CSIO Barcelona awards the obstacle designed by two students of the Master in Interior Design of Hotels, Bars and Restaurants

Hizando las velas, an obstacle designed by the students of the Master in Interior Design of Hotels, Bars and Restaurants María Aguirre and Clara Julià, has been the winner of the design competition Un salto para la ciudad, an initiative that is now in its tenth edition with the participation of the main design schools in Barcelona.

The winning obstacle will be part, as a consequence, of the courses that will have to face the best riders in the world who will gather in the Catalan capital on the occasion of the CSIO Barcelona 2024, the 112th International Show Jumping Competition, to be held from October 3 to 6. This is the oldest international sporting event in Spain, which will turn Barcelona into the world capital of equestrian sports.

Tribute to Barcelona’s link to the sea

The idea for the winning obstacle design stems from the deep sporting, historical and cultural link between the city of Barcelona and the sea, an element that has defined the city’s identity over the centuries. The design of the obstacle figuratively and sculpturally represents the departure of sailboats through the center of the iconic Rambla de Mar bridge, capturing the moment when the sailors unfurl and set the sails. This process, surrounded by the wind, generates unique movements and shapes that are reflected in the structure of the obstacle. When jumping, the horse will emulate the departure of a sailing yacht, crossing the center of the bridge, thus symbolically and artistically integrating the nautical spirit and the essence of Barcelona into the course.

“We really enjoyed carrying out this project, in which we wanted to represent the symbolism of the city of Barcelona with all the history and culture that this port has,” explained students María Aguirre and Clara Julià. “We have focused on the bridge of the Rambla del Mar, representing the moment when it rises and the ships enter and leave, raising the sails. We are grateful and proud to be able to be part of the CSIO Barcelona.”

Santiago Mercé Muntañola, president of the CSIO Barcelona, congratulated the winners: “Congratulations to María and Clara, students of Elisava, who have made this obstacle that, from now on, will become part of the CSIO Barcelona family and will be in the courses of the most emblematic competitions of the event”.

These statements have taken place during the presentation ceremony of the event, held at the Port Vell in Barcelona and which has also been attended by David Escudé, Councillor for Sports of the Barcelona City Council and president delegate of the ‘Area of Sports and Physical Activity of the Diputació de Barcelona; Daniel García Giró, director of CSIO Barcelona; David Pino, director of Port Vell; Guillem Virgili, secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Elisava Foundation, Josep Puig, project tutor, and Carles Mercader, from the Department of Business and Entrepreneurship of Elisava.

The competition Un Salto para la Ciudad is part of the calendar of actions organized by the CSIO Barcelona under the umbrella of the Barcelona Equestrian Challenge (BECH) with the aim of further strengthening the link with the centenary sporting competition of the Real Club de Polo with Barcelona, as well as the international promotion of the city.