She is the first woman in the world to obtain the qualifications of international judge, international referee and international regatta officer.
PALMA, 5 Aug. (from the special envoy of EUROPA PRESS, Andrea García Acuña) –
María Torrijo (Alicante, 1975) is everything behind the sailing competition. She is not a top competition sailor, but without her the regattas would not be possible. In 2007, at just 31 years old, she became the first woman in the world to hold the titles of International Judge, International Umpire and International Race Official, something that only five people have achieved so far.
“I don’t feel like a reference, because I think there should be more people doing this job. I enjoy it so much that I don’t understand why there aren’t more doing the same,” he told Europa Press from the Real Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP), where These days the Copa del Rey MAPFRE sailing is held.
In the competition that is taking place these days in the Bay of Palma, Torrijo is a member of the international jury and arbitrator of one of the classes. “It’s going great, so far the program has been fulfilled and we’ve had very good conditions. It’s been very competitive. As a referee, I’ve had a lot of action in the water,” he reveals.
Among her numerous achievements, the woman from Alicante, who graduated in Chemistry but who directed her working life towards nautical sports, has served as regatta officer in two of the main sailing competitions in the world: the America’s Cup and the Olympic Games.
In 2021, in New Zealand, Torrijo achieved the milestone of being the first female regatta principal officer of the ‘Hundred Guineas Cup’. She was also directing the destinies of the athletes during Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Tokyo 2020; She only missed the Rio 2016 Olympic event due to the death of her husband, the sailor Pablo Arandia.
For all these reasons, Bill O’Hara, chief regatta officer of The Ocean Race, the round-the-world sailing tour, and one of the most decorated sailors in Olympic history, defined her as “the best regatta officer in the world, man or woman.” woman, without exception. “I was moved when I read it, it was a joy,” says Torrijo.
Now, Torrijo dreams of returning to the Copa América, which celebrates its next edition in Barcelona in 2024. “I would love to be there,” he says. Before, he will continue to deliver justice in the Copa del Rey MAPFRE and serving as a benchmark for all those that will come after it.