PRESS RELEASE

Melodie Schaffer participated from June 2022 to March 2023 in the 1st edition of the GLOBE40, a new double-handed and Class40 world tour, organized by the company SIRIUS EVENEMENTS. A world tour of nearly 34,000 miles and which included 8 stages. 11 different nationalities were represented in the event.

Melodie Schaffer was one of the striking figures on a sporting and human level of this inaugural edition of GLOBE40. In 9 months of navigation she first demonstrated great sporting qualities by this succession of legs and by the length of the course and the effort, a large part of the race taking place in very low latitudes, 40 to 55° south in often extremely difficult conditions; she completed this incredible journey alongside other crews who often called on professional skippers; she has had several co-skippers but she has always fulfilled the role of skipper, asserting her leadership qualities.

Beyond the sporting qualities, it was above all the moral qualities of Mélodie which were remarkable; leaving later and with a budget significantly lower than several other competitors, she was able to show great determination in the face of multiple difficulties of all kinds, sail tears, electronic problems, broken bowsprit, the list was long. Despite obviously temporary drops in morale, she always knew how to find the resources to bounce back; we will long remember his arrival in Mauritius, front sails completely in tatters; she had promised herself if she managed to finish the step to make a dress for the awards ceremony…. which she did!

At the Recife stage in Brazil, after 3,800 miles of a difficult race from Ushuaia in Argentina, she had 5 days to repair her boat, prepare for the next stage, and possibly rest a little. And she won the next stage, even breaking the record for distance covered during the event with 347 miles in 24 hours.

Bio-medical engineer, mother of 3 children, Melodie has undoubtedly opened the way for more female presence in the great offshore racing and ocean racing and she has worn the colors of the Canadian flag very high. It will also have confirmed the international aura of this first edition of GLOBE40.

The official press release: https://www.sailing.ca/melodie-schaffer-from-toronto-named-sail-canadas-2023-rolex-sailor-of-the-year/