Pamela Lee is one of the sailors taking part in the final selection phase of the UpWind by MerConcept project, aimed at building a 100% female crew on the Ocean Fifty UpWind skippered by Francesca Clapcich. She answers our questions about the project and her participation.
How did you come to be involved in the selection of the UpWind project?
I started sailing dinghies on a lake in Ireland, then discovered the open sea when I arrived in Australia, around Sidney Hobart. That's how I learned to sail. I fell in love with it. I was doing it as a top-level amateur. When I wanted to do it full-time, I decided to take the Yachtmaster exam and go to Palma. For 4 years, I did the seasons, delivery and regattas, between the Mediterranean and the West Indies, on different boats in IRC, TP52 and classic. This gave me a lot of offshore experience and miles, but I've always wanted to go higher and be more competitive, more tactical, more Southern. With the project to race in the Figaro at the Olympic Games, I decided to train in France, at Team Vendée in Saint-Gilles Croix de Vie. Even though there won't be any offshore racing at the Olympics, I've stayed and lived in Lorient for the past 3 years.
How does multihull sailing fit into your program?
From now on, I'll be concentrating on the Class40. The class is international, which makes it easier to find sponsors outside France. I was on the Transat Jacques Vabre with Tiphaine Ragueneau. Although the Class40 is simpler with lower budgets, I have a real dream of an offshore multihull. At the same time, I've already been able to experiment with Ocean Fifty with the Magenta Project on Lleyton, on Koesio, help Primonial's technical team and do the return delivery of P'tits Doudous, which is becoming the UpWind by MerConcept trimaran. I'm also involved in the Famous Project on the MOD 70. The aim is to be as varied as possible, compared with the other women, many of whom come from the Olympics, and to develop other qualities.
What do you think of the 100% women's format?
I really believe that all sports can be a real vector of communication and be used to activate useful things in society, such as environmental causes or the place of women, by creating models, new examples and erasing stereotypes. Many studies have been carried out in the UK which show that business leaders generally take part in sport, and that this helps them to control their emotions and learn leadership skills. A project like this is constructive and gives women new opportunities beyond sport.
For my Figaro record around Ireland, there were 2 women. The idea was already to inspire women and the Irish to sail more offshore. In Class40 too, the idea is to give opportunities to other women. My British boat captain had her first experience in France.
Ultimately, it's also about creating a network between women that already exists between men. It's not to separate, but as there are more men, it creates a network effect. A network of women creates opportunities for development, even beyond UpWind by MerConcept.
To conclude, what are your role models for women sailors?
Too many of them! Sailing is extraordinary, and there are few sports where you can sail with and against your heroines... In recent years, I've had the opportunity to sail with some of them. Francesca Clapcich, of course, but also Elodie and Justine Mettraux, Dee Caffari, Alexia Barrier, Sam Davies and Karine Fauconnier.
