Recruiting and supporting six Ocean Fifty sailors
The Mer Concept ocean racing team, founded by François Gabart, launches the UpWind program. The program aims to promote gender diversity by giving women sailors from all over the world a chance. The UpWind program aims to recruit, train and support six female sailors on the Ocean Fifty circuit, so that one of them can take the start of the Route du Rhum 2026.
The application process is open, with female sailors from all over the world invited to apply before March 20, 2024, by filling in a form on the UpWind by MerConcept website.
A boat skippered by Italian Francesca Clapcich
A crew will be competing on the Ocean Fifty 2024 circuit aboard Armel Tripon's former Ocean Fifty. The boat, which was bought at the end of 2023, is currently undergoing a complete refit before being launched at the end of March. The boat will be skippered by Italian Francesca Clapcich, the only Italian sailor to have won The Ocean Race aboard the Imoca 11th Hour Racing in 2022-23. 11th Hour Racing joins UpWind by MerConcept as a founding partner.
The Ocean Fifty circuit's 2024 race program includes four major events between June and October, including a transatlantic race.
The Italian sailor confides: "The OceanFifty is the ideal support for UpWind. The trimaran will enable us to rotate with the whole team as the events progress, and to have a real sharing of experience within the crew. In regattas, the Ocean Fifty class offers both offshore and inshore courses. So we'll need to be able to switch quickly from one mode to the other. It's going to be very rewarding, and I can't wait for the selection process to get underway!"
