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Believing in Better: UpWind by MerConcept is Paving the Way for Women in Sailing
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Sailing as a sport can sometimes be both fascinating and overwhelming, with so many disciplines such as inshore, offshore, single-handed, crewed, in a world of monohulls and multihulls, it’s hard to know what’s what.
But here’s what you really need to know…up until very recently most, if not all, of these disciplines have been predominantly male-dominated.
If you love sport as much as the next person, you’ll know it doesn’t really matter whether you’re watching men or women compete. Sure, the technicalities might differ slightly but if you love the sport itself, the theory is: sport is sport and sport should be for everyone. Except, that’s not always the case.
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11th Hour Racing is the founder sponsor of UpWind by MerConcept. @David Lupion / 11th Hour Racing
Take the Ocean Fifty circuit in sailing for example. This is a global circuit featuring crewed high-performance 50-foot trimarans known as Ocean Fifty boats competing in a mix of both inshore and offshore races - the circuit itself has been active for 15 years, yet it wasn’t until 2024 an all-female team was able to line up on the start line with the first-ever female skipper in the history of the Class. While this issue has little to do with the class rules or structure itself, it highlighted how deeply rooted the issues of accessibility and barriers to entry are for female athletes across the sport as a whole.
That team, UpWind by MerConcept, marked a turning point - not just for the Ocean Fifty class but for professional sailing as a whole. Backed by renowned sailor François Gabart, the initiative was created to accelerate gender equity in offshore racing by giving female sailors the opportunity, platform, and resources to compete at the highest level.
"We want to make sure we give opportunities of leadership to women when they come on a boat."
Cécile Andrieu
UpWind by MerConcept empowers women sailors from diverse backgrounds to compete at a high level. @Gauthier Lebec / 11th Hour Racing
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A vision to change the narrative of offshore sailing
With support from 11th Hour Racing and its sponsored athlete Francesca Clapcich, it wasn’t long before the brilliant minds behind MerConcept, such as Cécile Andrieu who is Director of Offshore Racing, came together to create a plan that would open doors for women of diverse backgrounds and experience levels to access high-performance sailing and compete at the highest level of the sport.
“We launched UpWind by MerConcept powered by 11th Hour Racing back in 2024,” explains Cécile. “We were looking at the role we played within the wider landscape of high-performance sailing and it became clear there was an issue around the talent pool for female sailors.
“When we were trying to recruit to a separate race we were a little shocked at how few women applied. From there, we knew there was the opportunity to change the narrative.”
Beyond competing, the team’s goal is to develop a talent pool of female sailors who can cross into other classes and races. With more women in high-performance environments, Cécile believes young girls will start to see a future for themselves in the sport.
“We want to make sure we give opportunities of leadership to women when they come on a boat,” she explains.
Breaking down barriers
Like with any ‘first’, as the initiative began to take shape and drive forward from its base in Concarneau within France’s ‘Sailing Valley’, the team was unsure what reaction to expect from the wider sailing community.
“Something we frequently heard was that we might only get 10 or 20 people who apply,” remembers Cécile.
“I’ll never forget the day we opened the applications to become a part of the team. Next thing you know we’ve received over 120 applications from 30 countries!”
French skipper Anne-Claire Le Berre, who took over the reins from the project’s current ambassador Francesca Clapcich as she turns her focus to the Vendée Globe 2028, also remembers some of the initial comments the team received that would make them smile. After making waves out on the water, remarks like “Wow, those women managed to go so fast with the boat,” weren’t uncommon.
“We were laughing,” Anne-Claire says. “Even if we are women, we can manage these kinds of projects and big boats and everyone is now really happy to have this project in the class.
“Quickly, they realized we are a team like any other.”
Anne-Claire Le Berre
“Even if we are women, we can manage these kinds of projects and big boats."
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Crew in action demonstrating skill and teamwork at sea. ©Gauthier Lebec / 11th Hour Racing
Building a legacy
Cécile explains that with the support and expertise of 11th Hour Racing, UpWind by MerConcept was born with three core pillars: empowering talent, diversity and inclusion, and sustainability at sea.
With these values at the front and centre of everything they do as they enter their second season of the Ocean Fifty circuit, this time with Anne-Claire at the helm, the future looks bright.
And while the legacy of the project will only become apparent in the years to come, the team is dedicated to changing the lives of sailing’s next generation - just like some legendary figures did for them.
“I’ve been really inspired by female sailors of the past, like Tracy Edwards and Ellen MacArthur,” says Anne-Claire. “They inspired me and now we can inspire the generations to come.
“Also with sustainability in focus, the world is changing, so we need to support a project like this.”
Anne-Claire Le Berre
"I’ve been really inspired by female sailors of the past. We can inspire the generations to come."
11th Hour Racing and the UpWind by MerConcept team are forging a legacy for women sailors. ©Gauthier Lebec / 11th Hour Racing
Trimming the lines with precision and strength is essential to maximizing speed and control. ©Gauthier Lebec / 11th Hour Racing
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