Sunday - Funday

The DreamºDare'Do-team got off to a flying start on Sunday morning with a training session at the local gym. After the gentle warm-up the ladies were put through a fitness test. Personal Trainer Sari Vannas guided the team through the training session and gave them tips and pointers on how to improve and continue. Everyone (including me) also jumped on this thingy, which after a while spitted out a paper with some kind of a body composition analyse. Well, let's just say... I've got to move it, move it. And eat healthier. :-)

The day continued at the house. More planning, lunch, group tasks, discussions and always, laughter. Throughout the weekend the team was beaming with joy - their passion for sailing and pride in the project shining through everything they did.

I find it really interesting to see how these women, with very different personalities, backgrounds and lives, set aside their differences and work together towards their common goal - crossing the Atlantic Ocean. I'm happy to be a small part of the project and I really look forward to seeing everyone again.

The mayor to the left and the skipper to the right.

Planning.

Warm-up before the fitness test.

PT Sari Vannas.

DreamºDare’Do

So today I met up with a bunch of inspiring women. They’re the first all-female crew from Finland participating in the ARC 2018! The Atlantic Rally for Cruisers is a sailing competition from Gran Canaria to Saint Lucia. The ARC is described as a ‘must do’ for many sailors, and attracts over 200 boats and 1200 people every year to sail 2700 NM across the Atlantic.

These brave, smart, funny and beautiful women are going to sail across the Atlantic in about a year and a half. Planning and preparations have started and this weekend team building was on the agenda. I spent the day getting to know them a bit and listening to them talk about their values, roles, skills and expectations. They radiated positive energy, enthusiasm and joy. And it was catching. I found myself feeling, well, empowered by just being in the same room as these women. They have a long way to go and there’s a lot of work to be done before the race, and I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to document parts of this journey. It’s so cool! I really can’t contain my excitement!