Cap Pour Elles with Engie: Caroline Boule and Aina Bauza are winners of the 2025 prize

Caroline Boule and Aina Bauza © Georgia Schopfield

On the eve of International Women's Rights Day it is the 100% female duo Caroline Boule of France and Aina Bauza of Spain who have been selected for the third edition of Cap pour Elles.

This initiative supported by Engie aims to increase female interest and participation in ocean racing. And so the two winners are set to benefit from financial and sporting support specific to them which will allow them to take part in Class 40 on the 17th TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie which starts on Sunday October 26 and races across the Atlantic between Le Havre and Martinique.

From a chance meeting in a busy parking lot to the challenges of the wide open spaces of the ocean, Aina Bauza and Caroline Boule now share the same destiny, winning the third Cap pour Elles which aims to allow a pair of women to participate in their first TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR as their first ocean race. This 2025 edition has already achieved a broader appeal with 13 applications in the mix (starting with just four in 2021 and 10 in 2023), proof that the programme is attracting more and more young female sailors. Currently women still only represent 10% of the offshore racing participants

A custom designed preparation

After a rigorous selection process Boule and Bauza won the right to dream big and prepare for the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie set to work together in optimal conditions with a professional setting. Their dedicated programme features technical support and sports coaching all driven by the experienced Team Manager, Anne Combier, who will soon explain the outline of their detailed preparation up to the start of the famous two handed Route du Café transatlantic.

"A magnificent opportunity"

"It's crazy, I'm still a bit shocked," enthused Caroline Boule, 27 who was born in Warsaw and has dual French-Polish nationality. After studying in London and then Paris to obtain a Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering she is now based in Lorient. "It's a magnificent opportunity to take part in this legendary race. The goal is to try to perform. We're being realistic, this is our first time taking part. Aina has done a bit of Class 40, me not at all. We have big ambitions but are realistic." Boule is passionate about speed, innovation, foiling boats and has taken part in several mini 6.50 races.

Halfway between the Olympic games and the Vendée Globe

"We hope to go fast, sail in the trade winds and finish in a good position," continues Bauza, 30, a native of the island of Majorca who is also now based in Lorient after completing her studies in the merchant navy and leaving Olympic sailing. She narrowly missed the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games in the ILCA 6 "It's great to be part of this event with all these big boats and big names, but this TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR is just an ideal passage for both of us. To learn, train and achieve our dream of sailing around the world single-handed, and competing in the Vendée Globe in IMOCA in 2028 or 2032."

Influencers immersed

In the meantime, these two ambitious women with strong minds are already in step with the philosophy of the most legendary double-handed transatlantic race. While their potential is enormous the duo share five modern languages between them and intend to share "their adventure with lots of people", particularly via social networks. They will even return from Martinique in November with influencers aboard their Class 40 aiming to "inspire all those who have dreams" (Aina). Commitment is a strong value that they already are already displaying. "Sailing is a good medium for making changes," concludes Caroline. "For my part, I am trying to find solutions to reduce energy consumption by developing more environmentally friendly boats."

Quotes:

Dr Claudie Haigneré, CNES/ESA astronaut, patron of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR and the Cap pour Elles project: "They are not only a crew of women, but a crew of sailors that has been selected. We must not reduce women to being 'just' women. What I really liked, what touched me, was their team spirit. They are a bold, well-prepared, responsible crew and are friends. They bring a breath of fresh air, with innovation and a way of thinking about racing. They have lots of innovative ideas, both technologically and environmentally, but also in terms of communication. They will have an impact on young people and will bring inspiration. They dared to go for this and dare to dream big. They are already true champions."

Dominique Wood-Benneteau, Director of Communication and of the Engie brand: "For Engie, which has renewed its partnership with the Cap pour Elles program, it is a real pride to give the opportunity to two highly talented young women engineers. At their age and at their current stage, they already play a role model. With such profiles, there is no better way to inspire the younger generation to come and sail the seas of the world. It's a great duo. They are incredible! "

Gildas Gautier, Co-CEO of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR: "This is the third edition of the Cap pour Elles program with ENGIE, the one of maturity. Never have we received so many projects, never so international, never finally have they been of such quality both in terms of preparation and the sporting ambition of the sailors who presented them. Caroline and Aina are inspiring women, we can't wait to introduce you to them a little more."