foundation, a local Oceanographic Institute has been established as well as support for an artificial reef initiative to help recreate habitats for both diving and fish stocks. Like his Portuguese forefathers, the master mariners of the 15th century, Paulo Mirpuri and his team headed west from Cape Verde for the New World. Their destination, Barbados, was discovered by the Portuguese a century before the English colony was established in 1627 and used as a stopover en route to Brazil. But unlike his forefathers, Mirpuri and his team covered the 2,300nm trip in only 160 hours on their chartered VO70 Green Dragon, reaching speeds unimaginable in the 15th century. This fast passage had significant symbolic value for the project, with Mirpuri saying ‘The work and dedication of a yacht crew to achieve their objective, to follow a route and arrive safely, are reflected in the values of the Mirpuri Foundation. Ethics, courage, tenacity, persistence, hope, team spirit, technology and innovation are fundamental in the saga of an ocean crossing.’ There were also broader benefits to this trip, with Mirpuri adding ‘To cross an ocean helps us to become aware that it is truly possible to make the world better for future generations, starting with our own children. To know that every decision and every step count for
Above: Paulo Mirpuri at the helm of his chartered VO70 Green Dragon. The well-known Portuguese businessman and philan- thropist has a remarkably diverse range of invest-
ments spread around the world – including co-founding NetJets
Europe with the wizard of Omaha Warren
Buffet; the ‘Uber’ private jet operation is of course transport of choice for a select few superyacht racing crew...
the success of a sailing expedition, or for the good of humanity and of the planet, is to recognise the importance of teamwork and the values that guide it. When work, commitment and pleasure are combined, nothing is impossible.’ This brief passage to Barbados is just the beginning of a three-year programme for Save the Oceans which plans to assemble a team to participate in ‘a significant round- the-world race in 2020’ – pointing towards that year’s edition of the Volvo Ocean Race. As a Portuguese national Paulo Mirpuri intends to honour his country and its long history with the oceans. ‘This is why we decided that the Mirpuri Foundation yacht will have an all Portuguese crew; we will use the next three years to train this team to the highest level.’
The Mirpuri sailing project has already received dozens of applications from top Portuguese sailors, some with world titles and Olympic participation on their CV. Depending on the talent recruited, it will only then be decided whether the crew to take part in ‘the regatta’ will be male, female or mixed. ‘It is not enough for them to be good technically. It is essential that, as ambassadors of the Mirpuri Foundation, they share our values. Our main aim will be to publicise the foundation’s work on the conservation of marine ecosystems.’
As a matter of policy, the Mirpuri Foundation also supports projects investigating new means by which to protect marine species, as well as seeking to raise awareness of the need for more sensible – and acceptable – conservation laws and policies. Save the Ocean believes that a high-profile racing project will help facilitate this mission. Confirmation of the ‘chosen’ international racing event will come in June and by the end of 2017 the final selection of the team will be concluded. Offshore training will then continue right through until the ‘mystery event’ begins in 2020. ‘I will be present throughout the training process and at all the race stopovers, and I will be onboard the Mirpuri yacht but only during the last stage of the race…’ says Paulo Mirpuri. ‘A round-the-world ocean race is a very serious undertaking and must be left to professionals; I shall leave that part to them! ‘Of course I dream of a victory for our team, but our main objective is to take part and to complete the race, taking the message of the Mirpuri Foundation to all continents and raising awareness of our cause among the maximum possible number of people.’
mirpurifoundation.com
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DAVID BRANIGAN
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