Welcome to our Clean Sailors Youth Racing Team.
We are very excited to share the launch of our Clean Sailors Youth Racing Team with three international Champion sailors; CJ Perez (18), Lukas Hesse (22) and Jan Schüpbach (20).
Our Clean Sailors Youth Racing Team will see our exceptional young champions compete together in the Persico 69F, at the very highest standard of foiling and as ambassadors for cleaner, healthier seas and a cleaner sailing industry.
The longest serving Clean Sailors Ambassador, Lukas Hesse (22), was named German Champion in 2020, and has a background in 29er and 49er dinghies, more recently having transitioned to WASZP and 69F boats to realise his dream of racing foils.
At just 18 years old, CJ Perez recently won the 2021 US National Championships in the WASZP class, and has been selected to join the United States SailGp Team - at 18 years old she is the youngest sailor ever to join the SailGP league, and the first ever latina.
And, after Olympic campaigns in the 470 Dinghy, plus national and international podium stands, Jann Schüpbach (21) is preparing for the WASZP European and World Championships, alongside the Clean Sailors Youth Racing Team’s 2022 Gold Cup journey.
Through our Clean Sailors Youth Racing Team, we aim to inspire and encourage as many fellow sailors as possible to become active ambassadors for the protection of our oceans.
Our Team are looking to crowdfund EUR 40,000 for race entry fees, accommodation and boat rental to allow them to compete throughout 2022 with a view to win the 69F 2022 Gold Cup. We are funding the first race, themselves.
Launched in July 2020, Clean Sailors’ mission is to set a new standard of cleaner sailing within the global sailing community. Work includes campaigning for legislation to better protect our ocean, education, advice and outreach on conservation opportunities within the sailing and marine communities, and sharing scientific research on issues facing our global waters.
In July 2021, Clean Sailors launched Cleaner Marina with industry partners including boatfolk, MDL Marinas, savvy navvy and Ecoworks Marine, to encourage better, cleaner standards across marinas, ports and harbours, globally.
German Champion Sailor and Clean Sailors Ambassador, Lukas Hesse said: “Sailing for a cause as great as the health of our oceans, with Clean Sailors, is awesome and motivates me even more to push the limits.”
CJ Perez, 2021 US National WASZP Champion and Clean Sailors Ambassador said: “It’s important that we protect our oceans so future generations can enjoy the water as much as we have!”
Jann Schüpbach, professional WASZP sailor and Clean Sailors Ambassador said: “I’m really excited to join the young and ambitious Crew of Clean Sailors and to spread the message of clean sailing. What appeals most to me is that everyone, every sailor, can make a contribution to a cleaner, healthier ocean - be it a weekend sailor at the local club, a family holiday cruising sailor or professional Olympics sailors.”
Holly Manvell, Clean Sailors founder, said: "Inspiring generations of sailors on sailing and the magic of our waters is exactly what Clean Sailors is about, and we are so excited to have CJ, Lukas and Jann on our team, for our cause. They are incredible sailors with huge ambitions, matched by their huge talents, and huge hearts for the health of our waters. They stand firmly with us, for the very ecosystem that gives us sailors our pleasure, the ecosystem we need to protect the most - our ocean.”
For more information about our Clean Sailors Youth Racing Team, our sailors and for partnership opportunities, please visit: www.cleansailorsyouthracingteam.com
Copyright for picture: @SAILINGENERGY @69Fmedia
About Clean Sailors
Clean Sailors is a not-for-profit, mobilising the global sailing community in conservation of our oceans. Launched in July 2020, Clean Sailors' mission is to set a new standard of sailing within our global sailing community: clean sailing, by raising awareness of ocean conservation opportunities within our sport, our passion, our pastime.
The Crew's aim is to make an ocean ambassador of each and every sailor around the world.
Clean Sailors counts Henri-Lloyd, the Ocean Cruising Club, Borrow A Boat, Finsulate and Ecoworks Marine amongst it’s early supporters.
About CJ Perez (18)
Born and raised on Oahu, Hawaii, CJ Perez began sailing when she was 13 years old. With a competitive spirit and fast growth rate, she snatched an Open Skiff World and North American Championship title within her first 3 years in the sport. She quickly began foil sailing in the WASZP class, where she recently won the 2021 US National Championships. Her strong foiling ability got her selected to join the United States SailGP Team. She was onboard racing in Cádiz, Spain as a tactician and grinder, where the team finished second. CJ is the youngest sailor-- at just 18 years old-- to ever join the SailGP league, as well as the first ever latina. CJ has goals of helming the SailGP and America's Cup boats one day and will continue her training through the Moth and WASZP Class.
About Lukas Hesse (22)
Lukas is a professional sailor in High Performance Boats, German 49er Champion 2020 and a proud Ambassador of Clean Sailors. As well as training for the 69F Youth Foiling Gold Cup and the Waszp Worlds, Lukas has a passionate interest in protecting our waters and joined our team to help further our word of clean sailing within the dinghy and professional sailing communities. Lukas started sailing Optimists at the age of six on the beautiful Lake Chiemsee in Bavaria, Germany, and has been hooked ever since. These days, you can find him training all over Europe. Lukas was Clean Sailors’ first Ambassador, since March 2021.
About Jann Schupbach (20)
Jann is a professional sailor from Switzerland in Waszp, 69F and various other boats. After Olympic campaigns in 470 Dinghy, he now focuses on foiling boats and protecting our oceans. From a very young age, Jann was sailing on a small family boat on Lake Thun in the Swiss Alps. He soon took over the helm and began sailing competitively in the Optimist class.
After a successful time in the Optimist and several national and international podiums, Jann continued his sailing path in the 420 Dinghy and soon in the 470 Dinghy as Crew.
He is currently training a lot in Waszp to be prepared for the European and World Championships, alongside training for the 69F Youth Foiling Gold Cup 2022.