Meet the 2025 RORC Griffin Youth Team: Charting a New Course in Offshore Sailing

The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Griffin Youth Project stands as a beacon for aspiring young sailors, offering a rare and structured gateway into the demanding world of offshore yacht racing. In 2025, the Griffin Offshore Pathway continues its mission: to introduce sailors aged 18-30 to offshore sailing, nurturing both their technical prowess and personal development through a blend of hands-on experience, expert mentorship, and a strong sense of community. In 2024 300 young sailors applied for the RORC Griffin 2025 Selections weekends, this was whittled down to 20 who demonstrated both outstanding technical and team work skills. 

What is the RORC Griffin Youth Project?

Launched to break down barriers for young sailors, the Griffin Youth Project is a comprehensive development program. It provides selected sailors with access to top-tier racing yachts, world-class coaching, and the chance to compete in prestigious events such as the RORC Season's Points Championship, Junior Offshore Group races, and internationally renowned regattas like the Rolex Fastnet Race. The project’s core aim is to encourage and empower the next generation of offshore racers, equipping them with the skills, confidence, and network needed to thrive in a challenging sport.

We ask three of the 2025 Griffin Team – Alex Barone (AB), Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin (MS) and Rachel Palmer (RP) to give insight on their Griffin Team experience and training for this year’s Rolex Fastnet 2025.

How did you first get into sailing, and what drew you to offshore racing?

AB: I started sailing on holiday when I was 7 and then continued back in the UK working my way through school and university teams, progressing to competing in the moth national and international events.  I took my RYA Yacht Master at 18, I love the self -reliance of being out at sea.

MS: My older sisters sailed and I followed in their footsteps.  We went to school in Kinsale - a well-known sailing town on the south coast of Ireland where all the pupils would sail in the holidays.  I transitioned through all of the main pathway dinghies, from Optimist to 420 to ILCA but then found the opportunities to compete at a higher level limited.  When the Griffin opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance.

RP: I first started sailing shortly after my 18th birthday.  I don’t have any family who sail and at the time I knew nobody within the sport, but I was looking for a new challenge, something that was completely out of my comfort zone.

Starting through UK Sail Training and the various sailing charities who supported me, I gained a basic understanding of what sailing was. From here, I began reaching out to boat owners and skippers, volunteering my time every weekend for various deliveries, yard work and eventually races. After my first RORC offshore race, in 2023, I was completely addicted.

What inspired you to apply for the RORC Griffin Youth Team, and how did you feel when you were selected?

RP: I wanted to push myself further to continue to progress within the sport, Griffin opened doors that I previously had no way of accessing. I wasn’t sure I would make it onto the Griffin Project, having started taking sailing seriously relatively recently - I was ecstatic when I got the call from Jim Driver letting me know I had made it, I couldn’t quite believe it.

AB: The RORC Griffin Youth Team provides a great opportunity to learn more about Offshore Racing and how the various parts of the sport interact.  I was delighted when it was confirmed I had a place on the programme, especially as I was made skipper of one of the teams.

MS: I was excited when I first heard about the Griffin Project because of what it offered in terms of a competitive race program backed by an intensive training program with world class coaches. I'm very grateful to have been selected and to be part of a team that has the collective goal of becoming better sailors.

What have been the highlights of your training so far? Are there particular skills or lessons that have stood out?

RP: Back in March, all three teams met in Cowes for a four day intensive training weekend. Here we spent anywhere between 4-8 hours on the water a day with a few more hours of classroom learning each night. This was an incredible opportunity, getting to learn from some of the top coaches and it was definitely a pivotal moment within the Griffin25’s training programme, as for me, it was the first time we felt like a competitive racing team.

AB: My highlights have been the coaching we have received from some world class sailors. It’s quite amazing to find yourself learning from and racing with some of the greatest sailors – it’s hugely inspiring.

MS: I really enjoyed the selection weekend, held in January at the RORC clubhouse in Cowes. Three days of being sleep-deprived and hungry, but constantly engaged in intensive and challenging team-building exercises. It was a great test of character under simulated conditions and also a brilliant opportunity to meet like-minded individuals.

What are your race plans and personal ambitions for the 2025 season?

MS: Within the Griffin Project I am lucky enough to be involved with the ‘La Trinité’ team and be partaking in a leg of the double-handed Il Giro. We have 2 races before la Trinite and hope to organise some additional training to ensure we perform as well as possible come July.

AB: The North Sea Race is the most important race on our calendar and of course we would love to win our class.  Personally my ambition as the skipper is to ensure we come together as a team and get the most out of each team member.

RP: Ultimately, we are looking for a strong performance on our namesake race, La Trinite – Cowes. This being the longest delivery and race of our season, coupled with complex navigation up the French coast and some interesting tactical manoeuvres, it should make for some interesting racing.

How do you work together as a team, especially when facing challenges offshore?

AB: For our team so far, I’d say the key elements have been clear communication and developing trust in one another. By looking after each other, especially in more difficult conditions, we are able to keep pushing forward.

MS: Offshore racing really tests how well a team can trust and rely on each other. Communication is key — being clear, honest, and calm, especially when things get tough. Through the Griffin program, we've learned how important it is to stay positive. Everyone has a role to play, and it’s about trusting that your teammates are doing their job while staying focused on your own. Challenges offshore are inevitable, but having a strong team dynamic makes all the difference in how you handle them.

RP: Throughout our training so far, teamwork has been a top priority, from countless team-building exercises to finding out our personality types and delving into what makes each crew member tick. Making sure everyone has a voice too has been especially important, emphasising the team spirit and working together to solve problems has made tackling difficult scenarios a lot less challenging.

Looking beyond this season, what future do you envisage for yourself in sailing or beyond?

RP: I still feel very new to the world of sailing, there are so many avenues that I would love to pursue. The Fastnet race is a personal goal for the 2025 season (not that I have a boat or crew yet). I am very open to wherever my sailing will take me, and I am just jumping at every opportunity offered my way. I know for certain that I want to go back and volunteer for the youth charities that helped support me when I was first starting out in sailing.

AB: My ambition is to have a career in sailing. I hope my engineering degree coupled with the Griffin Programme experience will make me a useful addition to a world-class sailing team.

MS: I’m taking my sailing career as it comes, focusing on getting on the water and doing as much racing as possible. With college graduation coming up this May, I'm planning a summer full of sailing — a mix of coaching and racing — and I’ll see what opportunities September and October bring when the time comes!

A Glimpse into the Future

The Griffin Youth Team’s journey is about more than just racing; it’s about building a new generation of leaders in offshore sailing. As they train, compete, and grow together, these young sailors are not only chasing podiums but also shaping the future of the sport—one race, one challenge, and one shared ambition at a time. Stay tuned for interviews and stories from the team as they navigate the 2025 season. North Sails Apparel is proud to be equipping the 2025 Griffin team with technical sailing apparel to keep them warm, dry and comfortable enabling the team members to achieve their goals.