Jules Verne Trophy – A shared adventure + Videos

by Spindrift racing on 16 Jan 2016 Jules Verne Trophy – Almost five million page views on the special site devoted to the record attempt, more than two million cumulative videos viewed and 100,000 interactions (likes, comments, retweets, mentions, etc.). This young, highly entrepreneurial team have always set themselves high standards, but this is the first time they have undertaken such an immense challenge.

Although the record was not beaten this year, this first circumnavigation of Spindrift 2 skippered by Yann Guichard fulfilled human and technical objectives, as well as communication goals for the team and their partners Mirabaud, Genes-x and Zenith, which have now been supporting the team for almost three years. The immense challenges achieved thanks to the efforts of the entire team led by Dona Bertarelli include broadening the audience beyond traditional sailing aficionados, combining stunning imagery with educational content, and using technology to stimulate dreams.

Those preparing and leading a round-the-world record have a great deal of freedom. They can choose the boat, the crew and the course. They also have a great deal of freedom in how they organise their media communications. With no event organiser, nothing is compulsory, but the challenge is formidable if you want to share the adventure with as many people as possible.

Dona Bertarelli has a Diploma in Communication from the famous Boston University School of Communication, co-founded Spindrift racing and was helmsman-trimmer during the circumnavigation. She achieved the goals set in terms of sharing information with the team’s partners and the general public. Thanks to her experience and the expertise of her onshore support team and onboard media reporter Yann Riou, Dona enabled the public to be a part of the adventure through the photos, articles and video footage published.

“I’m proud of what I’ve achieved since Spindrift racing was born, the pinnacle of which has been the Jules Verne Trophy,” explained Dona. “For me, in addition to the sporting challenge, my goal has always been to produce innovative, high-quality communication. Yann and I had a desire to share the adventure with children, and we achieved this with greater success than we’d ever imagined through an educational project that we will continue to develop in future. I would like to thank my communication team for their high-quality work from start to finish, both onshore and offshore. Without them, I could not have achieved what I did,” said Dona Bertarelli.