From Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro with no modern technology on board: Translated 9's first success
by Translated 9 31 Jan 2023 07:03 UTC
Translated 9 from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro © Translated
Translated 9 has successfully crossed the ocean for the first time with a crew made up of young people on their first transoceanic voyage, guided by Vittorio Malingri and with practically no tech on board.
Twenty-one days and seventeen hours on the Atlantic Ocean with winds raging at up to 50 knots on a crossing of 3,645 nautical miles: on January 24, Translated 9 completed its participation in the Cape2Rio Race, finishing in 5th place for IRC and in 4th place overall for monohull line honors.
No autopilot and no electric winches: everything was strictly done by hand on a boat from 1974 to prepare for an even bigger challenge.
For Translated 9, the Swan 65 belonging to Translated that will take part in the Ocean Globe Race in September 2023, the crossing from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro was the first crucial test.
And it was a success from every perspective, in terms of competition, people, and values.
A crew of young people completely new to ocean regattas and embodying all the values that Translated wants to spread around the world — resilience, courage, optimism, and commitment — crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Not an easy feat even with modern technology on board, but Translated 9 did it all without this assistance.
For others, the Cape2Rio Race is the final test, but for Translated 9 it was the first step toward an even greater adventure.
Vittorio Malingri tells the story: "It was a wonderful regatta that featured both strong winds and periods of dead calm. The crew responded well; they never gave up and they grew a lot. It was a difficult journey due to the volatility of the wind, and we had to keep on attacking to stay in the lead group. The final fightback was exciting and we flew along for three days. From a technical point of view, it was a very important test in order to optimize many aspects ready for the Ocean Globe Race 2023."
Competing in the OGR, which begins in September, isn't just about taking part in an epic regatta. Above all, it's an expression of the vision shared by Translated and the people who have now been supporting this project for a couple of years: passing on to young people the expertise and know-how that have established the company as one of the world leaders in technological research on language and in the construction of a new future, one where everyone can understand and be understood in their own language.
Hence the role of Vittorio and Nico Malingri, who are developing talents of all ages, nationalities, and backgrounds, training them with a packed schedule of ocean voyages including the important milestone of the Cape2Rio Race. And Marco Trombetti, who had never sailed before taking on this challenge, but whose passion and endless desire to learn helped him face down 50-knot winds, and who is assembling a whole galaxy of tech entrepreneurs around this project.
"The crew did an extraordinary job testing the boat to the limit," says Marco Trombetti. "For many, it was their first time sailing across the ocean. Vittorio and Nico guided us wisely and patiently. For me, it was a fantastic experience. I felt both the fear and the joy of having overcome a challenge that I believed was bigger than me."
1,400 people applied to be part of the project. Buoyed by this new experience, the young people selected for this regatta — Niccolò Banfi, Sophie Fontanesi, Ezgim Mistikoglu, and Baptiste Gillot — are rethinking their future.
Translated 9 isn't just a wonderful sailboat. She also symbolizes the fact that human values will never be superseded by technological innovation, or indeed that these values will guide technology's evolution.
"We Believe In Humans" encapsulates all this: the value of the challenge, the people, and their growth.
Translated 9 will now remain in Brazil for around three weeks before taking to the ocean again, this time headed for Europe, with a change of personnel: on board will be other sailors from the racing crew who will train in preparation for the OGR.
The selection process is still open, and anyone who wants to and believes they can take on a challenge as extreme as it is extraordinary can apply online at www.translated.com/9.