Mirpuri Foundation partners with EarthSense to measure air pollution during The Ocean Race Europe
by Mirpuri Foundation 28 May 2021 13:37 UTC
Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team © Mirpuri Foundation
Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team has announced a partnership with air quality experts EarthSense to launch a science program to promote sustainability and ocean conservation during The Ocean Race Europe by capturing invaluable air quality data throughout the race.
During the race, the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team will be using two EarthSense Zephyr® air quality monitors to measure air pollution levels both on land and at sea. One static Zephyr®, which is powered affixed on the deck of the team's VO65 boat, will detect pollution levels at sea. A second mobile unit has been deployed on the team's support vehicle and will follow the boat around Europe throughout the course of the race.
EarthSense will be collating, analysing, and comparing air quality data from the Zephyr® monitors through MyAir® and will be using visualisations of pollution levels to determine the exposure experienced by the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team on their journey around Europe. This information will be used to communicate the differences between measurements taken in challenging conditions at sea and mobile measurements taken during the support vehicle journey on land.
Starting in Lorient, France, with stops in Cascais (Portugal), Alicante (Spain) and finishing in Genova (Italy) the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team crew of 10 sailors will race its VO65 boat, named 'Racing For The Planet' to promote sustainability and ocean conservation to lead and inspire people around the world to act on the critical issue.
Scientific research is a fundamental principle of the Mirpuri Foundation. Through the 'Turn the Tide on Plastic' campaign in the 2017-18 edition of The Volvo Ocean Race, the team was part of a global movement against plastic pollution, and through this science programme aims to provide the scientific community and the public with real-world insight into the air we breathe.
Paulo Mirpuri, Founder of the Mirpuri Foundation said: "Sustainability and ocean conservation are at the heart of the Mirpuri Foundation. As a professional sailing team, we have the platform to support and promote ideas that can protect the fragile and irreplaceable ecosystems that we depend on. By taking part in The Ocean Race Europe, we're able to spread awareness of the need to stop climate change, but also capture and share vital data that can have real value in leading to meaningful impact and we are excited to work with innovative technology like the Zephyr® monitor to achieve this."
Tom Hall, EarthSense Managing Director said: "The Zephyr® is a valuable tool for understanding air pollution levels in hostile environments built for both static and mobile applications. EarthSense is an advocate for creating a safer and cleaner environment and partnering with the Mirpuri Foundation to promote the message of ocean conservation is in line with everything we stand for. The best of luck to the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team for the race!"
Yoann Richomme, skipper of the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team said: "It is exciting to have this opportunity to work with EarthSense to capture very important data to illustrate the reality of the rise in air pollution. We are really interested in the data from the boat in particular as air quality at sea is rarely, if ever, discussed. As a team, we want to be at the front of the fleet in the race but also the forefront of this discussion."
The first leg of The Ocean Race Europe commences on May 29. The fleet of VO65s and IMOCA 60s will race from Lorient to the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team's home base of Cascais in Portugal. During the Cascais stopover, the entire fleet will join the annual Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy, a prestigious annual regatta supporting a variety of ocean conservation initiatives including the brand new Ocean Award.
For more information, visit mirpuriracingteam.com