Please select your home edition
Edition
Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 LEADERBOARD

TRADER Sailing highlights opportunities offshore with the Magenta Project

by TRADER Sailing 1 Apr 2021 02:10 AEDT
(From left) Megan Gimple, Sarah Wilkinson, Lindsay Gimple, and Annie Longo at the Newport Bermuda Race Awards ceremony in 2018. Wilkinson, L. Gimple, and Longo have all taken part in The Magenta Project's noteworthy Mentoring Program © Julia Cronin/Outrageous Photography

TRADER Sailing, a military veteran outreach sailing program, is pairing with international sailing charity The Magenta Project for the 2021 Transpacific Yacht Race. For the 2021 campaign, TRADER Sailing has created a mixed-gender entry composed of core military veteran crew paired with four female offshore sailors from the east coast of the United States. To highlight the importance of developing women's opportunities in offshore sailing, the effort will be called TRADER: Racing with The Magenta Project.

Abby Ehler, Director at The Magenta Project says, "It is great to see a project such as S/Y Trader actively seeking a diverse crew and valuing the benefits of diversity."

Common to all crew aboard TRADER are the themes of opportunity and development. During regular operations, TRADER Sailing actively welcomes military veterans and their families to enter an engaging and adventurous team, while developing teamwork and camaraderie. When putting together the Transpac 2021 campaign, Skipper Doug Pasnik saw the chance to work with another group: rising offshore sailors. In melding the two groups, Pasnik hopes to provide a place for growth and leadership development for both his core veterans and incoming young offshore sailors.

Pasnik says: "I have had the benefit of some great mentors throughout my career, and peers who have helped me achieve my goals along the way. I believe it's my responsibility to do the same for others, and to help rising leaders grow in a positive way."

The four young women joining the Transpac crew, Lindsay Gimple, Sarah Wilkinson, Annie Longo, and Megan Gimple, are on an upward trajectory. Racing with the MudRatz Offshore Team, the women recently netted a class win in the previous edition of the Newport Bermuda Race and a class podium finish in the 2019 Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race. For them, the Transpac campaign is the next step in developing as offshore racers.

Lindsay Gimple, as well as Wilkinson and Longo, are actively involved with The Magenta Project through the project's three-year-old mentoring program, which pairs aspiring female sailors with incredible mentors from the global sailing industry. Mentors include Clipper Race skipper Vicky Ellis, as well as professional ocean racer Annie Lush and Sustainability Program Manager for the 11th Hour Racing Sailing Team, Damian Foxall. A shore-side arrangement, The Magenta Project Mentoring Program aims to accelerate women in performance sailing by working with mentees to plan their sporting development, overcome hurdles, build contacts and inspire them to succeed at the highest level possible.

Ehler says, "My aspiration is that any one of the mentees take a positive experience from (the mentoring program) to connect with a future version of themselves and to develop personally and professionally while reaping the benefits of the shared knowledge, experience and expertise of their mentor and the wider network. It's exciting to see three of our mentoring alumni involved in this project, and I hope that The Magenta Mentoring Program has given them added confidence and skills to take this on. We look forward to tracking their progress in this year's Transpac Race and beyond."

Related Articles

Marine Auctions: Two Online Auctions in July
Also Jacob Seiffert has been appointed as the Area Representative for the Port Lincoln Region Marine Auctions are proud to announce that Jacob Seiffert has been appointed as the Area Representative for the Port Lincoln Region in South Australia. Jacob is a local Commerical Fisherman. Posted today at 2:43 am
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta 2025 Preview
The fourth stop of the five series Sailing Grand Slam circuit Over 200 elite athletes from 42 nations have converged on Long Beach to test their skills on the same waters that will host sailing events during the LA2028 Olympic Games as they compete in the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta July 12-20 Posted today at 12:11 am
Best Buddies from Germany win the AEGEAN 600 2025
The second wave of finishers benefit from last night's steadier breezes Behind the first wave of finishers yesterday morning, yesterday and last night's steadier breezes helped sweep in another wave of Monohull and Multihull finishers to the race finish at Cape Sounion. Posted on 11 Jul
Tough conditions test Morris
As iQFOiL World Championships wrap up The iQFOiL World Championships have drawn to a close in Aarhus, Denmark, following a week of light and unpredictable wind that tested both race officials and athletes to the limit. Posted on 11 Jul
International Moth Worlds at Lake Garda Day 4
Balanger dominates qualifying, storm cuts Gold fleet racing short Day four of the 2025 Moth World Championship opened at dawn with another early start for the 137 athletes from 25 nations competing on Lake Garda. Posted on 11 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds in Aarhus overall
Thrilling Medal Series closes out a spectacular week of high-stakes foiling in Denmark The 2025 iQFOiL World Championship wrapped up in Aarhus with a spectacular Medal Series showdown that saw Emma Wilson (GBR 7) and Andy Brown (GBR 360) rise to the top and secure World Championship titles. Posted on 11 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC Three preview
This has produced the overall winner of two of the last six editions IRC Three may consist of smaller, slower and in some cases older boats than those that will garner headlines in the first couple of days of the Rolex Fastnet Race. Posted on 11 Jul
Zhik Nordic Youth Sailing Championship preview
This year's regatta will be the largest of its kind ever hosted in Tallinn Tallinna Yacht Club brings one of the biggest sports events of the summer to Haven Kakumäe - 300 young sailors expected at the Zhik Nordic Youth Sailing Championship, plus just as many supporters on shore! Posted on 11 Jul
18th Puig Vela Clàssica Barcelona day 1
Opening victories and nautical splendor This week, Barcelona once again takes center stage in the world of classic sailing as the 18th edition of the Puig Vela Clàssica gets under way. The opening day delivered ideal conditions for a spectacular display on the water. Posted on 11 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race: IRC Two Preview
With 73 entries in IRC Two, the Rolex Fastnet Race is set to deliver a striking display. Could two new JPK 1050s upset the apple cart in IRC Two? Jean-Pierre Kelbert has a habit of breaking the mould in IRC racing, and his new 34-footer may well be a game changer in this competitive division with 73 entries. Posted on 11 Jul
Maritimo M75sMRT AIS Man Overboard Beacons AUS / NZVetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 FOOTER