An agreement was signed by the Fundació Navegació Oceánica Barcelona, Educación Sin Fronteras and Zero Limits in December 2009, setting in motion the creation of an ocean racing team with Albert Bargués and Eric Villalón. The project is based on the use of ocean sailing values to create a framework for innovative promotion of the values of solidarity and inclusion for disabled people, as part of the core philosophy of Educación Sin Fronteras and Zero Limits.

Albert Bargués is an expert sailor who has not only competed in the previous edition of the Barcelona World Race, but has also sailed around the world on Fortuna Lights in the 1985/86 Whitbread, and taken part in two Mini-Transats and one Transat Jacques Vabre, among other ocean regattas. Albert is a specialist in sailing logistics as well as technical, physical and psychological training for top-level ocean racing, qualities that are fundamental to the development of the project.

Eric Villalón is a well-known elite athlete, whose track record has taken him to the heights of the most accomplished Spanish Paralympic athlete, with prizes such as a Spanish Royal Order gold medal for sporting achievements and five Paralympic gold medals, two silver and one bronze in the Alpine Ski category across three Paralympic Games. Eric also conquered a new challenge last year, as he became part of the first expedition to the South Pole with people with disabilities, and the first person with visual impairment to reach the South Pole, as well as the first  Catalan to do so. This was as a member of the expedition South Pole Without Limits, organised by the Zero Limits association. Eric Villalón has only 5% of his sight since birth.

This new project arose at the end of the South Pole expeditions, when the Director and Vice President of the Zero Limits Association Montse García approached the FNOB to propose a scientific research project to sail around the world with disabled people. The foundation was unable to include that specific project in its program, but it did offer Zero Limits the chance for a disabled sailor to join the FNOB Sailing Team led by Albert Bargués. The main objective would be to compete in the Barcelona World  Race, the double-handed, non-stop round the world regatta, with the second edition kicking off on the 31st of December 2010.

Eric and Albert have developed a detailed and progressive work schedule   aimed at the challenge, which includes creating an inclusive environment for someone with 5% visibility on board a 60-foot (18.29m) yacht, racing around the world with one other person. The boat itself is an updated version of “ESP-33”, the entry sailed by Albert Bargués in the previous edition of the Barcelona World Race. As well as specific training for Villalón, both sailors and the technical crew are working on adjustments to the boat in terms of systems and the creation of a protocol for navigation manoeuvres. Research and investigation will also be done to improve navigation for Eric and to aid the communication between both sailors.

The progressive training program that began many months ago with Eric's initial learning phase, is now heading into a different phase of development. Next week Albert and Eric will set off on a long Atlantic crossing, leaving the Port of Barcelona on a 5,000 mile non-stop course with the French West Indies in their sights, before heading back to the Catalan capital. For this phase of training, the two skippers on “ESP-33” will be accompanied by a member of the technical team and the team Coach. Once the crew are back in Barcelona, the month of May will be set aside for the next phase of training, starting with double-handed long courses in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic for both skippers. The qualifying mileage required by the Barcelona World Race (a 2,800 mile regatta) will be the aim ahead of the summer, when the skippers are considering taking part in the Sailing Tour of Spain, which takes place in June.

Solidarity, an ongoing vocation

Educación Sin Fronteras (Education Without Frontiers) is a Non Governmental Development Organisation (NGDO) which deals with transforming education. For ESF education is not only a basic need and a fundamental right, but a key to social transformation. The organisation also took part in the first edition of the Barcelona World Race, with “ESP-33” sailing with the name 'Educación Sin Fronteras'. The experience set out to reclaim the right to education across the world and to invite society as a whole to share the idea that 'education is freedom'. As the association's name Zero Limits suggests, the organisation is involved in sporting projects and social awareness campaigns where limits are not an issue for people, and where 'abilities' rather than 'disabilities' are given centre stage.

This initiative is testament to the culture of sailing for disabled people that grew in Barcelona in 1988 with the School for Adapted Sailing and the organisation of the Adapted Sailing World Championships in 1992 in the Port Olimpic.

The Fundació Navegació Oceánica Barcelona will make a donation to both projects to help develop their projects. Zero Limits will use the resources to develop an accessible web platform with oceanographic content called 'Explore the Oceans' and will continue to work on projects to raise social awareness of issues surrounding disability, as they have been since 2007. Educación Sin Fronteras will use the donation to complete their Programme for the improvement of educational standards in Central America and the Caribbean, which aims to influence educational and political systems to develop new and alternative teaching methods and to strengthen the role of educators.