico and is currently on display in the Port of Barcelona.
This event has not only strengthened the sporting ties between the two cities, but also the socio-cultural and educational ties, thanks to various programs running in schools and with artists on both sides of the Atlantic. There have been exhibitions, conferences and other cultural events in both cities.
Students from various schools in Barcelona and New York have also had the opportunity to get to know the skippers on Estrella Damm and W Hotels-Nova Bocana and to follow their journey closely via videoconferences.
This educational program has allowed the students to get closer to the sport of sailing and has given them added knowledge of areas of subjects such as geography, natural sciences etc., as well as encouraging ecological, sporting and cultural values.
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