Bermuda’s next generation of sailors will have a chance to display their on-water and off the water skills through SailGP’s Inspire Careers and Racing programmes during the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess, this weekend.

The Inspire programme provides once in a lifetime career and racing opportunities, which may otherwise have been inaccessible and unthinkable, for young adults from diverse backgrounds with an interest in sports.

The global initiative aims to positively impact 10,000 youth globally by 2025.

The success of each professional SailGP team depends upon the knowledge and expertise of a dedicated staff and shore crew, working diligently behind the scenes to ensure victory for their respective team.

Members of the SailGP shore crew assist with the craning of the USA team’s F50 catamaran out of the water following racing.

Through the Inspire Careers programme, youth sailors have access to practical hands-on experience in key operational areas, including working within the photography and videography teams, on-water operations and race management, focusing on sustainability or working in technical team roles such as boat building and or the wing department.

Among those who have secured coveted positions for the 2022 Inspire Careers programme are; Hendrik Reidel, Jack Hilderbrand, Eli Furbert, Antonio Wade, Christopher Raymond, Campbell Patton, James Amaral, Ruth Mello-Cann, Sanai Robinson, Jermayne Dears, Elijah Samuels, Moriah Weddon, Naphtali Smith, Treasure Nanette, Brianna Smith, MaLahku Selassie and Abigail Frost.

SailGP shore crew make final adjustments to the wings ahead of a practice session.

“To me, this opportunity is a great door opener with SailGP,” said successful applicant Samuels.

“Knowing that this is such a rare chance I’m looking to gain everything out of it including improving my sailing skills, foiling for the first time and being able to network with some of the greatest sailors in the world,

“I’ve been lucky enough to help out the technical team on weekends over the last month in the early days as they prepared the Switzerland boat and that was nothing less than awesome.

“I’ve been waiting to do the Inspire racing since last year and now that I have the opportunity to do so I will be giving nothing short of my best to show that I am a worthy selection.”

Robinson, who is joining the Canadian team echoed the sentiments of the value of being part of the programme.

“Being a part of SailGP and the Inspire programme is an experience I will never forget,” she said.

“From being told that I was accepted into the programme, and selecting a team to work with, I have been extremely excited to begin.

“To me, this means that I have a distinct opportunity to learn from the best, taking inasmuch as I can with the time that I have, to one day be the best.

“In addition to that, being able to take in advice from sailors like Sir Ben Ainslie, Tom Slingsby, Jimmy Spithill, Phil Robertson and others will have a huge impact on my future endeavours.

“Furthermore, I hope after this experience, I will one day be invited back to SailGP to work with them and the team that I have been working with.”

Through Inspire’s Racing Candidates programme, ten participating local sailing clubs will each nominate two of their best youth sailors to represent them in the RS Feva Class. Among the candidates are; Christian Warren, Kalasia Tucker, Trystan Hocking, Tegan Gannon, Shane Powell-Hayward, Anneka Allen, Evan Davis, Nina Gotfredsen, Miguel Power, Riley Lowe, Isaboe Welch, Oliver Soares, Arianna Outerbridge, Tomas Mello, Ayuri Ing, JaVaugh Dill, Kimon Lawrence, Riley Darrell, Sven Curley, Carmela Easton.

The WASZP foiling class boat races on the same racecourse as the supercharged F50s. The successful candidates, Rachael Betschart, Sophia Dias, Joanna Santiago, Laura Hupman, Ciarra Wells, Riley Lowe, Magnus Ringsted, Cody Rans, Christopher Adderley, Jack Adderley, Ahzai Smith, Taj Maxwell, Benjamin Redburn, Ethan Thompson, Matias Drew have all been selected as past or present Endeavour programme sailors.