Trifork partners with the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team for the final two legs of The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint 2023

The Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team and global NextGen IT provider Trifork will be racing as the Mirpuri/Trifork Racing Team in the final two legs of The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint 2023

Participating onboard the VO65 “Racing for the Planet”, which was victorious in The Ocean Race Europe 2021, the newly named team will be skippered by Roberto ‘Chuny’ Bermúdez de Castro, a veteran of seven round-the-world Volvo Ocean Races over 30 years, including a spectacular win in the 2014-15 edition, that has earned him a well-deserved place in the race’s history books. 

The Mirpuri/Trifork Racing Team will be on the start line of the next leg of The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint, that resumes on the 8th of June in Aarhus, Denmark when the VO65 fleet races to The Hague in the Netherlands. The final leg of the VO65 Sprint, from The Hague to the Grand Finale in Genova, Italy starts on June 15. The Team also includes names such as Jens Dolmer and Bouwe Bekking.

Trifork and the Mirpuri Foundation share a common outlook towards sustainably and aim to operate a single-use plastic-free and zero carbon emissions race campaign. 

“To join the Mirpuri mission ‘RACING FOR THE PLANET’ is a dream come true for Trifork. At Trifork we improve the world with software. We make software to reduce stress and optimise the use of our global scarce resources. These missions go hand in hand. The 14th edition of The Ocean Race has set its purpose towards restoring the health of our ocean. We are very excited to get behind that mission too. I’m very grateful for the opportunity Paulo Mirpuri and his organisation has given us and we will fight to make it as successful as possible,” says Jørn Larsen, Founder & CEO of Trifork.

Paulo Mirpuri, President of the Mirpuri Foundation said in Lisbon today: “We are extremely excited and proud to be joined by Trifork, and we look forward to some great racing in the final two stages of the race.”

Richard Brisius, Race Chairman of The Ocean Race said: “This collaboration between Mirpuri Foundation and Trifork builds on the strengths of two great partners to the race, and ensures there will be a Danish team when the VO65 Sprint resumes in Aarhus next month. We will also be able to welcome back some race legends to the crew, along with giving an opportunity to younger sailors to get a taste of The Ocean Race.” 

Mirpuri/Trifork Racing Team Skipper, Roberto ‘Chuny’ Bermúdez de Castro said: “I am really happy to be part of this great team, which has come together in a record time. We are a mix of people who know each other from along time ago along with a new generation of young sailors. We have a fantastic boat with really good maintenance. I really appreciate the owners for their efforts to put all this together. We are looking forward to great racing in the VO65 Sprint.”

In Denmark the news about the team joining the race from Aarhus has been received with great excitement. 

“Being the first ever Danish hosts, we are obviously very excited that this edition of The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint includes a Danish team. It’s great news, and I am sure that the Mirpuri+Trifork Team will experience extraordinary support from the spectators in Aarhus,” said Charlotte Kirk Elkjær, Stopover Director for The Ocean Race Stopover Aarhus 2023.

About the Mirpuri Foundation

The Mirpuri Foundation is a non-profit organisation founded by entrepreneur Paulo Mirpuri with the aim of contributing to a better world for future generations. With its belief that leading by example is the best way to change mindsets, the Mirpuri Foundation fosters cooperation between legislators, corporations, communities and individuals. 

The Mirpuri Foundation acts in six distinct areas: Marine Conservation, Wildlife Conservation, the Performing Arts, Social Responsibility, Medical Research and Aviation. The foundation’s commitment to sustainability is transversal in all its activities. 

The Mirpuri Foundation is synonymous with technology, research, information and innovation. Allied to these characteristics are the values of integrity, perseverance and altruism in order to better impact the planet.

About the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team

Mirpuri Foundation is ‘Racing For The Planet’ to put Climate Change on the global agenda. Based in Cascais, Portugal, The Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team is a professional sailing team focused on raising awareness and driving meaningful action on climate change.

Since its inception, the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team has worked to ensure that the Team becomes one of the world’s leading proponents of sustainability in the sailing world. In addition to its world-class sustainability and science programmes, the team also seeks to minimise environmental impact by reducing emissions in its operations and supply chain, and by extending the lifecycle of products that are used. 

In 2021 the Mirpuri Foundation Racing won The Ocean Race Europe.

About Trifork

Trifork is a global NextGen IT company that develops innovative software solutions in collaboration with its customers. The company has more than 1,135 employees, across 69 business units, with offices in 14 countries in Europe and the USA, and works in six business areas: Digital Health, FinTech, Smart Building, Cloud Operations, Cyber Protection and Smart Enterprise. Trifork’s research and development takes place in Trifork Labs, where Trifork continuously co-invests and develops technology start-up companies. Trifork is behind the brand, GOTO, which runs a global tech community with more than 49 million views on YouTube and Instagram.

About The Ocean Race

Since 1973, The Ocean Race has provided the ultimate test of a team and a human adventure like no other. For nearly 50 years, it has kept an almost mythical hold over some of the greatest sailors and been the proving ground for the legends of our sport.

The 14th edition of The Ocean Race started from Alicante, Spain on January 15th 2023, and will finish in Genova, the Grand Finale, in Italy early in the summer of 2023. The race visits nine iconic cities around the globe over a six-month period (Alicante, Spain – Cabo Verde – Cape Town, South Africa – Itajaí, Brazil – Newport, RI, USA – Aarhus, Denmark – Kiel Fly-By, Germany – The Hague, the Netherlands – Genova, Italy) and features a leg with the longest racing distance in the 50-year history of the event – a 12,750 nautical mile, one-month marathon from Cape Town, South Africa to Itajaí, Brazil. The IMOCA fleet of mixed crews will pass all three great southern Capes – Cape of Good Hope, Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn – non-stop, for the first time.

Along with five confirmed foiling IMOCA teams racing around the world, six one-design VO65 boats will race on three legs with an option to compete for a new trophy within The Ocean Race called The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup.

Sustainability in The Ocean Race

We have a proven commitment to sustainability, and with the support and collaboration of 11th Hour Racing, Founding Partner of the Race Sustainability Programme and Premier Partner of The Ocean Race, we are inspiring action and creating tangible outcomes.

Building upon our award-winning legacy in sustainability, our innovative Racing With Purpose programme is acting as a catalyst for positive change and accelerating the application of innovative solutions to help restore ocean health.