Les Déferlantes: The First Female Ocean Sailing Team Aiming to Make History

In the world of ocean sailing, women are still a minority. With the aim of changing this reality, Les Déferlantes, the first all-female ocean sailing team, was born.

This innovative project is led by Aina Bauza (29 years old, Spanish) and Sasha Laniece (31 years old, French), who decided to join forces after competing for several years in the Mini 6.50 ocean racing class. Both share the same concern about the lack of women in this male-dominated sport and have recognized the need to create opportunities that encourage female participation in sailing.

• Only 1 in 10 sailors in major offshore sailing competitions are women.
• In the 2023 Mini Transat 6.5, 16.7% of participants were women.
• In the 2023 Transat Jacques Vabre, female participation dropped to 9.4%.
• In the 2022 Route du Rhum race, only 5.1% of competitors were women.
• Only 23% of sailing federation licenses in Spain belong to women.

Les Déferlantes: Two Boats and an Extensive Competition Program

Les Déferlantes has a clear mission: to bring women to the top of ocean sailing. The team has two main programs:

• Performance Team (Class 40): Aina and Sasha will compete in the Class 40 circuit, with the highlight being the historic Transat Jacques Vabre 2025, which brings together the best ocean sailors in the world each year. The Class 40 is a 12-meter sailboat, making it the ideal category after the Mini 6.5 and before the Imoca 60.
• Mini Performance Program (Mini 6.50): The team will select and train young sailors to compete in the 2027 Mini Transat, aiming to provide them with opportunities to advance into professional ocean racing, with the goal of competing in the world’s most prestigious races in the future. The Mini 6.50 is the initial category in ocean sailing, where great sailors are trained, and it serves as a stepping stone to higher levels.

These are only the first steps of a team whose ultimate goal is to compete in the legendary Vendée Globe, where Aina aspires to become the first Spanish woman to complete the solo, nonstop round-the-world race in 2032.

A European Tour to Inspire Future Sailors

Les Déferlantes aims not only to succeed in competitions but also to inspire future generations. In 2026, the team will launch the first European Women Sailing Tour, a 15-stop tour across the main coastal cities of Europe. The goal of this tour is to empower over 3,000 high school girls, showing them that it is possible to pursue any type of career, even in fields where the percentage of women is low.

The Team is Ready and Looking for Partners to Begin Sailing in 2025

With a full racing calendar and a detailed plan for the next three years, Les Déferlantes is underway, and the team is looking for additional partners to join the project. Les Déferlantes Sailing Team is seeking companies aligned with the project’s goals to create a joint program that will help spread the message.

With a focus on competition, sustainability, and equality, the project has the potential to stand out at sea and inspire thousands of girls and women around the world. The team is preparing to make history, paving the way for greater female participation in various fields.