“The Mediterranean climate is treacherous, I see an interesting Cup in terms of design because anything can happen”
BARCELONA, 27 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Alinghi Red Bull Racing’s data analyst, Andrea Emone, stressed that Barcelona “can open the America’s Cup to the world again”, as “Valencia has already done before”, in an event that will host the Catalan capital in 2024 and that will mean the return of the Swiss team to the competition, an initial “disadvantage” that “does not scare” in their goal of winning the Hundred Guineas Jar.
“Barcelona can once again open the Copa América to the world, as happened in Valencia. Everyone remembers it as a beautiful Cup and with a lot of expectation. Now that atmosphere can be given again,” explained Andrea Emone in an interview with Europe Press.
Precisely, the data analyst is one of the Spanish representatives in the Swiss team, which returns to the Copa América after eleven years in port. However, Alinghi already had successes in 2003 and 2007. The last edition was held in Valencia and was repeated in 2010, when Emone discovered sailing, a sport that changed her life.
“There was a before and after in Valencia with the Cup. I remember it was the end of the competition and the end of everything. But the new generation that grew up acted and has had incredible effects on the city. If they hadn’t lived through it, it would be another one. I found what I was passionate about it and I focused everything on it. I don’t know what would have become of me,” he admitted.
In this line, the also athlete hopes that Barcelona will recover that atmosphere that fell in love with her at the age of 10 in a dream fulfilled today. “I always wanted to be part of the team one day and particularly in design. I am still adapting and enjoying the experience very much,” said Andrea, who values ??the work of the Swiss squad in their tireless preparation in Barcelona.
“The type of professional sailing is very different from that of Olympic sailing, which gives you very important values ??to be able to be successful in a team. But here we are one, a good America’s Cup profile has to want to leave their person and ego aside and wanting to push for a name that is not yours,” he said.
A long-term goal in which statistics help navigation. “I receive the data from the multiple scenarios and then I try to answer questions, give conclusions and even give advice on how we could find solutions with data. It is a whole team, I am one more person, as I have been an athlete I have that desire and patience to do connection point,” he said.
However, the Mediterranean climate increases the uncertainty. “It’s treacherous. You can base yourself on statistics and optimize a boat for certain conditions, but in Barcelona anything can happen, there is no clear microclimate. I see it as a very interesting Cup in terms of design because anything can happen,” he stressed.
“We started with a disadvantage starting from scratch, but it doesn’t scare us. We still have a way to learn, but we have nothing to lose. We have a long-term project as a team, we are creating a family. Alinghi has never been a team that does things fast and running, like other teams or sponsors. Everything we do will bring us closer to the goal, and it motivates us even more to arrive with this kind of disadvantage to win, “he said.
On the role of women in the Copa América, Andrea Emone underlined the evolution. “It’s been dominated by men in the past. It wasn’t common to have a lot of girls, whether it’s a sailing team or a design team. In the latter, it’s not a barrier now to be a woman. But in sailing there won’t be any on board.” he explained.
However, for the first time this championship will be played at the female level. “It will be a different project and boat. I am very demanding and what I would like, as is the case in design, that we are working equally for both men and women, that it also happen in the future with the sailing team,” he objected.
A personal challenge that he hopes will be the first of many in the competition. “What I want most is to learn everything I can about this type of boat, which is the future of sailing, the best there is. Find my place in a team in which there are as many roles as your imagination can. I would love to to be able to continue my future in the Copa América”, he concluded.
