* With this new team, the We Are Water Foundation and the Fundació Navegació Oceànica Barcelona are affirming their support for international solidarity projects
* Two new skippers join the Spanish ranks in this second edition of the regatta
Jaume Mumbrú and Cali Sanmartí onboard We are Water, © Roca.
by Maria Bertrand
Barcelona's Jaume Mumbrú and Cali Sanmartí will race in the Barcelona World Race as the team We Are Water. The two skippers made their début in the Sailing Tour of Spain 2010, which they completed in a show of sporting spirit and strength in the face of adversity, having overcome various obstacles to finish.
Jaume Mumbrú is a lawyer with long career as a solo sailor and is one of the most active Spanish sailors in the Mini 650 Class, without having renounced racing on larger yachts, such as in the Round Europe 1999 onboard the IMOCA Open 60 Optral.
Cali Sanmartí is an engineer and since 2003 he has been a professional yachtsman, specialising in large racing yachts. He has combined his entries in the Mini 650 regattas with races on larger yachts such as in the Voiles de St. Tropez and the Sydney-Horbart, as well as a double-handed ARC regatta with 63 footer Grand Filou.
The yacht chosen for the project is We Are Water, which will be unveiled for the Barcelona World Race at the end of the month, as the ambassador for solidarity projects from different organisations. The We Are Water Foundation is supported and driven by the Roca company. The foundation works towards raising awareness of a new attitude towards water and to carry out activities designed to ease the negative impact of a lack of water resources. The areas of activity include the intervention of infrastructures, education, health and research.
The We Are Water organisation will employ the framework of the Barcelona World Race to take the We Are Water Foundation name and objectives around the world. Also the boat will display the logos of other NGOs (Vicente Ferrer Foundation, Intermon Oxfam and Unicef) as well as other organisations and institutions with which the We Are Water Foundation and the FNOB collaborate, such as Educación Sin Fronteras and Zero Limits.
Cali Sanmartí and Jaume Mumbrú, © Roca.
The FNOB collaborated with the Educación sin Fronteras foundation in the Barcelona World Race, an NGO whose activities are focussed on taking education to some of the most disadvantaged areas of the planet. The experience raised the visibility of the NGO and boosted its links around the world. Zero Limits is an organisation with the aim of setting up projects without limitations, focussing on the ability of people with a disability.
Andor Serra, Director General of the FNOB, on the participation of the We Are Water team in the Barcelona World Race: “Having new teams join this competition is crucial for the Barcelona World Race. For the future of an event like ours it's as important to have the world's experts onboard, as well as sailors starting off in the elite ranks of sailing competition. Also the presence of solidarity projects in the Barcelona World Race framework means that this regatta transcends the realms of sport”.
Barcelona World Race
