This autumn, Aina Bauza Roig will line up in Saint-Malo for the Route du Rhum, a solo transatlantic race. Aboard Class40 MAAT, she will become the first Spanish woman to race solo on a boat this size, sailing 3,542 nautical miles to Guadeloupe

Her journey began in Mallorca, where the sea taught her that resilience grows through every decision.

Reaching the start has been an adventure. After years in the Mini 6.50 circuit, three Atlantic crossings as skipper and a solo world record from Cádiz to San Salvador, she spent 2025 racing a Class40 with Axelle Pillain. They finished third in the Armen Race, seventh in the Fastnet and completed the Transat Café L’OR. Step by step, each race prepares her to sail solo around the world aboard an IMOCA in the Vendée Globe.

For 2026, she has joined forces with the Alice Milliat Foundation to create a sailing team that uses offshore racing to promote women’s sport, visibility and equal opportunity. The campaign is about much more than one race. Through school visits, conferences, partner events and digital storytelling, the team wants young people, especially girls, to see that ambitious paths are possible, even when no one like them has gone first.
She must complete a 1,200 nautical mile solo qualification starting on 19 August, prepare Class40 161 for the Atlantic crossing and secure funding for the campaign. Every sponsor and supporter is helping transform this project into a start line.
This project sets out from Mallorca with the support of individuals, companies and institutions. 

She is especially grateful to the companies accompanying her this year, including AFTRANS International and Balearic Helicopters, as well as the Club de Vela Puerto de Andratx. On 1 November, she will carry that collective support from Saint-Malo across the Atlantic, racing to Guadeloupe and opening the way for the next generation. ◆

Follow her journey on her Instagram page @ainasailing