Aspiring foiling sailors can now apply to compete in the Inspire Racing x WASZP programme as apart of the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix presented by Hamilton Princess.

Ahead of the upcoming Season 3 opener taking place on May 14 and 15, global sailing league are accepting applications, from which 16 under-21 sailors will be given the exciting opportunity to hone their abilities and race on the same waters as the ten competing nations in the supercharged F50 catamarans.

Furthermore, the top male and female from every event this season, across Bermuda, Chicago in the United States, Great Britain, Denmark, France, Spain, Dubai and New Zealand, will be invited back to the Season 3 Grand Final in San Francisco.

“We look forward to another exciting race weekend and thank SailGP for the opportunity for our youth to compete in its Inspire x WASZP Racing Programme,” said Leatrice Oatley St George’s Dinghy and Sports Club member. “The promotion SailGP extends to the sailing world shines a spotlight on Bermuda and its talented youth, creating pathways to future opportunities in the sport and in the maritime industry the world over.”

Tom Herbert-Evans, SailGP Inspire youth programme manager, reflected on just what the opportunity represents for the successful applicants.

“Impacting young athletes and inspiring a love for sailing is a focus for us,” he said. “We are thrilled to give young sailors a chance to develop their passion for the sport along with their sailing abilities, and the WASZP training sessions will do just that.”

Meanwhile, the island’s youth can also compete in the upcoming grand prix event, albeit virtually, by designing their own version of a modern-day Bermuda Sloop to outperform the SailGP F50 catamarans in the Virtual Boat Design Challenge.

Participants can either draw a design of their boat or create one from recycled materials from home and show how it would be faster or more sustainable than the F50 catamarans. Photo or video entries must be submitted by Sunday, May 1.

The top ten designs will win a pair of tickets to the Bermuda Sail Grand Prix. The winners of the challenge will also receive an exclusive tour of the SailGP Technical Base during the event week along with a goodie bag.

“Igniting the SailGP design challenge, we want to get young Bermudians inspired and connected to the incredible maritime heritage that Bermuda hosts,” Herbert-Evans added. “With the world becoming more focused on efficiency, everything we do needs to consider energy use and this challenge is about just that.

“The ‘Bermuda rig’, designed in the 1600s, became the basis for all modern sailing yachts. The reason for this is owed to its ability to sail upwind.

“We want to see Bermuda’s next generation continue that innovation by coming up with their own futuristic creation that encompasses a sustainable design and thought process.”

• Anyone interested in applying for the Inspire Racing x WASZP programme can do so via sailgp.com/general/inspire/racing.