Ladycat - less of a lady

Cool new paintjob and a largely male crew for Dona Bertarelli's D35 campaign this season

Dona Bertarelli’s Decision 35 catamaran Ladycat (SUI10) is changing her look and her crew for the 2012 Lake Léman Vulcain Trophy multihull competition this season.

The catamaran has changed colour scheme from electric pink to black, bronze and green, with a strong graphic design that reflects the team's new mixed gender crew. For this season, Ladycat will have on board Dona Bertarelli as skipper/helmswoman, Emmanuelle Rol as trimmer, plus multihull specialists Yann Guichard, tactician; Billy Besson and Arnaud Jarlegan, trimmers; and Devan Le Bihan on bow. Nicolas Débordès will handle technical support.

“I am looking forward to this season enthusiastically," says Dona Bertarelli. "It is like a new beginning, with a new team and a craft which has completely changed its look. The new design expresses a wish to go still further, a maturity acquired over the past few years.”

As for to name: “There is no reason to change it. Ladycat is a project of mine and reflects both who I am and the values I seek to transmit. For five years, more than 20 women sailors were able to fulfil their passion and, for some, even become professional sailors. That approach is still valid even if the project has moved to a mixed gender crew, more by obligation than by design.”

Ladycat and mavietonsang, the Vaud Regional Blood Transfusion Service, based in Epalinges, continue their partnership, which aims to create awareness of the service and recruit new blood donors. Blood donation, which saves lives, is a gesture which is freely consented without constraint, free of charge, and only takes a half hour.

Ladycat’s co-sponsors, for the seventh consecutive year, are Audemars Piguet and the Grand Hotel Park in Gstaad. Haute Horlogerie brand Audemars Piguet has been actively involved in the sailing world for many years, and is developing a new Ladycat watch which will be launched in 2013. Castello Colle Massari, Country Club Geneva, Two Degrees, and Kaenon are all official suppliers of Ladycat.