In 2019, when we launched this campaign backed by our title partner 11th Hour Racing and led by offshore sailors and lifelong friends, CEO Mark Towill and Skipper Charlie Enright, we were always very clear about our ambition to win The Ocean Race.
Not only did we want to be the first American team to bring the iconic trophy home from a competitive standpoint, but we also wanted to do it with sustainability at the core of all operations. Our ambition has been to create a transparent reporting method, designed to inspire and drive positive change, as well as showcasing solutions within the sport and more broadly the marine sector.
Having a higher purpose is the beating heart of our team and has been the focus of this campaign. These last four years have given us the chance to prove that it is possible to not only build a credible campaign with sustainability at its core, but in fact, a winning one.
In the beginning, there were many questions around how we would toe the line between authentically holding sustainability at the core of all operations and running a high-performing sailing team.
So we set ourselves the task of consistently challenging the status quo. We asked ourselves ‘How can we reduce the impact of our team and our boat build while maintaining performance’, and more importantly, ‘How can our learnings create tangible change within our industry and our wider community?’
A quick message from our CEO, Mark Towill:
“We built a campaign with experts in their field who were committed to demonstrating that performance and sustainability can co-exist. Since 2019 there have been highs and lows, all of which we have navigated together and the truth is, we are a winning team not in spite of the changes we made to become more sustainable, but because of them.
“Today, four years later, here we are. The first American team to have ever won The Ocean Race – a title we accept proudly. What our team achieved on the water was extraordinary, but to have done that with the unwavering commitment to each other and our mission… well… I hope that is what this campaign will be remembered for.
“We invite you to take your time to digest this and consider how it might be applicable to your area or work, and in the meantime, we will use our findings to build on the future – as our work is far from over!”
