Ladycat crew announced

Dona Bertarelli Späth to campaign with her all-female crew on the Decision 35 circuit again this year

Dona Bertarelli Späth, skipper of the Decision 35 , Ladycat, on Lake Léman in Switzerland helmed by the French champion Karine Fauconnier, today announced the line-up for what will once again be the 2009 circuit's sole women’s team. Ladycat competes in the Decision 35's annual Julius Baer Challenge with all the racing held around Lake Léman.

The 2009 team, selected by Dona Bertarelli Späth, will be composed of Emmanuelle Rol, Beijing Olympics 470 participant, Nathalie Brugger, Beijing Olympics Laser Radial participant and elected Swiss female sailor of 2008, Marie Riou, Morgane Gautier and Ophélie Théron, all Match Racing world champions, and Elodie Jane Mettraux, Swiss Surprise champion. Anita Krebs, instructor in Switzerland, will stand in as back-up crew in case of absences. The team will continue to be coached by world class sailors Franck Citeau and Claudy Dewarrat.

“We finished seventh in the overall ranking last season, improving our score by two places," says Dona Bertarelli Späth. "Over the season, we achieved either first place or one of the first three places in several regattas, demonstrating our ability in the Challenge to compete and win against strong teams with professional skippers. In 2008 we fulfilled our aim to achieve a middle ranking. Moreover, we enabled several high flying women sailors such as Jeanne Grégoire, fifth place in the 2008 Figaro Solitaire, Anne-Sophie Thilo, Stéphanie Milliquet, Claire Pruvot and Julie Gerecht, for example, to try their hand on these highly responsive boats, as part of our policy to encourage women sailors to perform! Indeed, over the last two seasons, some 18 women sailors have been onboard Ladycat.”

Ladycat is also launching a new website, with added features such as tips to keep fit outside the sailing season, technical articles on the Decision 35 catamaran itself, and many more photos and videos.

The main sponsors of Ladycat are Audemars Piguet, a renowned watchmaker that already sponsors other famous yachts, and the Grand Hôtel Park in Gstaad. Ladycat supports the World Heart Federation’s campaign, Go Red for Women, to raise awareness of and prevent heart disease and stroke in women. In 2009, Kaenon Polarized have become official suppliers of Ladycat, along with Castello Colle Massari, the Country Club Geneva, Henniez and Lamarque, and will support the project with patented polarized SR-91®, sunglasses guaranteeing high protection and perfect use for sailing and its extreme conditions.

To read more about Ladycat - click here