UpWind by MerConcept and World Sailing pave the way towards offshore racing

UpWind by MerConcept - Fastnet Race © Guillaume Gatefait / UpWind by MerConcept

UpWind by MerConcept, in collaboration with World Sailing, is proud to announce the selection of six international sailors who will take part in an exclusive Ocean Fifty racing experience during Act 1 of the Ocean Fifty Series, on April 29 in Sainte-Maxime (France).

This initiative between World Sailing and UpWind by MerConcept reflects a shared ambition: to create meaningful pathways between Olympic sailing and professional offshore racing, while actively promoting diversity and inclusion within the sport.

A unique bridge between Olympic and professional offshore sailing

Prior to the French Olympic Sailing Week in Hyères, World Sailing and UpWind by MerConcept launched a joint call for applications, offering athletes a rare opportunity to step into the world of high-performance offshore racing.

After a joint selection process led by World Sailing and UpWind by MerConcept, six sailors have been selected (Australia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, and Peru), with a commitment to gender balance in line with UpWind's mission and World Sailing's Steering the Course women's strategy.

Coming from a diverse mix of emerging and developed sailing nations across Europe, Central America and Oceania, they reflect the global reach of this initiative and the growing ambition of sailors worldwide to access high-performance environments.

An immersive Ocean Fifty experience

On April 29, the selected sailors will be welcomed in Sainte-Maxime for a full-day immersion within a professional Ocean Fifty team environment. This behind-the-scenes experience will include:

• Introduction to the team and racing ecosystem
• Technical and safety briefings
• Guided tour of an Ocean Fifty trimaran
• Participation in the race-day environment, onboard and from the support boat
• Post-sailing discussions with professional sailors and team members

UpWind by MerConcept will oversee the entire on-water experience, ensuring coordination, safety, and operational excellence throughout the day.

Building pathways, shaping the future of the sport

This collaboration embodies a shared vision: making offshore racing more accessible, more diverse, and more connected to the broader sailing ecosystem.

By offering this first-hand experience, UpWind by MerConcept continues to expand its international outreach and reinforce its mission to support talent development, foster diversity, and create bridges between disciplines.

"We are very proud to welcome these six sailors in Sainte-Maxime and to share with them the reality of offshore racing at the highest level. This initiative fully reflects UpWind's mission: opening doors, creating opportunities, and building bridges across sailing communities worldwide. We would also like to warmly thank World Sailing for this meaningful collaboration, which allows us to extend our impact and reach new audiences. With the support of our founding partner, 11th Hour Racing, we are committed to driving greater diversity and inclusion in our sport, and to inspiring the next generation of offshore sailors." — Louis Giard, Team Manager, UpWind by MerConcept

This initiative also highlights the growing convergence between Olympic sailing and offshore racing, opening new career pathways for the next generation of sailors: an important focus of Navigating Offshore, World Sailing's plan to support Offshore Sailing [PDF].

Fiona Kidd, Head of International Development at World Sailing, said, "Each sailor brings a unique perspective to this experience, furthering the reach of offshore sailing, bridging the gap between Olympic and Offshore Sailing and showing sailors from across the sailing world of the potential pathways open to them. We are delighted to partner with Upwind by MerConcept and 11th Hour Racing to deliver such a unique experience for sailors in the South of France."