CHAPTER 1 :
MEET THE OGR 2023 CREW
The team on White Shadow for the OGR
At core, we are a tight group of Barcelona navigators taken with sailing and adventure.
Then, passionate individuals joined and make the White Shadow crew.
Because difference makes the difference, discover here our (very) different stories and profiles.
Guillermo,
Rounder
Doc
ER doctor who works for the Medical Emergency System. Guillermo has been head of rescue operations in the Mediterranean for three years with the Open Arms NGO. He is 50 and has single-handedly sailed across the Atlantic in two occasions on the Mini 6.50 Transat regatta. He also teaches World Offshore Sailing’s Safety and Survival at Sea course.
Guillermo is an athlete, and also a doctor, both qualities extremely needed in such an adventure.
Jean-Christophe,
Rounder
Captain
Digital business entrepreneur, 59.
Jean-Christophe has lived across fours continents in the last 30 years, including a year sailing with his wife and kids. He speaks 4 languages fluently, has crossed the Atlantic four times, is a regular offshore racer, and has sailed across the Mediterranean Sea toward Lebanon in support to minorities.
JC hardly gives up and is a racer, always keeping an eye on security and crew welfare.
Darío,
Rounder
Navigator
Darío was born in La Pampa, Argentina, 57 years ago, surrounded by fields and deserts, and lives in Buenos Aires. He has spent the last 25 years as a journalist, digital entrepreneur and navigator. He has sailed in the South Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Sea of Cortez, and is also a sailing racer. Darío is hyperactive and very competitive.
On deck he is multitasking in maneuvers and helm. He also knows the boat inside and secrets to the last bolt.
Ingrid,
Rounder
1st mate
Ingrid, 44, has been sailing and racing her whole life, from dinghy to doubled handed offshore, looking forward to leaving the Mediterranean waters.
When not sailing, she works as a psychologist, which is a key asset for the crew, her motto is to take care of every single one, including the boat. For when everyone feels ok, the rest goes ok.
Tom,
Rounder
Media man
With his 23 years, Tom is the youngest man on board. Even though he’s a newbie in terms of sailing, he has dreamed about this race since the day he first saw a boat. True adventurer, he has already travelled to all five continents and more than 12 countries. Parisian architecture and engineering student, he is a fast learner.
Anton,
Leg 1, 2, 3
Mecanic
Anton, 58, is a confirmed nautical engineer, specialized in mechanics, with sailing experience in the southern seas. He is also a certified captain, diver, and an easy-going guy, all qualities we need on board.
Antón will make sure that the White Shadow engines are running smoothly.
Pedro Eurrutia
Rounder
Communications & Security
Art director and freelance photographer, born in Murcia.
Pedro is an amateur coastal regatta crew member with no previous experience in offshore sailing. Very attracted to the sea and enthusiastic about learning and discovering.
Guillaume Penot
Rounder
Navigator
After a career in the wine industry that took him around the world, Guillaume refocused on his original passion: sailing. With his heart rooted in Brittany, he is also owner of a Super Maramu, that he cruises in the Mediterranean with his wife.
He discovered celestial navigation a couple of years back and is passionate about the possibilities it offers.
Metin,
Leg 1
Another Mediterranean in the crew, Metin is originally from Turkey, and lives in Barcelona. Solo sailor of 52, he also took his 28 feet from Marseille to Istanbul, discovering blue water sailing, far away from IT and big data he masters when not sailing.
Mariska,
Leg 1
Born in Belgium 34 years ago, she moved to Barcelona three years ago. Mariska is an environmental epidemiologist who speaks four languages and is fascinated by mother nature.
She spends most of her free time on the water, combining both rowing and sailing. Not afraid to get her hands dirty, she is embarking with full energy on this great adventure.
Nicolás,
Leg 1 & 2
Nicolás grew up in Catalonia and sails on many supports. He is known in the sailing competition environment, where he performed on laser and J80. Currently studying Pharmacy, Nicolás, 24, also teaches sailing.
He joins us between Europe and Cape Town for our first leg around the world.
Octave,
Leg 1
A young Barcelona architect and musician of 28, Octave has also been an offshore sailor for years. His fine touch of the helm brings an additional value, especially for crossing complicated seas as the one leg 1 offers. He is also "the eye" of the team, making sure our design is coherent.
Perrine,
Leg 2
Perrine is a 32 years old sail master, passionate of the sea. Initially trained for tapestry, she moved into sail-building 10 years ago. She is curious, pays attention to detail, and looks forward to bringing this to the boat and to acquire a unique offshore sailing experience.
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Émile,
Leg 3
Surfer and sailor, Émile learned how to read and write on a sailboat, at age 5.
Engaged in the 6.50 mini Transat in 2023 on his boat Atapi, with 30 years old, he is looking forward to sharing a leg on White Shadow to accomplish his big dream: sailing the South Pacific and rounding Cape Horn.
Grégoire,
Leg 3
Another "made in Mini 6.50" crew member, Grégoire, 53, has crossed the Atlantic 3 times.
A talented handy man, Grégoire also has a talent to make the boat sail fast and to cheer up everybody with good food.
Those additional qualities will be highly appreciated on White Shadow.
Roberto,
Leg 2
Italian form Naple, Roberto met JC as competitor in Transquadra 21, then became friend.
Sharp race man, Roberto always brings a smile on his face and bring enthousiasm on board, A qwuality we need to approach the roaring 40s.
Jacques,
Leg 2
Jacques, 60, dropped everything the day he heard about the White Shadow project.
Amateur of racing on old boats (St Tropez week, Cannes Royal races) he also races on First 31.7 and J80. Sailing teacher, he lived in Catalonia, and is looking forward to riding the southern Indian waves.
Yannick,
Leg 3
Yannick, 59 years old, is a winemaker in Bordeaux. He has created a wine estate based on a collaborative model in the same spirit as the White Shadow project where many people from different countries and cultures come together.
He raced numerous Atlantic crossings, 3 solo Figaro races. He has not yet navigated the Great South, a kind of Graal that he will love to discover with that project.
Djemila,
Leg 3
Born in the Canary Islands from Belgian parents 28 years ago, Djemila has grown side to side with the ocean. A passion that comes from her early memories sailing in the Atlantic. She is a skipper and an oceanographer, and just completed her first Mini Transat. Sailing, she is a profoundly enthusiastic person, always seeing beauty in every cloud or wave.
Marion,
Leg 4
Marion, 36, is Colombian-German and speaks Spanish, German, English and French. In Barcelona since 2016, she is a graphic designer. She sailed over 5,000 miles and has a 38 footer that she is restoring.
She is passionate about celestial navigation.
Fátima,
Leg 4
Fátima is an adventurer of 40, both on land and at seas. Relentless, she does not give up, and practices sports on a pretty regular basis.
When not at sea, Fátima is a translator and a happy mother of a young girl. Currently living in Portugal, although born in Spain, she cultivates an open-mindedness that federates us all on board.
Valerie,
Leg 4
Valerie is a pro skipper when not on White Shadow. She has been training 3 years for the OGR for the Nakamal project that did not reach the start lane, and will contribute in brilliantly crossing the finish line with White Shadow.
Antoine,
Leg 4
Dentist from Bordeaux, Antoine is a familly man in a familly of sailors.
He crossed the Atlantic and often skips his wife and kids for familly cruises.
Always with positive attitude, Antoine will assist running the last leg at best.
Ugo
Leg 4
With Greek origins, French living in Barcelona, Ugo completes our mediteranean crew.
Very meticulous, Ugo takes care of victualing for the last leg.
Anna
(Backup)
Anna is Italian with 47 years old. As a biologist, she worked in Canada, Germany and Spain, where she manages a project for studying ocean plankton (and will bring some instruments on board!).
Relentless supporter of the team, she is in our soul, even when not on board.
Vicens,
Radio
Key to the crew, Vicens became member as we accumulated miles around the world. He is our contact omn earth through the short wave radio, capable to reach us anywhere on the globe, from Mediterranean where he is based to equador or Horn Cape.
Without him, White Shadow would not be White Shadow.