· The Terras Gauda National Sailing Awards reward the Cantabrian-Galician tandem for being one of the most outstanding crews in Spanish Olympic sailing
· Both currently occupy seventh place in the 49er world ranking and are one of the most promising assets for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics
· The Monte Real Club de Yates de Baiona will present the awards on September 7 at a special gala that will coincide with the celebration of the 34th Prince of Asturias Trophy
The Cantabrian-Galician tandem formed by Diego Botín and Iago López Marra has just added a new distinction to their great sporting career. The jury that awards the Terras Gauda National Sailing Awards has decided to distinguish it with the Best Olympic Team award for being one of the most outstanding crews in Spanish Olympic sailing.
In 2016 both represented Spain in the 49er category of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, although they did not manage to get on the podium; and his team is one of the most promising assets for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics, an aspiration they are already working on.
With their sights and efforts focused on the Japanese event, Botín and Marra continue chaining awards and distinctions. One of the most outstanding was achieved in 2018 in Gdynia (Poland), when they climbed to the top of the 49er European podium. It was the second time that they managed to hang the gold from a European after the victory achieved in 2016.
In this 2019 they recorded their names again in the honor roll of the European held in the English city of Weymouth, although they had to settle for the bronze medal.
Santander Diego Botín, 25 years old; and Sonense Iago López Marra, born in Portosín (Galicia) in 1990; They achieved their first medal together in 2012 at the Palamós Christmas Race (Girona), in which they competed together. Two years later, in 2014, they met again and began to dream of the Olympics, a project that, after a year and a half of work, would bear its first fruits in 2016, with their participation in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, in which they were ninth.
Currently, from their seventh place in the 49er world ranking, they train with the national 49er coach Pepe Lis and compete to qualify Spain for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. They will try to make it in the World Cup in New Zealand and if they make it, they will still have to earn to be the ones competing in the games.
Both have been linked to sailing all their lives in different ways. Diego’s ties to sailing come from his father Gonzalo, a prize-winning shipbuilder; and his uncle Marcelino, a prominent naval designer. He started sailing at the age of 7 encouraged by his father and managed to be runner-up in the Optimist Europe, l’Equipe European Champion, and 49er Junior World Champion with Pablo Turrado.
Also from a very young age Iago began to become familiar with sailing, a qualified naval engineer. He did it through the Real Club Náutico de Portosín, where he was born, where he sailed in Optimist, 420, 470 and finally 49er. He did not forget either the great lengths, in which he competed in different crews. He is currently one of the most prominent Galician sailors on the national scene.
