For SSL Team El Salvador, the road to the SSL Gold Cup is about more than individual talent. It is about teamwork, trust and bringing together some of the country's best sailors to compete on one of sailing's biggest stages.
In 2025, the Salvadoran crew travelled to Grandson, Switzerland, for an intensive training session at the SSL Training Center. After seven days of sailing together, the team returned home with valuable experience, stronger coordination and growing confidence ahead of the challenge awaiting them in 2026.
At the helm is Enrique José Arathoon Pacas, El Salvador's most accomplished sailor and an experienced Olympian. Competing in the ILCA 7 class, formerly known as Laser Standard, he represented his country at three Olympic Games: Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024. His international experience and leadership make him a key figure in the team's campaign.
But Arathoon knows that success on the SSL47 requires much more than individual skill.
“It’s not just a one-man show – the whole team has to work together. If you want to turn fast or make an aggressive move, everybody has to be synchronized, and that’s something that we are,” he explained in Grandson.
The Salvadoran crew brings together sailors from different backgrounds, combining international experience, youthful ambition and a shared passion for sailing.
Among them is Mauricio Gallardo, who takes on the role of trimmer. Alongside his professional career in international banking, he has maintained a lifelong connection with sailing, with experience ranging from windsurfing and Hobie Cats to J/24 match racing.
The team also includes Christian Steigelmann, who brings his skills to the bowman position. In 2025, he claimed first place in ORC 1 at the Dennis Conner Around the Coronado Isles, adding another achievement to the crew's collective experience.
The wider squad features sailors such as Henry Hernandez, who joined the national team at just 17 and is a FESA scholarship athlete.
During their training in Switzerland, the crew had the opportunity to test their coordination against SSL Team Mozambique. Gallardo highlighted the progress made in just seven days, pointing to the team's growing cohesion and strong performance on the water.
In November 2026, El Salvador will take part in the Pan-American Qualifiers, the final continental qualification series ahead of the SSL Gold Cup Final Series in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
For El Salvador, reaching the Final Series would be an opportunity to represent the country on the international stage and take on some of the world's strongest sailing nations.
The team's approach is clear: stay focused, sail clean races and make the most of every opportunity. As Mauricio Gallardo shared after the training session in Grandson, avoiding major mistakes and executing manoeuvres well could give the crew a real chance of securing qualification.
With Olympic experience at the helm, a committed crew and valuable preparation behind them, SSL Team El Salvador is ready to take on the challenge. The goal is set: bring their country's flag to the starting line in Rio and make their mark in the SSL Gold Cup.
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