Translated 9 reveals official racing crew for the Ocean Globe Race 2023
by Translated 9 26 Jul 2023 06:38 PDT
Translated, the pioneering company founded by Marco Trombetti and Isabelle Andrieu that merges human creativity and machine intelligence, is set to make waves in the sailing world as it joins the epic Ocean Globe Race 2023 on Whitbread's fiftieth anniversary.
Translated 9 takes part in this regatta where no modern technology is allowed on board to celebrate the spirit of human courage and determination required to achieve remarkable feats, emphasizing that only through human values and determination can great endeavors be accomplished.
After a year-long selection process, wherein human values, like cooperation, hard work, passion, commitment, positivity, and inclusivity played pivotal roles, Translated is now proud to announce their official racing crew: a group of individuals who perfectly embodies their core principles. Representing a beautiful tapestry of diversity, the Translated 9 crew comprises 16 individuals from seven different nationalities (Italy, France, Turkey, Germany, Ireland, England, and the United States). Among them are six remarkable women and six sailors under 24, united by their shared language: an unbridled passion for the ocean.
Marco Trombetti, Co-founder of Translated and Co-skipper in the Ocean Globe Race, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "The most intriguing aspect of this entire endeavor is the transformative power of the experience. We are interested in human growth and in supporting those brave pioneers who, armed with values, courage, and commitment, push their limits, explore the unknown, and change the world for the better."
Translated received an overwhelming response, with 1,500 sailing enthusiasts and passionate non-professional sailors from around the world vying for a spot in the crew. From this pool, 150 aspiring sailors were selected to participate in a four-stage tryout (3-hour sailing test, 3-day sailing test, a-week ocean sailing journey, and 1 long ocean training) leading to the final composition of the official crew.
Isabelle Andrieu, Co-founder and Chairwoman at Translated, spoke about the challenging selection process, stating, "The selection was truly demanding. Our project attracted an array of amazing individuals, each enriched with passion, humanity, and the dream of participating in a round-the-world race. We are deeply grateful to all those fantastic people who put their daily lives on hold to chase the dream we shared with them".
Selected crew members showcased deep passion and strong commitment to the project, with many actively participating in the boat's refitting process from its inception, familiarizing themselves with every aspect of the vessel. "Understanding the intricacies of the boat is essential, as it can make a significant difference when alone in the middle of the ocean", as explained by Trombetti.
These are the fearless non-professional sailors who will embark on the challenging Ocean Globe Race. They will join Marco Trombetti, the shipowner and co-skipper, Isabelle Andrieu, the team coach, Vittorio Malingri, the co-skipper and technical manager, and Nico Malingri, the Chief Mate.
Piercarlo Antonelli, (ITA) - 63 years old, attorney by profession and sailor by passion. He has participated in all the major offshore regattas in the Mediterranean, both as owner and as a crew member. Also appreciated for his cooking skills, generous Piercarlo has put his experience at the disposal of the younger members of the crew, becoming a point of reference for them on Translated 9.
Niccolò Banfi, (ITA) - 23 years old, Academy of Fine Arts graduate. Niccolò's grandparents, great-grandparents and great-uncle were admirals, commanders, and submariners in the Marina Militare, the Italian Navy. The motto of the Amerigo Vespucci (the Marina Militare's most famous vessel) is "Not those who begin but those who persevere". Niccolò has taken this motto to heart and, thanks to his commitment and perseverance, is now one of Translated 9's racing crew members.
Maretta Bigatti (ITA), 22 years old, University student in a sports science course. Maretta is a tireless sailor and a fantastic team player. She actively participated in the refitting process, making a valuable contribution. With deep passion and strong commitment, she has grown as a sailor, earning her spot on the crew.
Deniz Derin Binaroglu, (TUR) 21 years old, University student in International Trade at Bogaziçi University. Having started sailing when he was 6, he will be the youngest man ever from Turkey to take part in a round-the-world regatta.
Sophie Fontanesi, (ITA) - 18 years old, is the youngest member of our racing team. She started sailing at 9, achieving outstanding results in European championships on an Optimist boat, gaining first place in 2018. She dedicates her spare time to community and charity activities on her boat.
Baptiste Gillot, (FRA) - 25 years old, swimming teacher/lifeguard and graduate from the University in Rouen. He started sailing at 7, on an Optimist in Dieppe, Normandy. His best result was finishing first in the French National High School Championship and third in the French National Dinghy Championship.
Paul Marshall, (US) - 59 years old, an English Second Language Instructor. His open-hearted attitude led him to sail around the globe over 5 years, participating in many offshore races such as the Sydney Hobart race, the TransPac and the ARC Transatlantic race.
Teresa Marshall, (GER) - 48 years old, Vice President, Globalization & Localization at Salesforce. Teresa is a renowned and valued professional within the localization industry. She is also generous, and a passionate sailor.
Teresa and Paul have been crewing in the US with the legendary skipper Paul Cayard for Translated 9 US, to support Translated's America-based friends and clients in experiencing a taste of Ocean sailing.
Ezgim Mistikoglu, (TUR) 21 years old, student at the Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience at Maastricht University. She leads Maastricht University's sailing club as their president. She will be the first Turkish woman to sail around the world.
Roisin O'Halloran, (IRL) 20 years old - Student of Sport and Performance Science at the University of Exeter. She learnt to sail off the west coast of Ireland and started racing at 16. Since then, she has gained over 16,000 offshore miles and has loved getting to explore new places in the world. In her free time, she is a sailing instructor in Falmouth, where she lives.
According to the race rules, non-professional sailors must make up 70% of the crew. In each of the four legs of the OGR (Southampton - Cape Town; Cape Town - Auckland; Auckland - Punta del Este; Punta del Este - Southampton), the crew will rotate, giving everyone the opportunity to participate in the round-the-world race.
The crew also need professional sailors on the team:
Simon Curwen (UK) 64, is an experienced racer, having competed on the RORC and JOG offshore circuits as well as a Mini Transat (he still holds the best Mini Transat result of any British singlehanded sailor, coming second in the 2000-2001 event) and has just finished the Golden Globe Race, a solo non-stop around the world, finishing in 234 days. Curwen was the first solo skipper to complete the course but was not eligible to win the event, which is a non-stop race, as he had to put into Puerto Montt in Chile to make repairs to his windvane system.
Pietro Luciani: (ITA), 38, architect and accomplished sailor. He has logged over 100,000 miles in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean. He has successfully completed seven Atlantic crossings on Class40 boats, including prestigious races like the Transat Jacques Vabre. Pietro was crowned the winner of the Class40 Championship in 2019. With his extensive experience as both a sailor and navigator, he will be competing in the upcoming Transat Jacques Vabre and joining Translated in Auckland.
Translated held a party at their campus in Rome, to present the official crew to the team. Paul Cayard, a seven-time world champion and winner of the last edition of the Ocean Globe Race in 1987 (previously Whitbread Round the World Race) and now Translated 9 ambassador, delivered an amazing motivational speech about stepping out of one's comfort zone and pushing limits to achieve the extraordinary. This is a story dedicated not only to sailors, but to all of the human beings who aspire to great things as Paul Cayard said: "If you stay in your comfort zone, that is where you will fail. Success is not a comfortable procedure. It is a very difficult thing to achieve. So, you have to get comfortable being uncomfortable if you ever want to be successful. Start putting some pressure on yourself!"
Inspired by the relentless pursuit of adventure and the boundless potential of human achievement, Translated 9's official racing crew is prepared to embark on an extraordinary journey around the globe, starting in September 2023 and finishing in April 2024. In the first leg of the Ocean Globe Race, from Southampton to Cape Town, Niccolò Banfi, Simon Curwen, Baptiste Gillot Devillers, Sophie Fontanesi, Ezgim Mistikoglu, Teresa Marshall, and Roisin O'Halloran will sail together with Trombetti and the Malingri team