Vamos Punta! Uruguayan Host Port returns with team entry

Vamos Punta! Uruguayan Host Port returns with team entry

For the third consecutive edition of the Clipper Race, Yacht Club Punta del Este (YCPE) will be entering a team to fly the flag for the Uruguayan resort as it circumnavigates the globe.

Team Yacht Club Punta del Este will be led by professional Clipper Race Skipper David Sautret from Bordeaux, France, supported by First Mate Lorraine O’ Hanlon from Clare, Ireland.

Juan Etcheverrito, Commodore of Yacht Club Punta del Este, said:

“There is a saying in Spanish that states “no hay dos, sin tres” and guess what!? We are in for the third time as a Team Partner… Bravo, Vamos Punta!”

For YCPE, a Clipper Race team entry further strengthens its mission to promote the club and destination globally on the sailing stage. Punta del Este is also a Host Port Partner to the Clipper Race and this edition marks the fourth time the fleet has visited the city since its inaugural stopover during the 2017-18 edition.

The Yacht Club Punta del Este yacht on the 2023-24 edition

David Sautret brings a wealth of racing experience to his role as Skipper of Team Yacht Club Punta del Este. From windsurfing in childhood to racing high-profile sailing events to teaching, he has built a career on the water and says taking part in the race is a dream come true.

Says David: It's a privilege for me to represent Yacht Clube Punta del Este. First of all, it's an iconic Host Port in offshore racing history and I know the whole city will support the event and our team!

“It's also an honour to take the helm of Yacht Club Punta del Este after Nano and I know how well he did into his home port on the last race! This is a challenge in itself and we will give our best to be back to Punta as fast as possible.”

A premonition of what was going to happen in David’s future – David was in Gosport (where Clipper Ventures has its training centre and HQ) in 2023 when he bumped into a skipper working on the next yacht to his. That skipper was Fernando 'Nano' Antia Bernardez who was preparing his ‘Punta’ yacht ahead of his Clipper Race circumnavigation. Nano invited David onto the boat for a tour and flash forward two years and now David is at the helm of the YCPDE yacht.

David continues: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Nano since he's the one who let me come on board a Clipper Race yacht a couple of years ago and set up the dream I am living right now.”

The fleet berthed in Punta del Este in 2023

Lorraine has a background in the Irish Naval Service and circumnavigated the globe as Clipper 2023–24 Race Crew – where she raced into Punta del Este and experienced the support the city gives all sailors that arrive into the . With 40,000+ miles and a background in sailing instruction, she returns as First Mate for this edition.

Say Lorraine: “I am excited and privileged to be selected to sail on Team Yacht Club Punta Del Este. This South American port was one of the most memorable stopovers on the last edition. The hospitality, warmth, and generosity of the people of Punta del Este added something extra to this special stopover.

“I am proud to stand next to Skipper David and the team that share the same passion, inclusiveness, and competitive spirit that is Yacht Club Punta del Este. In the words of the great Nano Antia Bernardez - Vamos Punta!”

For the three subsequent editions of the race, 2019-20, 2023-24 and the upcoming 2025-26 edition, there has been a YCPE team entry with notable achievements including a second-place overall position during the 2019-20 edition, and Clipper Race Skipper Fernando 'Nano' Antia Bernardez, who is from Punta del Este, leading his team to victory on the race into his hometown during the 2023-24 edition.

Victorious Yacht Club Punta del Este arrives into Punta on the 2023-24 edition

On arrival into port, each Clipper Race team is met by a YCPE member to assist with local knowledge, logistics, and cultural immersion fostering personal connections and a deep sense of community, but for the home team, the welcome and the stopover is something truly remarkable.

Clipper Race Director Dale Smyth, who raced to Punta del Este whilst skippering a team during the 2017-18 edition, and has since visited each stopover since in race management positions, said: “Arriving day or night, in first or last place, all teams receive a very warm welcome into Punta del Este. But the arrival of the home team is something truly special. The whole city gets behind the team, with locals, school children and yacht club members following its progress and treating the Punta del Este Race Crew like local celebrities. It’s easy to see how the warm hospitality and welcoming spirit has made Punta del Este a favourite Host Port and also a fantastic Team Partner to the Clipper Race.”

Prior to reaching Punta del Este, the fleet will have raced over 6,000 nautical miles in the opening Atlantic Trade Winds Leg. This ocean crossing, featuring everything from heavy squalls and wind holes to the heat of the Doldrums is as tactical as it is gruelling, making Punta del Este, with its array of cuisine, culture and stunning coastline, a rewarding finish port for Race Crew.

YCPE during the race to Punta del Este on the previous edition

For David, Lorraine and the crew of Yacht Club Punta del Este, the countdown is on to the start of the race, with final preparations being made before they get underway from Portsmouth, UK on 31 August.