SailGP’s Inspire program will reach young people, sailing clubs and schools in the Bay Area of San Francisco through a full roster of Learning and Careers initiatives as part of the Mubadala United States Sail Grand Prix, March 26-27.
Inspire is SailGP’s community, education and outreach initiative, powered by the belief that sailing can be a force for good. Inspire aims to leave a positive legacy and build a sustainable sport - by providing equal, life-changing opportunities, learnings and new career pathways for all, regardless of race or socioeconomic background. In San Francisco Inspire Learning is presented by the title partner of our Season 2 Grand Final here in San Francisco, Mubadala.
SailGP's Adopt-a-Club program creates a bridge between the world-class athletes, their teams and the local youth sailors to provide insights through tech tours, virtual discussions, and to create strong bonds with long-term connections to the sport.
As part of this it pairs local young sailors and club members with SailGP’s world class sailing teams to gain unique and valuable experience as part of their shore team. The young people have been selected through local sailing clubs and they will gain training and career advice as they support the shore operation of the teams. The clubs and pairings are:
- St Francis YC // Ian Brown joining the shore team of USA
- Richmond YC // Bianca Weber joining the shore team of Australia
- Golden Gate // Corey Quillen joining the shore team of New Zealand
- TISC YC // Elijah Tolliver joining the shore team of Japan
- Careers application // Hendrik Reidel joining the shore team of Great Britain
- PYSF // Thomas Ashworth joining the shore team of France
- Encinal Yacht Club // Jasper Reid joining the shore team of Denmark
- Sausalito Yacht Club // Ian Somerville joining the shore team of Spain
They are joined on the careers program by ten young people who applied through the Inspire careers application program and will be working on a specific technical area including ropes and rigging, wing, boat building, hydraulics, race management and sustainability. This is part of the careers program's overall drive to encourage pathways for people from all backgrounds into sailing careers, as well as sailing.
Kelsey Tostenson, who will be working with the Technical Team within the Wing Department, said: "Just like the rest of the sailing community, I think it was the cutting-edge technology that initially drew me to SailGP. As a sailmaker I am eager to see how SailGP sailmaking contrasts and relates to my own work. I am so excited for this opportunity to intern with the SailGP wing team and further my sailmaking education over the course of the next week. "
Galen Richardson, who will be working with the Technical Team-on board comms said: “Being involved in the SailGP Inspire Careers Program in SanFrancisco will be like spending a week looking under the hood of an F1 race car and meeting all the drivers. I’m incredibly excited to soak up as much knowledge as I can, and make as many connections as possible.”
Further to this each club has selected two sailors – one male, one female – to race on the F50 racecourse during the race weekend as part of the Adopt a Club RS Feva Racing. This is in addition to the Inspire WASZP Grand Final - Championship of Champions, which will see the top young athletes from around the world (male and female) compete for the overall season podium.
Inspire Learning Presented by Mubadala
SailGP Inspire is also hosting a raft of learning opportunities that will engage around 1,200 young people from across the Bay Area. This includes tours of the F50 boats and technical area, as well as STEM focused learning programs with local schools, competitions and interactive beach clean ups.
