Young Brazilians recognized as dominant women in 2014

Australian James Spithill and Brazilians Martine Grael & Kahena Kunze were named male and female winners of the 2014 ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards during a glittering ceremony held in Palma de Mallorca, Spain on Tuesday November 4.

Now having won the America’s Cup twice, last year in thrilling fashion, Spithill has become an international sports star, sponsored by Red Bull and living an extreme sports lifestyle. But for Grael and Kunze, particularly with one living in the long shadow of her father, 5-time Olympic medalist Torben Grael, this award brings a new spotlight to the lives of these 23 year old Brazilians.

Grael and Kunze have dominated the Olympic women’s skiff 49erFX class all season, regularly topping the podium in ISAF Sailing World Cup regattas and holding the #1 spot in the ISAF World Sailing Rankings. At the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships in Santander this September the pair came from behind to secure their first world title in the class.

“Sailing is not only our sport it’s our lifestyle. It gives us a lot of opportunities to discover new places and to know new people and meet different cultures. It makes our life intense. Life is meant to be a challenge, sailing is a challenge and we are always learning something new. We make mistakes, a lot of mistakes, but we learn from them and grow up. We want to reach a point where there is no crew, no boat, but one whole thing that moves together and flows.”

The pair has some years to go to match the experience accumulated by Spithill. They are well on their way and have learnt important lessons in their relatively short career. They understand the value of dedication, determination and the potential of working together: “We have had an incredible year, but we know that we will still have a lot to do. It’s a great honour to be here among all the great sailors and be nominated, and this prize will give us more strength to do what we love and to continue training. We have not done this alone. It was not possible without the help of our sponsors and all the people around us – our super coach Javier Torres.”

Grael and Kunze, both from Niterói on Guanabara Bay Rio de Janeiro, originally met as children competing in Optimists. Although from different sailing clubs and rivals, they got to know each other and became immediate friends recognising a kindred spirit.

The opportunity to sail together arrived by chance. By 2009, both had become adept and competitive double-handed dinghy sailors. Realizing their then partners were too old to compete at youth level, Grael and Kunze teamed up in order to participate at the ISAF Youth Worlds taking place in Búzios, Brazil, that year. Signs of their natural affinity were immediate, as the pair won the ISAF Youth World Title in the 420 class.

Their paths would separate after this championship, with each pursuing their own interests. Martine took the opportunity to compete in the 470 class in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. Looking for a new partner in 2013, Martine called Kahena. “I immediately felt the chemistry. The first time I returned to sail with Kahena, we were in touch with the boat,” she remarks.

The time apart seems to have strengthened the natural pairing, rather than weakening it. They give the impression of being the perfect match, totally in tune: “When we are sailing the same boat, we are sailing as the same person. What one deserves the other does too. We have a lot of things in common: we have a good lifestyle, we love being outside. We like to practice, we like the same food.” They even wore matching outfits to the award ceremony, completely by chance: “It is much easier to deal with a person who is like you.”

The two are determined to continue their partnership and to develop, and hope they can inspire others with ambition to succeed offering advice well beyond their years: “Nothing is impossible, with enough will and with enough training. You have to dedicate full time if you really want something.”

For Martine, the evening was of course extra special, her father is Torben Grael, an Olympic gold medallist, Volvo Ocean Race winner and recipient of the ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Award in 2009. His pride as a father was matched by his appreciation of the pair’s achievement, recalling how he had felt when he had presented them with their Youth World Title back in 2009: “I thought that feeling could not be bettered.” The smile on his face was evidence enough that it had.

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Australian James Spithill and Brazilians Martine Grael (left) and Kahena Kunze