Dee Caffari and Anna Corbella Complete Barcelona World Race, Set Historic Records

British skipper Dee Caffari and Spanish co-skipper Anna Corbella crossed the finish line of the Barcelona World Race on Wednesday aboard their IMOCA-class yacht GAES Centros Auditivos, each securing a personal milestone and a place in sailing history.

For Dee Caffari, this finish marks her third non-stop circumnavigation of the globe and establishes a new benchmark: she is now the woman who has completed more non-stop round-the-world solo or double-handed voyages than any other female sailor. Anna Corbella also reached a milestone, becoming the first Spanish woman to complete a non-stop circumnavigation. Together they formed the only all-female crew in this edition of the Barcelona World Race and crossed the line in sixth place in a fleet of 14 starters.

Their voyage lasted 102 days at sea, a test of endurance, seamanship and teamwork across some of the planet’s most demanding oceans. After those three months at sea, the GAES Centros Auditivos team returned to a warm reception off Barceloneta Beach, greeted by a flotilla of welcoming boats and supporters who celebrated their achievement.

The team sailed with backing from GAES, a Spanish hearing-aid company, and Aviva, one of the world’s largest insurance groups. Their sponsorship provided essential logistical and financial support for an extended, non-stop ocean campaign and helped bring visibility to a high-profile female partnership competing at the highest level of offshore racing.

Caffari reflected on the significance of completing another global circuit: “Sailing around the world just once in a lifetime is an amazing experience. To circumnavigate the planet non-stop for a third time and set another world record is an absolute privilege,” she said. She also acknowledged the risks and rewards of the Southern Ocean: “Every time you go down to the Southern Ocean and expose yourself to the extremes of nature you test your luck and, fortunately, mine has held so far. I am hoping that good fortune will continue as I am not finished with round the world sailing just yet.”

After this Barcelona World Race campaign, Caffari identified the Vendée Globe as a future objective, with plans to compete in the 2012 edition and aim for a podium result, while continuing to seek a title sponsor to support her long-term sailing ambitions.

The all-female pairing of Caffari and Corbella brought attention not only for their competitive result but also for the broader significance of women competing at the highest levels of offshore racing. Their performance underscored the skill, resilience and teamwork necessary to manage a high-performance racing yacht on a non-stop global course, handling navigation, sail changes, maintenance and sleep strategy between the two crew members.

Finishing a race like the Barcelona World Race is the culmination of meticulous preparation: boat tuning, weather routing, logistics and physical and mental conditioning. Completing 102 days on the water without stopping demands careful resource management and constant vigilance, and the GAES Centros Auditivos crew demonstrated those qualities throughout the passage.

Their sixth-place finish reflects competitive consistency against a strong international fleet, and their record-setting achievements add to the legacy of both sailors. Dee Caffari’s third non-stop circumnavigation and Anna Corbella’s status as the first Spanish woman to complete such a voyage are important milestones for the sport and for inspiring new generations of offshore sailors.

For further information about the sailors and their careers, visit the official pages for each skipper: www.deecaffari.com and www.annacorbella.com.