UpWind by MerConcept and World Sailing provide offshore racing opportunity to Olympic pathway sailors at the start of the 2026 Ocean Fifty Series season

The athletes, representing Germany, Greece, and Guatemala, were invited to discover the world of professional offshore racing through a full immersion within the Ocean Fifty environment for an experience that included joining the team for technical briefings, race preparation, and two races as guest crew alongside the regular team members, as well as debriefings after the race and a chance to learn from the UpWind by MerConcept skipper Anne-Claire Le Berre. 

Louis Giard, Team Manager, UpWind by MerConcept, said, “We created this initiative to build bridges between different parts of the sailing world. Welcoming these athletes onboard and sharing our environment with them is exactly what UpWind is about: creating opportunities, opening conversations and showing that offshore racing can become a pathway for a much more diverse generation of sailors.” 

Fiona Kidd, Head of International Development said, “Through our collaboration with UpWind by MerConcept, World Sailing is helping create meaningful pathways for sailors to experience offshore racing. This initiative strongly supports the ambitions of Navigating Offshore, World Sailing’s plan to support offshore sailing, which prioritises greater accessibility, stronger international collaboration, and more inclusive participation across offshore sailing and our sport. By connecting athletes with world-class training and competition environments, we are helping inspire the next generation of offshore sailors while building a more diverse and sustainable future for the sport.”  

Cristina Castellanos, an ILCA 6 sailor from Guatemala, said, “I have never sailed an offshore boat before. It was a great experience to go so fast and to be on an all-female team. I am thankful to have been chosen to be here today. This definitely gave me another perspective about sailing that it is not all about Olympic sailing. There is more to sailing outside of Olympic sailing so that is pretty cool. I come from a small country and there is not much sailing culture to be able to have these types of experiences.” 

Petros Konstantinidis, a 49er helm from Greece, added, “It was my first time on this kind of boat; I used to sail catamarans a few years ago. The experience was quite amazing. I really liked the communication between the women. This helped me also a lot to develop my communication skills. I look forward to having this feeling again! It was a pleasure for me.” 

Nacra 17 sailor Zoe Coers and 49er FX sailor Paula Lepe, both from Germany, were the other sailors who participated in the initiative. 

In both Sainte-Maxime and Ajaccio, UpWind by MerConcept also welcomed young female sailors from local sailing schools onboard the Ocean Fifty trimaran, offering discovery sessions designed to inspire the next generation of female sailors and broaden access to offshore racing environments. 

In Corsica, the team also hosted female sailing instructors from the prestigious Les Glénans sailing school for dedicated onboard sessions and exchanges around career pathways, offshore sailing and women’s representation in the sport. 

These moments of transmission and exchange remain central to UpWind’s long-term mission: creating visible role models, strengthening confidence and multiplying opportunities for women in sailing. 

Continuing to build an inclusive future for offshore racing

Across both events, UpWind by MerConcept once again demonstrated that sporting performance and positive impact can evolve together. 

Whether through international collaborations, youth engagement, or initiatives dedicated to women in sailing, the project continues to expand its reach while building a more connected and representative offshore racing ecosystem. 

With the Mediterranean events now complete, the team turns its focus toward the next milestones of the season, and the continued preparation for the Route du Rhum. 

Following two intense weeks during Acts 1 and 2 of the Ocean Fifty Series, UpWind by MerConcept and the entire fleet of the Ocean Fifty Series left the South of France and Corsica after two intense weeks on the Mediterranean with strong sporting momentum and having made a positive impact to reinforce its mission to make offshore racing more accessible, inclusive and inspiring, one fully aligned with World Sailing’s Navigating Offshore 2025-2028 plan to support offshore sailing. 

Images by David Lupion/Upwind by MerConcept.