It’s official: Rafa Nadal enters the E1 UIM World Championship for electrically powered boats equipped with foils with his own team. In all the matches that are played, the goal is only one: to win. However, there are also matches in which the stakes are much higher and go far beyond the sporting result. (Here all our posts about E1 Series)
They are real challenges in which sport becomes an extraordinarily important resource for bringing burning topical issues to the attention of the general public. Above all that of climate change, the effects of which are increasingly in the public eye. And if 2022 will go down in history as the year with the hottest temperatures ever recorded, 2023 starts with the news of Rafa Nadal’s entry with his own team in the E1 UIM World Championship, the championship that will be raced with electrically powered boats equipped with foils.
Rafa Nadal and the E1 Blue Action Programme
Yeah, but what’s the connection? Legitimate question. The answer is simple. The Majorcan tennis champion has also taken to the field, or rather the sea, to support the E1 Blue Action Programme. Among the objectives of the project led by Professor Carlos Duarte, and promoted by E1 together with Ocean 2050, is to protect and restore marine ecosystems along the coasts of the cities that will host the championship stages, with a positive impact on local communities.
“I am really excited to be involved in a project like E1 that values sustainability and will have a positive impact on society as a whole, especially coastal communities,” said Nadal, who added: “I also particularly appreciate the fact that E1 has such a clear mission and is committed to preserving marine ecosystems. As a professional athlete, I recognise that marginal gains have a positive impact on performance. E1 applies this same competitive spirit and approach to optimise the performance and efficiency of sustainable marine mobility and this is great news for our oceans. It could not be otherwise for someone like Nadal who was born and raised on an island.
Rafa Nadal: a great passion for the sea
Just as it is no secret that the 22-time Grand Slam winner has a passion for the sea and boats. A regular at major boat shows, Rafa has a long CV as a yachtsman, from Beethoven, his first boat, to Great White, the 80-foot catamaran on board which he loves to cruise his beloved Balearic Islands.
Also Sergio Checo Perez and an Italian boat at the E1 Uim Worlds
Nadal’s arrival on the E1 UIM circuit follows shortly after that of another motorsport champion, this time in the name of Sergio ‘Checo’ Perez. The Formula driver from the Red Bull Racing team has announced his presence at the world championship with his own team that will race under the colours of his native Mexico. As of today, the entry list also includes an Italian boat: the Venice Racing Team.
Set up on the initiative of entrepreneur Francesco Pannoli, it also includes Claudio Iannelli, an energy consultant, Luigi Radice, an offshore world champion and racing expert, and Eugenio Razelli, a motorsport specialist. While waiting to know the dates that will go on the racing calendar, 2023 for the E1 UIM World Championship got off to the best possible start with the arrival on the scene of Rafa Nadal.
“He is not only one of the greatest tennis players of all time, he is also a sporting icon who has transcended his sport,” commented Alejandro Agag co-founder and president of E1. “Speaking with Nadal,” Agag continued, “I immediately realised how important sustainability is to him and how strong his passion for the ocean is. E1’s mission is to accelerate the transition to more sustainable mobility and to restore marine ecosystems, goals that are also strongly shared by Nadal and his team.”
Rafa Nadal’s arrival in Rodi Basso’s statements
Agag’s words were joined by those of Rodi Basso, co-founder and CEO of E1, who said: “Having a team owner of Rafael Nadal’s stature is a further demonstration of the importance of our mission, and I’m not just talking about the competitive level. It’s incredible to see how motivated ‘Rafa’ is both on and off the court, especially how interested he is in everything to do with the ocean and marine life. Nadal’s academy is the perfect expression, focused as it is on creating a better world for future generations and improving the lives of young people. E1 shares this philosophy: we want people to be able to enjoy our oceans and precious coastal areas for many years to come’. Now there is a game to be won!
