Pepe Garcia excited for Youth Sailing World Championship debut

The Spaniard’s mother, Julie Garcia, won the Yngling World Championships in 2002 and helped her country’s sailors prepare for the Olympics in Beijing six years later.

Fast forward to the present day and Garcia Grindille is looking forward to his Youth Sailing World Championship debut in Vilamoura as part of Spain’s Nacra 15 crew alongside Aina Rivas, herself the daughter of Olympian Toni – who is coaching the duo this week.

“This is a great experience, we can make new friends and enjoy this type of sailing with a lot of boats and perfect conditions,” Garcia Grindille said.

“It is my first time in Vilamoura and it is a good place, a lot of countries, a lot of different people with different cultures. It is a very nice experience and we can learn a lot here.”

Garcia Grindille’s sailing journey began in Roses, on the Costa Brava, and he now represents RCN Barcelona.

He has also tried his hand at various classes along the way before settling in to the Nacra 15.

“My mum tried to start me sailing young and I tried to learn as much as I could,” he said.

“My first time in a boat, I think I was five. I started with Optimist, then changed to 420, now I am here with Nacra.

“I really enjoy the speed of the boat, that is the most important thing. If you control the speed, you control the boat, and it is a very enjoyable boat to control.

“You can learn a lot and make new friends too.”

It has not all been straightforward for the teenager this year but he is enjoying his partnership with Rivas and the pair have gained valuable experience since being brought together in the summer.

Rivas, who is only 15, linked up with Garcia Grindille having also started out in the Optimist and Spain’s only active Nacra 15 crew are excited to take on the world.

“Training in Spain, we have had some difficult situations and a little bit of injuries, but nothing too serious,” he said.

“We have done three regattas together. We went to Como (for the Nacra 50 Year Anniversary Championships), which was a very nice experience – a lake with no waves, it was easy to sail! That was our first regatta in Nacra and we enjoyed it a lot.

“We have a very nice partnership and Toni is coaching us. Toni is a very good coach and we have learned a lot from him. He knows a lot and I am enjoying learning from him.”