SailGP Inspire partners with World Sailing Trust

Six crews sailed in SailGP San Francisco © SailGP

SailGP Inspire has joined forces with the World Sailing Trust, designating the global charity as the official charity of the league's community and outreach program.

The partnership will use sailing as a force for good, bringing access to the sport, education and sector career experience to a wide audience through SailGP and WST's international reach. The partnership creates the opportunity to increase participation outside of SailGP's championship calendar - featuring the world's fastest sail racing - to take the Inspire program to new locations and broaden its reach.

With the support of the World Sailing Trust, SailGP's legacy offering at each host venue will be developed and enhanced, with SailGP Inspire supporting core community programs across the world.

SailGP revolutionizes sailing through technology, and Inspire brings this exciting feature to young sailors through interactive STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) classroom modules and online resources, eSailGP gamification, and on-water sailing experiences. A greater understanding of the science behind sailing will equip young girls and boys with key knowledge to access the sport and sail safely, as well as learn fundamental life skills while being encouraged to get on the water.

"As a global sports organization, we have a social responsibility to improve access and drive passion at the grassroots," said SailGP Youth Program Manager Tom Herbert-Evans. "We do not want to reinvent the wheel but create accessible aids to enhance existing organizations that are already doing incredible work on the front line."

The World Sailing Trust will also support SailGP Inspire to raise funds for its outreach program as part of the Trust's Youth Pathways work, which helps young people gain access to sailing and develop their skills. Together, WST and SailGP Inspire will work with local partners to identify areas of opportunity, tailoring outreach work to local communities.

"We are really excited to partner with SailGP Inspire, the first project within the Trust's Youth Pathways program," said World Sailing Trust Chair Dee Caffari MBE. "SailGP Inspire aligns with the Trust's mission to grow participation in sailing, support young sailors to develop their skills and to enhance sailing as a sport. We're looking forward to working with SailGP to achieve brilliant impact through outreach activities across the world and will work in partnership to develop the Inspire program to benefit as many young people as possible."

SailGP Inspire's founding partners RS Sailing, WASZP, Rooster and MarkSetBot will provide resources to program sites to further the outreach of the initiatives and help build a legacy in each of the communities visited.

"As an annual, global championship featuring cutting-edge technology and awe-inspiring athleticism, we have the tools to ignite and inspire the next generation," said SailGP Chief Operating Officer Julien di Biase. "However, it is critical that between and after each SailGP event we continue to engage and inspire the future generation. With the support of the World Sailing Trust we will not only be able to achieve this, but also reach young people in locations outside of our current event calendar which will help to further the impact of the program."

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