The Magenta Project announces the female sailors taking part in the 2019/20 Mentoring Programme

The Magenta Project Mentoring Programme, now in it's second successful year, pairs aspiring female sailors with some of the world's leading yachtswomen and yachtsmen to mentor them. The mentors will work with their mentees off the water for the next nine months to help them reach their potential in the sport. 
The list of mentors reads like a who's who of women and men who have reached the pinnacle of the sport, be that offshore, inshore, match racing, fully crewed or solo/shorthanded.  They include Shirley Robertson, Carolijn Brouwer, Lucy McGregor, Katie Spithill, Damian Foxall and Justine Mettreaux, to name but a few.
The programme is led by round the world sailor and Magenta Project Trustee, Vicky Ellis, who comments:  "In the same way as last year's pilot programme, we match each successful applicant with a mentor from the sailing world who will offer guidance, a different perspective, contacts and inspiration to help our mentees pursue their ambitions, find opportunities and support them in developing a pathway to success in the sport."
  

The 2019 cohort come from a range of backgrounds and are at different stages of their sailing journeys and careers but all have been selected because of their potential to change the face of the sport.  Aged between 18 to over 50 years old, the women represent 16 different nations including America, UK, Australia, New Zealand, France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, China, Canada and Austria.

Amongst them are Olympic racers transitioning to keelboats/yachts, match racers, those competing in IRC circuits and offshore sailors, all looking for that step change to get the help and support to progress further in the sport.

The 2019 mentees are:
Carrie Marshall, Franny Schulte, Hallie Schiffman and Lindsay Gimple from the USA; Catja Roggema and Rosalie Paardekooper from the Netherlands; Charlotte Yven from France; Chloe Slater, Ellie Cumpsty, Emma Wrixon, Harriet Winbush, Kate Cope, Leila Moore, Lily Reece, Lizzy Fitsimmons, Thea Crawshaw, Louise Clayton, Nicole Milton and Rebecca Coles from the UK, Clare Costanzo, Elizabeth Cain, India Howard, Jessica Angus, Rachel Bower and Ruby Scholten from Australia; Elisabeth Panuschka and Laura Stoltenberg from Germany; Eugenia Brunazzo from Italy; Iben Nielsby Christensen from Denmark; Kym Wan Chio from China; Silje Brathagen With from Norway; Leah Sweet from Portugal/Switzerland; Paige Cook from New Zealand; Saoirse Reynolds from Ireland; and Theresa Riedl from Canada/Austria.

The nine-month programme is predominantly an off-the water programme, much like a business career mentoring programme.  Annika Möslein, who was mentored by Abby Ehler in the 2018 programme commented: “Participating in the mentoring scheme was the greatest opportunity for me so far - it has opened so many doors and inspired me not only to dream big but more importantly, to find ways to make these dreams come true!”
The Magenta Project, which receives no funding and is run by a board of trustees and supported by volunteers, is currently looking to find a title sponsor for the programme to enable it to deliver it's full potential and capacity, as well as a partner for The Magenta Project as a whole, to work with the charity to continue delivering opportunities for women in sailing. 
It is an exciting time in women's sport at present, and this opportunity will allow a partner to support and shape a future pipeline of talented female sailors.