Epic round the world yacht race beckons for alumna Roisin

Congratulations to Roisin O’Halloran who has made it through to the final shortlist for the Ocean Globe Race 2023.

Beginning in September next year, the race will see sailors spend eight months at sea in a race which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Whitbread race and will mirror its first edition (1973) in both its route and the technology allowed on board. With no modern navigation equipment or weather forecasting software, the race will rely instead on star-mapping, barometer readings, and the sweat, perseverance, and courage of its participants.

Roisin is hoping to join the crew of Translated 9 which was once known as the ADC Accutrac, captained by Clare Francis – a true outsider and the first woman to lead a boat in the Ocean Globe Race.

Since leaving THS, Roisin has truly made the most of her gap year, joining a professional racing crew in the Med last summer, finishing 2nd in classic regattas in Cannes and St Tropez before signing on with Swan 90 ‘Freya’ in Cowes last November and then sailing her, as part of the 7 person crew across the Atlantic to Antigua. Roisin spent the winter months in the sunshine working on the boat before joining the race crew for the Antigua Superyacht  and St Bart’s Bucket Regattas where they finished 1st and 2nd respectively in Class before sailing back across the Atlantic to Cowes – Roisin’s second transatlantic crossing at the age of 18!

Roisin will take part in a four day ocean passage this October after which the final Translated 9 crew will be selected. Alongside her racing, she’s about to head off to Exeter University to begin her degree in Sports Science. Well done Roisin, we look forward to seeing what happens next!