If you're into kiteboarding, you probably already know that Catalina Turienzo just made history at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games. The 17-year-old from Bahía Blanca took home a silver medal in the Formula Kite event, securing a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Isn't that incredible? 🙌

But if you haven't met this girl who dreams of becoming a doctor and rode every wave to win a silver medal, we'll tell you her story and achievements in this article. Don't miss it! 🏄‍♀️

## Who is Catalina Turienzo?

Catalina Turienzo was born in Bahía Blanca, a city in the southern province of Buenos Aires, on August 12, 2006. She loved sports from a young age and practiced hockey, tennis, swimming, and gymnastics. But it was at age 10 that she discovered her passion for kiteboarding, a sport that combines surfing with a kite that allows you to glide over the water and perform spectacular jumps.

Her father, also a kiteboarder, took her to a kite school in Monte Hermoso, a coastal town near Bahía Blanca, where she learned the basic techniques and fell in love with the sport. Since then, she has continued training and competing, both nationally and internationally, reaping triumphs and accolades.

In addition to being a high-performance athlete, Catalina is an excellent student who finished high school with a 9.75 GPA. Her dream is to study medicine and specialize in neurology, a field that fascinates her because of the functioning of the brain and mind. To achieve this, she prepared to take the entrance exams for the National University of the South and the University of Buenos Aires, the two most prestigious institutions in the country.

But it wasn't all easy for Catalina. Her discipline, Formula Kite, is one of the newest and least-known in yachting, and requires expensive and difficult-to-obtain equipment. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic affected her training and her ability to travel to compete. As a result, she had to seek financial and logistical support from various sponsors, institutions, and individuals who believed in her talent and potential.

## How was your participation in the Pan American Games?

The Santiago 2023 Pan American Games were the ideal setting for Catalina to demonstrate her skill and determination. The Formula Kite competition took place on El Quisco beach, 118 km west of the Chilean capital, from November 1 to 4. Twelve women from 10 countries competed there, including American Daniela Moroz, six-time world champion and the undisputed favorite.

Catalina performed excellently from the first day, winning two of the four races and finishing second in the other two. She thus placed first in the overall standings with four points, followed by Moroz with six. The following day, she repeated her performance, adding two more wins and two second places, maintaining her lead with eight points, while Moroz closed in on ten.

The third day was the most difficult for the Argentine, who crashed in the first race and finished last. In the following races, she recovered and achieved second, third, and fourth places, but she couldn't prevent Moroz from overtaking her in the standings, with 14 points to 20. Nevertheless, Catalina secured second place and the chance to fight for the gold medal in the Medal Race, the final race that awards double points and is run between the top four.

Photo by @SC_ESPN

The Medal Race took place on November 4th, with 15-knot winds and choppy seas. Catalina started out determined to give it her all, but Moroz demonstrated his experience and dominance and pulled away from the start. The Argentinean fought to hold on to second place, but was overtaken by Brazilian Bruna Mello and Canadian Natalie Price. She ultimately crossed the finish line in fourth place, earning her eight more points and a total of 28.

Moroz, on the other hand, won the regatta with authority, earning two points, bringing her total to 16. Thus, she claimed the gold medal and the Pan American title. Mello and Price tied for second place in the regatta, with four points each, and finished with 32 points overall. However, since the Brazilian had performed better in the previous races, she took the bronze, leaving the Canadian without a podium finish.

Catalina then claimed the silver medal, Argentina's first in this discipline, and became the second to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, after Moroz, who had already secured her ticket as world champion. It was a moment of great emotion and joy for the young woman, who celebrated with her coach, Federico Aguilar, and her teammates from the Argentine yachting team, who also performed strongly at these Games.

## What does this achievement mean for Catalina and for Argentine kiteboarding?

Catalina Turienzo's silver medal is a historic milestone for Argentine kiteboarding, which only joined the Argentine Yachting Federation in 2019 and has very few representatives and resources. It is also a reward for the effort, sacrifice, and passion of this young woman who dared to challenge the best in the world and earned her place in the Olympics.

Catalina is the first Argentine to qualify for the Olympic Games in Formula Kite, a sport that will debut in Paris 2024 and promises to be a spectacle for sports and sea lovers. There, she will have the opportunity to continue growing, learning, and enjoying her dream of flying over the water with her kite and board.

But before thinking about Paris, Catalina has other challenges ahead, such as the Formula Kite World Championship, which will be held in Oman in December of this year, and the South American Championship, which will be held in Brazil in January 2024. She also has to decide her academic future and choose where and what to study, without neglecting her training and health.

Catalina is an example of perseverance, humility, and talent. She is one of the most promising athletes in Argentine sport and a leading figure in women's kiteboarding. We at SUELTALABARRA wish her the best and congratulate her on her silver medal, which shines like gold.