The Managing Director of Barcelona Clúster Nàutic, Clàudia Parera, attended the Festa de la Vela Catalana 2026, held at the Tinglados of the Port of Barcelona, which brought together more than 450 attendees and has consolidated itself as one of the main annual meeting points for the Catalan sailing community.
The event celebrated the sporting achievements of the season and highlighted the sector’s commitment to the future of sailing in Catalonia. A notable addition this year was the introduction of the Best Youth Sailor Award, reinforcing the Catalan Sailing Federation’s commitment to young sailing talent.
In the Best Absolute Sailor category, the awards were presented to Julia Gómez (Club Nàutic El Balís), an IQFoil sailor and Spanish runner-up, and Florian Trittel (Club Nàutic El Balís), a 49er sailor and world champion. The new Best Youth Sailor awards went to Alexia Sotomayor (Club Nàutic Vilassar de Mar) and Juan Lleonart (Club Nàutic El Balís), both Optimist sailors.
The evening also included several special distinctions, including the Honorary Distinction awarded to Joaquim Barenys in recognition of his long-standing dedication to the sailing community. One of the most emotional moments of the night was the tribute to Florian Trittel for his gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in the 49er class.
The event concluded with remarks from the Catalan Minister of Sports, Berni Álvarez, who highlighted the strength of Catalonia’s sporting ecosystem and the importance of sailing clubs as gateways to the sea.
This edition of the Festa de la Vela Catalana once again demonstrated the vitality of the sector and its strong commitment to the next generation of sailors.