The acclaimed sportswoman, who has achieved multiple victories and sailing successes with her professional sailing team Spindrift racing, both with the D35 Ladycat and maxi trimaran Spindrift 2, is proud to sail under the colours of the Société Nautique de Genève and to convey Swiss sailing to the highest level on an international scale.

Along with her partner, Yann Guichard, the renown French skipper, who recently finished second in the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe 2014, Dona founded Spindrift racing in 2011. This elite professional sailing team, which is based in La Trinité-sur-mer in south Brittany, represents their combined passion for the sea, sailing and competition. The team currently owns Spindrift 2, the world’s largest racing trimaran, Spindrift, a MOD70, and Ladycat, the D35 well known in Switzerland for its regular performances in the Vulcain Trophy circuit on Lake Léman. This summer, Ladycat won the the Bol d’Or Mirabaud with Dona at the helm. It was the second time that she achieved such a feat, and a particular highlight of the season. 

Dona has also achieved a number of other successes, notably in offshore sailing, including winning the Rolex Fastnet Race and breaking the crewed record for the Discovery Route (Cadiz, Spain – San Salvador, Bahamas), both in 2013 onboard the maxi trimaran Spindrift 2.

An esteemed businesswoman and established sailor, Dona was previously nominated for this award back in 2010, following her first victory in the Bol d’Or Mirabaud. This year it is the first time that she has gone on to claim the award, the most prestigious of its kind in Swiss sailing, and a fitting representation of the years of hard work she has invested to build an impressive sports record to date.

Unable to attend the official ceremony in Bern last Saturday, Dona revealed her delight at receiving the award more than 6700km away in Guadeloupe, where she was attending the Route du Rhum prize giving. Her first reactions to the news, in a video message sent from Pointe-à-Pitre is available at: http://www.spindrift-racing.com/project/dona-bertarelli-female-sailor-of-the-year-2014/