This weekend saw the SUI Sailing Awards ceremony take place at the Maison du Sport in Bern on Saturday 22nd November. Dona Bertarelli was named « Female Sailor of the Year 2014 ». The acclaimed sportswoman, who has achieved multiple victories and sailing successes with her professional sailing team Spindrift racing, both with the D35 Ladycat and maxi trimaran Spindrift 2, is proud to sail under the colours of the Société Nautique de Genève and to convey Swiss sailing to the highest level on an international scale.
Dona Bertarelli founded Spindrift racing in 2011. This elite professional sailing team, which is based in La Trinité-sur-mer in south Brittany, represents their combined passion for the sea, sailing and competition. The team currently owns Spindrift 2, the world’s largest racing trimaran, Spindrift, a MOD70, and Ladycat, the D35 well known in Switzerland for its regular performances in the Vulcain Trophy circuit on Lake Léman. This summer, Ladycat won the the Bol d’Or Mirabaud with Dona at the helm. It was the second time that she achieved such a feat, and a particular highlight of the season.
Dona has also achieved a number of other successes, notably in offshore sailing, including winning the Rolex Fastnet Race and breaking the crewed record for the Discovery Route (Cadiz, Spain – San Salvador, Bahamas), both in 2013 onboard the maxi trimaran Spindrift 2.
Dona was previously nominated for this award back in 2010, following her first victory in the Bol d’Or Mirabaud. This year it is the first time that she has gone on to claim the award, the most prestigious of its kind in Swiss sailing, and a fitting representation of the years of hard work she has invested to build an impressive sports record to date.
Crédit : Spindrift Racing (More pics, here)
Today Spindrift 2 leaves Pointe-à-Pitre et starts a new transatlantic crossing, this time with nine men onboard!
Yann Guichard is convoying with eight sailors of the Spindrift racing team: Xavier Revil, François Morvan, Antoine Carraz, Simone Gaeta, Jacques Guichard, Christophe Espagnon, Erwan Israël et Philippe Echassoux. The maxi trimaran should be at his home port of La Trinité-sur-Mer at the beginning of next week.
From Spindrift
