Bernardo freitas to skipper Racing for the Planet in the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy 2024
by Mirpuri Foundation 9 May 23:14 NZST
5-7 July 2024
Bernardo Freitas © Pedro Martinez
The Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team announces that former team watch captain Bernardo Freitas (POR) will lead the Team in the 2024 edition of The Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy, in July.
A previous The Ocean Race sailor and winner of The Ocean Race Europe, Bernardo Freitas has been an integral part of the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team since its inception in 2019 and will now step up to the role of skipper.
Bernardo Freitas brings a career of ocean racing experience to the helm of the Racing for the Planet VO65. In 2017, he joined the Turn the Tide on Plastic crew in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18 edition, the ultimate test of a team in sports. The 34-year-old sailing star, who represented Portugal at the London Olympics in 2012, joined the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team in 2019 and raced in all the races the team participated in, including The Ocean Race 2023 and The Ocean Race Europe 2021, claiming victory.
Bernardo Freitas said, "To skipper the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team fills me with joy and pride. It's not just about leading the team; it's about embracing the responsibility to steer towards a future where our passion for sailing blends with our commitment to sustainability."
Paulo Mirpuri, President of the Mirpuri Foundation, said, "I have worked with Bernardo for many years and seen his amazing evolution since he was part of our Turn The Tide On Plastic team in the Volvo Ocean Race. I am confident he is up to this challenge and look forward to seeing how he embraces his new role as the skipper. He is one of the best young talents yet to skipper a VO65."
The first of two days of racing across seven classes in the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy will be on July 6th. The full crew joining Bernardo Freitas onboard for the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy will be announced shortly.