The Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team emerged as the winner of the inaugural 2022/23 Ocean Race Europe last weekend in Genoa, Italy. Under the motto "Race for the planet", the crew led by GYC member Paulo Mirpuri and the boat VO65, emerged for the first time with a victory in such a competitive environment. They had "warned" early on that they would compete to win. With predicted light winds, it was uncertain whether the race would take place at all.

Everything went smoothly for the crew until the team began to hoist the spinnaker at the last buoy when wind direction changed. The turnaround slowed down their progress and allowed second place Sailing Poland to gain some ground while the crew pulled the sail on board. This led to an exciting tactical race to the finish, where Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team would eventually take victory and claim a maximum of three points to cement their place at the top of the leaderboard and take home the overall victory of The Ocean Race Europe. In the end, her name goes into the challenge cup and is thus forever associated with the competition.

The Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team was the team to beat early on. The team led for much of Leg one from Lorient, France, to their home port of Cascais, Portugal, before losing in the closing stages and hitting a slow front of the light wind. This was to be the only race of the event that the Portuguese outfit would not win.

With their first win in the Cascais coastal race as part of the Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy, the team embarked on an impressive race to catch up, with the crew taking maximum points in each race as they arrived in Genoa with back-to-back victories in the next two offshore stages this week with a one-point lead. The team finished with 21 points, four points ahead of Sailing Poland and AkzoNobel, in second place.

Paulo Mirpuri, founder of the Mirpuri Foundation, said: "This is a very proud day for all of us. From the beginning, the commitment and passion of each team member was something very special. As a base, we have set out to build a team capable of winning this race, but it is the individual ability, instinct and perseverance that have led to a victory in this impressive way.

Above all, a win for the Racing For The Planet crew reinforces the reach of our message – Stop Climate Change – around the world, and that's something to celebrate."

The Ocean Race is not just another regatta, it has stood for ocean conservation since its very first race in 1973. The victory underscores the Mirpuri Foundation's mission to stop climate change worldwide!