THE OFFICIAL RACE MAGAZINE FOR THE 2008 iSHARES CUP
www.iSharesCup.com
THE SEASON STARTS HERE Complete guide to the action-packed iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series
€7,00
PHOTO: STEVEN TEE / LAT
Welcome iShares, part of Barclays Global Investors and the
The first of these is the addition of three new cities on
world’s leading provider of Exchange Traded Funds
the 2008 calendar (Lugano, Hyères and Kiel) which, as
(ETFs), is delighted to continue its sponsorship of the
we expand our business in Europe, will help us further
iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series in 2008.
showcase this cutting-edge sponsorship in a total of five countries this year.
The style of sailing you will witness is revolutionary and it is not until you have seen the racing and experienced
Also this year will see iShares enter a boat into the
an Extreme 40 first-hand that you truly appreciate the
Series and we look forward to supporting them
skill, speed and expertise needed to compete in this
and wish them well as they join the other teams in
thrilling event.
the competition.
We are proud to be the Title Sponsor of the iShares Cup.
On behalf of iShares I would like to take this opportunity
The core characteristics of the event are about pushing
not only to welcome you to the 2008 iShares Cup but to
the boundaries of technology and innovation, calculated
wish all the teams competing the very best of luck for
risk and the importance of teamwork, dedication and
the season. There is some incredible talent on board the
transparency – all of which mirror the iShares values
boats and we look forward to some exhilarating racing.
and business approach. After a tremendously successful inaugural year in 2007, we are looking forward to an even bigger and better
Rick Andrews
event in year two with a number of exciting changes.
Head of iShares Marketing, Europe
3
2008 iShares Cup
EXTREME | SAILING
The iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series is back, and it’s even bigger and better than ever. In 2007 the inaugural iShares Cup got pulses racing, but this season looks set to create even more of a buzz both on and off the water. The second edition of the iShares Cup will once again set the scene for the ultimate high-octane, competitive close-quarter racing — but this year brings more top teams, more
which visits five fantastic venues around Europe — each chosen for their superb sailing, excellent spectator viewing, and stunning locations. Held in the exciting Extreme 40 catamaran class, the iShares Cup crews include top sailors from the worlds of Olympic sailing, America’s Cup and offshore racing. The event is unique in that it allows VIP guests and media to join in the action by sailing as a ‘fifth man’ during the races. With short, sharp races held close to shore, the iShares Cup is also a superb platform for corporate hospitality as
Introducing the
well as providing a jaw-dropping public spectacle.
4
Last year saw seven teams competing at four iShares Cup events, but this year there’s more boats, and more venues, to look forward to. “The inaugural circuit in 2007 was a great first step, but we believe 2008 is going to see this circuit really come into its own,” explains Gilles Chiorri, Director of OC Events who organise the iShares Cup series. “We want to build on the success of the sometimes unconventional, restricted, short course racing we saw in cities like Amsterdam. Racing on the canal produced some of the best action that we have ever seen within the sport of sailing and being so close to land the spectators and VIPs really got to interact with the crew and experience the event at its best. “The sailors also had a full-on experience needing to rely on their physical fitness, teamwork and quick reactions to keep ahead and on top of the competition. This season we’re aiming to provide more of the same format of racing and have lined up a great set of venues,” adds Chiorri. So keep reading for your essential guide to the event, the venues, the boats, the teams, and all the action!
- GILLES CHIORRI
The iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series is a multi-stage sailing circuit
The inaugural circuit in 2007 was a great first step, but we believe 2008 is going to see this circuit really come into its own.
venues, and even more action.
PHOTO: THIERRY SERAY / DPPI /OC EVENTS
CONTENTS 6 First person The iShares Cup experience
8 What’s the buzz? What makes the iShares Cup so different?
10 Follow the racing
Essential guide to the Extreme 40 racecourse
12 2008 circuit
Guide to the five European venues
16 Taking on the boys
Double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson returns to the helm
19 Pushed to the limits Extreme 40 crew reveal why these boats are so tough to sail
22 Best seat in the house The ultimate corporate sailing experience — a day as ‘fifth man’
24 Close up
iShares Cup sailing action captured on camera
30 Speed machines
High-tech Extreme 40 catamarans unveiled
33 Teams
Ten crews line up to do battle
42 Get the look
Technical clothing and shore-side style
44 About iShares An insight into the title sponsor
46 Supporting partners The sponsors behind the iShares Cup
48 Follow the iShares Cup Keep up to date with all the action
You can follow the latest news at: www.iSharesCup.com
Editor: Helen Fretter
Email us your feedback on this issue on: extreme@isharescup.com
Contributors: James Boyd, Edward Gorman, David Carr, Rob Hodgetts, Louay Habib
Cover photo: Thierry Seray / DPPI / OC Events
Design and production Wez Maynard - OC Vision
Edited by: OC Events
Copyright: OC Events All rights reserved. Published May 2008
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EXTREME | SAILING
First
Person What is the iShares Cup experience?
It’s fast, fun and thrilling for both those watching and those on the boat. – DAME ELLEN MACARTHUR
Sailing on Extreme 40s is racing with equal chances — it’s close racing, on short courses, and if there’s wind, it’s spectacular! – FRANCK CAMMAS, SKIPPER GROUPAMA 2007
“Imagine the bounciest bouncy castle, a bucking bronco that rears 20ft high and the wettest, wildest log flume in the world. Welcome to Extreme 40 sailing. I’ve just had the flipping ride of my life!” – Rob Hodgetts, journalist “What is the iShares Cup? For me it’s about getting back to my roots, close intense racing... Through the iShares events I get to face off against the most respected sailors in the world, testing my nerve and instincts in these tight arenas.” – Nick Moloney, BT skipper 2007 & 2008
“It’s like a sprint race, the 100 metre dash in the Olympics. I’m amazed that they are racing these high-tech, incredible boats in this little space. I could sit here all day and watch the racing. Just fantastic!” – Diana Vermeer, spectator, Amsterdam
Elevated some 15 feet in the air, it is like riding on a bird’s wing, gliding above the water. The adrenalin rush riding an Extreme 40 downwind is quite an experience. It is almost bizarre, hurtling along in an eerie vacuum of silence. – LOUAY HABIB, JOURNALIST
“What a day we had! A wonderful experience, you would almost forget it was a working day.” – Jurian Rademaker, Holmatro VIP guest
“These [boats] are awesome, the racing is so intense you reach the finish line and go, ‘Whoa, what happened there?’” – Carolijn Brouwer, double world champion
“What an incredible experience - I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to race with these guys.” – iShares VIP guest
“This season will be epic, the number of good teams which are lining up is amazing. The race courses are small thus the pressure in the racing scenarios will be extreme!” – Hugh Styles, iShares skipper 2008
7 PHOTO: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
EXTREME | RACING
Catch the buzz
JAMES BOYD
PHOTO: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
The iShares Cup is different, and this year it’s bigger, faster, and more spectacular than ever before. James Boyd, editor of thedailysail.com, looks forward to the ultimate crashand-burn sailing contest.
On the Richter scale of excitement, seeing similar-looking slow-moving yachts sailing
Added to this heady mix are the courses. Typically sailboat races are held out in the open
around buoys in the distance can be compared to watching paint dry or grass grow. This
water where the wind is more stable and there is less chance of the yachts getting in
is particularly the case when the wind is fading and boats are wallowing, racing to a set
anyone’s way. However, with the iShares Cup, the organisers have chosen venues where
of rules few average mortals understand. But those who would tarnish all yacht racing
it is essential that spectators can watch the racing without requiring binoculars. In fact,
with this broad brush are in for a shock: the high-octane sailing at iShares Cup events is
the courses will often be so close to the shore that those perched on the grandstand
no relation. Instead it is the sailing world’s best example of edge-of-the-seat, nail-biting
seating are able to see the whites of the competitors’ eyes. “I can’t think of any other
action and you don’t have to be a yachting buff to immediately key into the buzz.
series where that is the case, where people are so close to the action,” says OC Events’
For organisers OC Events, the primary objective for the iShares Cup circuit is to create a
boss Mark Turner.
spectacle, and this they have achieved in spades. Often, as was the case in Amsterdam last year, racing near the shore also means sailing To begin with, the circuit is sailed in lightweight Extreme 40 catamarans which
in highly confined waters. Turner describes that event as being held in “insanely close
require barely a breath of wind before they are moving at full pace. No longer is racing
quarters”. But once again the organisers haven’t shied away from this, in fact it adds yet
abandoned if the wind is light — in as little as eight knots of wind, these boats start
more to the spectacle with the 40ft catamarans dodging each other and boat-breaking
flying their hulls, adding to the spectacle and causing them to sail still faster. In 15-20
harbour walls.
knots of wind they are zipping across the water at speeds usually only achieved by motorboats, but of course without the fumes or noise (other than the occasional
This year the circuit has grown from four to five events. In addition to Skandia Cowes
screams of the crew).
Week and Amsterdam, the iShares Cup circuit is set to include Hyères in Southern France and Kiel, Germany, with the season starting on the glamorous Lake Lugano on the Swiss-Italian border.
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PHOTO: THIERRY SERAY / DPPI / OC EVENTS
Glamour and excitement
Big guns
An added complication this year is that the size of the fleet has been boosted, with
In addition to the larger fleet, there is also a significant boost to the calibre of crews
entries reaching into double figures. This will certainly present Race Director Alan
competing this year. Once again British double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson
Hillman with some headaches. “It is going to be such a spectacular thing seeing far too
will be at the helm of the JPMorgan Asset Management catamaran while numerous other
many boats in such a small space, but the key thing will be keeping it safe. If you have
Olympic sailors, such as Hugh Styles and Herbert Dercksen, will be calling the shots on
20 knots then it really limits the number of boats, but if it is light airs then we can race
other boats. In addition the crew line-ups include several round the world sailors such as
a lot more,” he explains.
Nick Moloney, Gert Jan Poortman and Fraser Brown.
Compared to other sports centred around expensive hardware, such as Formula 1, sailing has the advantage that guests can be taken on the ‘vehicle’ during races.
Another big story this year is due to the hiatus over plans for the 33rd America’s Cup. The America’s Cup is usually held every four years and is the most famous short-course sailing event in the world, but legal wranglings have thrown the next scheduled event into question — there’s even the prospect that the next Cup could be held in multihulls: pretty radical for the 157-year-old yachting contest. Now several Cup teams are set to
But the iShares Cup is unique in its opportunities for corporate sailing. This is thanks
join the iShares Cup in 2008, including the current winner, Ernesto Bertarelli’s Alinghi,
to the Extreme 40 catamarans which have a wide trampoline deck, making for an
and also the UK’s own TEAMORIGIN.
excellent platform to take guests out on — rather like sitting in the passenger seat next to Lewis Hamilton for a few laps of the Grand Prix. Mornings are typically spent
For all the top-flight sailors involved, it’s time to join a contest that’s no less than a water-
corporate sailing, whilst even in the iShares Cup races themselves, there is still one VIP
borne war zone where the battlefield is little larger than an Olympic swimming pool! Let
guest on board each boat, where they can experience the thrills — and occasional spills
the games begin...
— and the drama first-hand.
9
EXTREME | RACING
Follow the racing An essential guide to following all the action on an Extreme 40 racecourse. The start
there will be a loud sound signal and the X-flag is hoisted. If a boat is over the line then
The start is one of the most exciting parts of any sailing race and with such short races
they have to go back and re-cross the line again, keeping out of the way of the other
the sailors will be working as hard as they can to get a good start.
teams — a big penalty, so not a mistake they can afford to make!
Both the start and finish are imaginary lines drawn between orange flags on the race committee boat and a black inflatable iShares cylinder buoy. Generally, it will be more
The course
advantageous to start at one end of the line (either nearer the committee boat or buoy),
Depending on the number of boats, venue, and wind conditions, the race organisers can
due to factors such as the wind direction, the tide, and who has right of way. The more
decide to run racing over different shape courses. The sailors will know which course to
aggressive crews may be fighting to start at one favoured end, while more conservative
sail by the flags flown from the committee boat.
crews may start further away from the jostling boats — but they are likely to have the benefit of ‘clean’ undisturbed wind.
Numeral pennant 1 Sail course 1 Start upwind, round mark one, sail downwind, round mark two, upwind to mark one again, then finish sailing downwind. Numeral pennant 2 Sail course 2 — the same course but with three laps Numeral pennant 3 Sail course 3 — the same course but with four laps
Ready, steady, go! Instead of ‘ready, steady, go!’, the races are started with a series of starting guns and flag signals. At 5 minutes watch out for the Class flag and a Warning Signal: listen for a loud bang! At 4 minutes watch out for the P-flag (for ‘Preparatory Signal’) and another bang. At 1 minute to go the P-flag will come down with the sound of a horn. At 0 the Class flag will be lowered with a loud bang, it’s time to go! If the race committee see any part of a boat over the line when the gun goes then
Committee boat flags Numeral pennant 1 Sail course 1
Numeral pennant 2 Sail course 2
Numeral pennant 3 Sail course 3
Numeral pennant 4 Sail course 4
Class Flag
P-flag (for ‘Preparatory Signal’)
X-flag (Individual Recall)
General recall (All boats return)
Umpire flags Green Flag: No Penalty
Red Flag: Penalty
PHOTO: VINCENT CURUTCHET / DPPI / OC EVENTS
Black Flag: Disqualified
When the boats are sailing upwind
During the racing
they will be zig-zagging as they tack
The sailors will be shouting at other boats to try and use the racing rules to outwit
towards the first mark, then when
each other, especially near the mark roundings. If any skipper thinks another boat
they sail away from the wind they
has infringed one of the racing rules they can wave a red flag and shout “protest!”.
will hoist the huge gennaker sails at
During the iShares Cup there will be umpires on the water (look for the boats with big
the front of the boat to go downwind.
iShares Cup UMPIRE flags), who are like football referees — they decide if any boats have committed a foul and can give penalties (the boat has to do a circle). The umpire
Numeral pennant 4
signifies a penalty by whistling and pointing a red flag at the boat that has committed
Sail course 4 — This is a triangular course with two ‘reaching’ legs,
the foul. If the umpire thinks there was no foul you may see them blow a whistle and RACE COMMITTEE BOAT
sailing across the wind — look
raise a green flag which means no penalty. If there is a really bad foul the umpires can show a black flag and the boat is disqualified!
out for the boats flying a hull and picking up some big speeds!
...and finish First past the post wins!
To avoid collisions, all boats on the course must round the marks the same way round: Green Flag: All marks to be passed to Starboard (to the right-hand side of the boat looking forwards) Red Flag: All the marks to be passed to Port (to the left-hand side of the boat
The iShares Cup is scored using a ‘high point’ system, so if there are 10 boats in the fleet then the winner scores 10 points, the second placed boat gets 9 points, and third eight points etc. If you are disqualified you get zero points! The last race of each event will score double points — putting the pressure on for a great finale.
looking forwards)
11
EXTREME | EVENTS
Sailing on tour 12 PHOTO: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
Five fantastic venues will welcome the iShares Cup Sailing Series this summer. We take a look at the stunning locations which will set the scene for this year’s racing.
Each regatta takes place over three days, with as many as 18 fast and furious races, each lasting just 15-20 minutes. Each day kicks off with some relaxed corporate sailing races, giving VIP guests and media a chance to get out on the water and experience
The iShares Cup 2008 is a series of five events, taking
the Extreme 40. Then the real action begins, with
in no fewer than six European countries. The sailing
iShares Cup racing taking place every afternoon —
circuit will visit a mix of buzzing cosmopolitan cities,
although there will still be ‘fifth man’ guests on board,
spectacular seasides and stunning lakes, each carefully
expect the sailors to take no prisoners in the fiercely
chosen to provide not only the hottest racing but also
competitive races. Things will step up yet another
the best vantage points for spectators to get up close to
gear for the final race of each event, which counts for
all the action.
double points!
13
EXTREME | EVENTS
Sailing on tour (cont)
PHOTO: LUGANO TOURISM
PHOTO: SERVICE COM - VILLE D’HYERES
PHOTO: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
Here’s where the series is going this year...
Lugano, SWITZERLAND
Hyères, FRANCE
30 May-1 June
13-15 June
The first iShares Cup event will take place from 30
The second new venue will be Hyères, in southern
May-1 June at a new venue with a stunning mountain
France. Thanks to its combination of the famous Mistral
backdrop – Lake Lugano, situated in south-east
wind and warm Mediterranean waters, Hyères is
Switzerland on the Italian border.
renowned for its perfect sailing conditions.
Cosmopolitan Lugano nestles in the foothills of the
The Provencal town is home to the massive annual
Swiss Alps on the shores of the lake. The pretty town
French Olympic Sailing Week, as well as a host of other
faces Italy on the opposite shore of the lake and enjoys
top quality yachting events — this year the town will
a near-Mediterranean climate.
welcome the finale of the Tour de France á la Voile, a multi-stage yacht race.
Top / The French venue of Hyères is famed for its ideal sailing conditions. Above / The first event will be held on the elegant Lake Lugano, on the Swiss-Italian border.
The city is an important modern banking centre (third in Switzerland after Zurich and Geneva) but is also
iShares Cup competitors can look forward to some high-
bursting with history along its Venetian-style piazzas
octane, high-speed racing at Hyères in the powerful
and medieval alleyways.
Extreme 40s, meanwhile spectators and visitors can enjoy watching the action from the elegant French
Racing will take place along the shore of the lake in full
Riviera town’s palm-lined waterfront and exploring its
view of the city, hosted by the yacht club Circolo Velico
cobbled courtyards.
Lago di Lugano.
14
PHOTO: VINCENT CURUTCHET / DPPI / OC EVENTS PHOTO: LANDESHAUPTSTADT KIEL/MICHAEL DIETRICH
Above / The series finale will be held right in the middle of the city in Amsterdam. Left / Kiel in northern Germany is home to the largest sailing event in Europe. Far left / The iShares Cup competitors will join over 1,000 other yachts taking part in Skandia Cowes Week.
Skandia Cowes Week, UK
Kiel, GERMANY
Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS
2-4 August
29-31 August
19-21 September
The iShares Cup will then return to the UK’s Skandia
The city of Kiel, on the Baltic Sea in northern Germany,
Finally, the iShares Cup will return to Amsterdam from
Cowes Week, one of the world’s greatest — and
is another new venue for the iShares Cup. Kiel has been
19-21 September, as the iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing
trickiest — sailing venues with fantastic sea breezes
built on its maritime history, from the Vikings to 16th
Series again reaches its exciting finale right in the
and challenging tides. With over 1,000 other yachts
century pirates, it now lies on the busiest artificial
middle of the city on the IJhaven canal.
filling the Solent with their sails, the spectacular Skandia
waterway in the world, the Kiel Canal.
Cowes Week is a fantastic attraction or VIP experience
Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is one of the
in its own right, with the high-adrenaline Extreme 40
Every June the city holds Kiel Week, the largest sailing
world’s coolest cities. From its crooked 17th century
racing being the icing on the cake!
event in Europe, which combines dinghy and yacht
architecture, cobbled streets and tree-lined canals,
racing with a festival of ships, music and fireworks.
to its stylish modern café culture, galleries, desirable
Just over 25 miles across, the Isle of Wight packs
Each year the event sees 5,000 sailors, 2,000 ships,
shops and lively nightlife, the city really does have
in dozens of beautiful beaches, the craggy cliffs of
and about three million visitors each year.
something for everyone.
Southampton (and just 25 minutes from the city),
With three universities, the city has a lively student
Racing will take place on the IJhaven canal, with the
Cowes is a small bustling town bursting with boutiques,
population and a busy arts and music scene. It is also
Extreme 40s packed onto a tight, fast racecourse we
yacht chandlers, restaurants and lively pubs, with signs
a bustling business and commerce sector, with more
can again expect some fantastically exciting racing at
of its sailing heritage in every nook and cranny.
than half of all Germany’s IT and multimedia companies
the final event — with spectators getting a ringside seat
based in the region. Ashore the city’s imposing civic
of the action from the harbour walls.
the Needles, and rolling downs. Directly opposite
buildings are framed by parks and lakes, whilst the many quaysides are dotted with waterfront restaurants and cafes.
15
EXTREME | SKIPPER
Taking on the boys EDWARD GORMAN
Shirley Robertson is Britain’s most successful female Olympic sailor, with two gold medals to her name. The Times’ sport correspondent Edward Gorman finds out what’s drawing her back to the iShares Cup for 2008. Shirley Robertson is a busy woman these days. Britain’s
Robertson is eager to get going on this year’s series and
double Olympic gold medallist in Europe single-handed
to put her boat through its paces. “I’ve got a busy life
dinghies and Yngling keelboats now has her hands
working and with two small children, so the Extreme
full with 19-month-old twins and television presenting
40s fit particularly well and it is definitely the most fun
work for the BBC and CNN. Up until the end of last year
I’ve ever had in sailing,” she says. “I’ve sailed some cool
she was also running an Olympic campaign for this
boats but this is just great. I’m absolutely hooked on
summer’s Games in China. Not much time then for
cats. Compared to this the Yngling is so dull and this is
getting up to speed in the Extreme 40, you might think.
such a contrast. We have a ball on board. I have taken guests on all kinds of boats but nothing compares to the
But Robertson did not get to where she is today – and
experience that they get on the Extreme 40.”
she is one of the two most successful female Olympic sailors of all time — without an almost unquenchable
Moving to two hulls
appetite for racing and competition. And the Extreme
For Robertson the 40-foot high-performance multihull
40s are proving the ideal ‘fix’. What’s more, and this
is a dramatic change of gear after spending almost her
really stands out when you speak to her about the
entire sailing life going relatively slowly in search of
forthcoming 2008 iShares Cup, Robertson loves the
Olympic glory. After the ponderous Yngling, in which
class and says she has never had so much fun in boats
Robertson clinched gold at the Athens Games in 2004,
as in the radical Yves Loday-designed catamarans
the lightweight Extreme 40 came as something of
manufactured by TornadoSport.
a shock as she set about learning new techniques and taking on a completely new set of seamanship
That’s why Robertson is returning to the iShares Cup
challenges. She remembers that on her first day in the
Extreme 40 Sailing Series after making her debut last
boat she was more than just nervous. “I was terrified
year, when she skippered JPMorgan Asset Management
on the first day, absolutely terrified,” she jokes. “But
at the regattas at Skandia Cowes Week and Amsterdam.
it was also a refreshing relief to go and do something
The chance to revisit those — at times hair-raising —
completely different. This was turn-key sailing with
experiences was too good to pass up and she is back
none of the grief associated with campaigning boats in
this season once again at the helm of JPMorgan Asset
the Olympics and I really enjoyed it.”
Management. Two of her crew from last time, Fraser Brown (mainsheet) and Nick Hutton (bow), will again
She admits that despite her huge experience in sailing,
race with her with a new third team member Chris Main,
the 40 required her to start again from scratch. But
who will call tactics.
then, as she points out, all the sailors who have
17 PHOTO: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
EXTREME | SKIPPER
Taking on the boys (cont) raced them have tackled a steep learning curve. “They are really tricky boats but I think they are tricky for everyone, even the experienced multihull sailors,” she explains. “When the boat is down-speed, it behaves a bit like a keelboat. And then when it’s going, it’s going like a train. So even some of the Tornado sailors were
I always think it’s a bit like one of those computer games. You know, you just manage to escape one enormous crash and then there is something else coming to get you.
struggling to gauge crosses [when two boats meet]. It’s
- SHIRLEY ROBERTSON
really hard. The angles are difficult; sometimes you get it right and sometimes you get it horribly wrong. However, when Robertson and her team travelled to
instinct than considered judgement, “Normally you can
“One of the interesting things is that on the Extreme
the more restricted venue at Amsterdam, well, all hell
see the waves but you couldn’t see anything and you
40 what is going to happen to you next is in front of
broke loose. JPMorgan Asset Management and its
just had to react,” she explains.
you,” she continues, “whereas with the Yngling it all
crew found themselves involved in crashes with other
just happens and you can’t do anything about it. So
boats, collisions with vessels moored on the edge of the
This year Robertson will be looking for a strong showing
that takes a bit of adjusting to, just getting your eye in.
course and a ‘coming together’ with a RIB. It was whizz-
in the iShares Series but knows it is going to be tough
But then again, a lot of the skills are the same; you’ve
bang-wallop stuff and great fun for those watching but
with some very experienced crews to race against.
got to work with your team, you’ve got to play to your
hard on the nerves of the JPMorgan Asset Management
“Last year it was a foregone conclusion that Team
strengths. I was certainly the most inexperienced on our
skipper, who discovered just how hard it was to tame
Basilica would win,” she explains. “They were certainly
boat, which was good. It made me hungry, it made me
and handle the raw power of the Extreme 40 in a
the best prepared of everyone but I think this year the
enjoy it a bit more and I had a big smile on my face — I
confined area.
bar will be raised and the sailing space we will see at the 2008 venues is getting smaller and smaller, so it’s
just loved it.” “I always think it’s a bit like one of those computer
going to be different.”
Boy racer
games. You know, you just manage to escape one
Robertson’s first regatta at her hometown of Cowes
enormous crash and then there is something else
Although the team on JPMorgan Asset Management will
earned her a reputation as a bit of a “boy-racer” as she
coming to get you. It’s just one after another and it never
be racing hard, Robertson will be looking to have some
threw herself into the fight with the innocent abandon
stops. There are loads of near-misses and maybes, but
fun as well, both with her crew and with her on-board
of the novice. JPMorgan Asset Management flew its hull
that’s what makes it great.”
guests. Last year she enjoyed the banter with Brown and Hutton and more of the same can expected this
higher than her rivals and Robertson felt uninhibited in Racing in the centre of the city made it hard for the
time round. “There’s plenty of cheek on board,” she says
of “run-off” room in case it all goes wrong. The team
sailors to see what was happening on the water with
laughing. “They call me ‘mummy’ or ‘Queen of Cowes’
emerged a creditable third overall, finishing just a point
high buildings close-by making the wind difficult to
but it’s nice to sail with some of the lads.”
off second.
read. Robertson found herself having to react more on
PHOTOS: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
the wide open spaces of the Solent, which offer plenty
18
Pushed to the
limits DAVID CARR
PHOTO: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
Ever wondered what it’s like to crew a high powered Extreme 40? David Carr gives us an on board view from these adrenalinepumping, exhausting speed machines during a fast and furious iShares Cup race.
BANG! The five-minute warning gun is fired and our team of four sailors switches into race mode on board our Extreme 40. We have five minutes to prepare for the start of a 15-minute race – a race that will push us to the limits of our physical powers and test our tactical capabilities against the best sailors in the world.
EXTREME | CREW
Pushed to the limits (cont) It’s time to focus – each sailor on board has a very
trimmer is pulling the jib sheet (the rope which controls
from going underwater which could cause the dreaded
different job to perform during the race but teamwork
the sail) in on his winch.
Extreme 40 cartwheel!
together. Each team’s boat is identical so to gain a speed
BANG! The start gun is fired and our boat shoots off up
When the helm has the boat under control again he
advantage over our rivals we must pick out any gusts
the course. The feeling of acceleration in these boats
yells ‘Hoist!’ and three of us work together to pull
of wind to sail into. A good pre-race strategy is very
in unrivalled — if you are standing up, you often need
on the gennaker halyard as quickly as possible. In
important and means all the boys on board are working
to brace yourself to keep from falling over as the boat
seconds the huge downwind sail is up, propelling the
together to achieve the same thing — once we are on
takes off from under you.
boat down to the next mark. It takes great co-ordination
is paramount and as a group we need to get a race plan
the racetrack there won’t be any time to think as we put our plan into action. Everyone’s watch on board is counting down the start-
One of the hulls lifts out of the water, reducing drag, and our boat bursts into action.
and power from our team to get the gennaker up and properly trimmed — if we do it well a good hoist can gain us places. As we smoke down the course we continually adjust
time. Races are won and lost in the pre-start positioning and our opponents will be trying to push past us to get
The chat onboard dies down so the helmsman can keep
the gennaker, keeping the boat fully powered up and
a perfect, clear spot. As we get closer to the start gun
talking to the sail trimmers about the boat’s speed and
maximising our speed. The gennaker sheet is loaded
all the Extreme 40s are rafted up next to each other
overall performance. With such short, intense races, the
with pressure and needs to be winched in short sharp
jostling for position. Sailors are shouting to other boats
first minutes after the start are key and will have a big
bursts. By the end of the downwind leg our bowman’s
— using the racing rules of sailing to try and outwit each
impact on our finishing position.
forearms are searing with lactic acid, and aching from non-stop grinding.
other — sails are flapping and winches whirring. Going upwind the bowman will be trying to read the
Final countdown
wind on the water, painting a picture of what is going on
BANG! The one-minute warning gun is fired and our
up the track, while the mainsheet trimmer is constantly
helmsman who drives the boat has to manoeuvre
checking on the other boats. Navigating an Extreme 40
towards the start. He wants to be exactly on the line,
is tactically challenging as the action is so fast-paced
moving at maximum speed, when the race starts. This
decisions need to be made without any hesitation.
is a real test of his skill at judging time and distance, and our team communication, as he calls for the sails to
“Tacking!” calls our helmsman, as the Extreme 40 starts
be trimmed to make the boat go faster or slower so that
to turn through the wind. The two trimmers sprint to
the boat crosses the line at the perfect time — too early,
the other side of the boat, frantically grinding on their
and you have to go back!
winches and hydraulic handles to get their sails back in acceleration mode. The boat slows for a moment as both
With 10 seconds to go before the start, there is an
hulls touch down into the water, before picking up speed
explosion of energy as every member of the team helps
as she flies off on her new course.
pull the sails in to get the boat up to maximum speed. The sails are effectively the engine providing the power
Neck-and-neck
and the sail trimmers work the sheets like working
All the boats get to the first turning mark at around
through the gears on a car to reach maximum speed.
the same time, and with so many boats in one place
The helmsman, holding the carbon tiller, is focused on
there’s potential for some big crashes. We’re now
the starting line and the other boats around him. The
neck-and-neck with two other teams and our gennaker
mainsheet trimmer, who controls the biggest sail on
hoist becomes a super important part of this race. As
the boat, is pumping the hydraulic handle to get the
the helmsman steers around the mark and away from
mainsail trimmed for perfect acceleration. The bowman
the wind the rest of the team rush to the back corner
is standing over the top of the traveller winch, turning
of the boat, leaning our bodyweight as far out as we
the handle in a flurry of speed, while the jib/gennaker
can, trying to stop the nose – or bows – of the boat
20
To get to the bottom mark we need to gybe a couple of
fight the huge 78 square-metre gennaker back onto the
times, this manoeuvre requires the biggest burst of
deck. The bowman is on the low side of the boat next to
energy. First we need to furl the gennaker as the boat
the water as they go around the mark and often drinks
turns, then once the wind is coming across the boat
down a few waves whilst trying to wrestle the sail
from its new side we pull on the new gennaker sheet
under control.
as quickly as possible to get the sail back out again. The crew grab the ropes and sprint from one side of the
By now the entire crew are heavily sucking in air,
boat to the other. There are people running everywhere
struggling to talk as we discuss our tactics heading out
and arms fly all over the place. Quite often someone
on the second lap. This lap is the same as the first, as
on the team ends up flat on his back on the springy
we nip and tuck all the way round — our boat handling
trampoline, having taken an elbow in the face. In the
and fitness tested like in no other form of sailing. We
chaos, sailors have even run straight off the side of the
power back down towards the finish line at 30 knots,
boat and into the water as the boat moves so quickly
the whole fleet coming in with just 30 seconds between
underneath them!
first and last, crossing the line nose to tail. As we finish the lads collapse onto the trampoline, snatching a few
As the Extreme 40s stream into the second mark
minutes to recover before starting the next race. We
the gennaker is furled away. Our helmsman and the
know the next 5-minute warning signal is not far away
mainsail trimmer concentrate on the boat’s speed and
and we may be tired now, but that was just the first race
positioning, whilst our bowman and the jib trimmer
of five for the day!
PHOTOS: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
EXTREME | EXPERIENCE
Best seat in the house ROB HODGETTS
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The Extreme 40 catamarans each carry four crew, and one lucky ‘fifth man’. BBC Sport Online’s journalist Rob Hodgetts got a chance to experience the ultimate VIP sailing trip.
Imagine the bounciest bouncy castle,
on desperately. He’s spluttering but, miraculously, his
a bucking bronco that rears 20ft high
glasses are still on. But we’re going too fast to haul him
and the wettest, wildest log flume in
in so we let him go, to be picked up by the RIB (rigid
the world. Welcome to Extreme 40
inflatable boat) which is trailing us. The RIB later delivers
catamaran sailing. What a rush.
the dripping Charlie back to us. “Sorry about that,” he says. “I flew into the air and when I came back down the
I’m racing with Australian Nick Moloney,
boat had gone.”
who is skippering the Extreme 40 BT this season, and is a three–time round-
We hoist the gennaker and accelerate down the swells.
the-world veteran. “You alright with the ‘f’ word?” he
The sensation of speed as the ocean rushes between
asks me in his Aussie drawl as we slip the dock.
the hulls is awesome. But with it comes the waterworks - it’s like sitting in front of a giant fire hose. Our speed
Crewmen Charles Darbyshire, Dave “Freddie” Carr and
nudges 26 knots - plenty fast enough to water ski
Alec Fraser ready the boat, while I keep out of the way.
behind - and even the pros are having fun.
There’s a calm but businesslike air on board. “Looking forward to coming second?” I shout across to
But the whoops and hollers are silenced by a volley
Dame Ellen MacArthur, who is skippering another of the
of “nautical” language from Nick. He can’t control the
Extreme 40s for the day. “Not a chance,” she fires back.
steering. And without that, at these speeds and with so much sail up, we’re in big trouble. “Freddie, help me here,
“Ten minutes to our gun,” says Charlie. The tension
I can’t hold it,” he screams.
mounts. “Five minutes,” warns Charlie. We turn for the line and make a late run. “Full knacker here guys,”
Surfing down the steep waves, the danger is that the
shouts Nick from his perch at the stern. We accelerate
leeward hull will dig into the wave in front and stick,
smoothly, deceptively and the windward hull lifts,
causing us to “pitch-pole”, the same as going over
leaving the five of us perched high in the air. “Ellen’s
the handlebars on your bike. Soon, Nick’s shouting
leading,” says Charlie. “Can’t have that,” fires back Nick.
again. One of the two rudders has lifted and two crew dive onto the tiller bar to help steer. The fourth time it
Man overboard!
happens, something breaks and we have to raise the
The boat hums and creaks and the crew keep up a
rudder altogether.
constant dialogue — where’s the best wind, when to tack, where is the opposition? The communication,
The leading Extreme 40s are too far gone to catch but
teamwork, leadership and camaraderie are inspiring.
we press on to cross the line. Even for pro skipper Nick, that was clearly quite a big day on the water. “There
“We’ve got good pace here boys. We’re dropping Basilica
were times when I was wondering where the limit was,”
like third grade French,” says Alec. We seem to be
he says afterwards, “and sorry we couldn’t give you any
gaining on the leaders until we make a hash of a tack
quotes without swearing.”
and are hit by three waves in succession. There’s a mound of bodies, and when we disentangle ourselves,
No flaming worries, mate. You’ve given me the flipping
Charlie is missing.
ride of my life.
Nick cries the dreaded “Man overboard!” and we all lunge over the side to grab a piece of Charlie as he clings PHOTO TOP: JEAN-MARIE LIOT / DPPI / OC EVENTS PHOTO ABOVE: PHILIPPE MILLEREAU / DPPI / OC EVENTS
A version of this article first appeared on the BBC Sport website on 24
PHOTO: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
June 2007 after Rob took part in the 2007 JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race.
23
EXTREME | ACTION
CLOSE UP
iShares Cup action captured on camera
PHOTO: PHILIPPE MILLEREAU / DPPI / OC EVENTS
25
EXTREME | ACTION
Above / The bows lift as Volvo Ocean Race punches through the swell at Marseilles.
26
PHOTO: THIERRY SERAY / DPPI / OC EVENTS
PHOTO: VINCENT CURUTCHET / DPPI / OC EVENTS Above / The BT crew strain to keep their Extreme 40 upright, as they soar higher and higher on one hull.
27
EXTREME | ACTION
PHOTO: VINCENT CURUTCHET / DPPI / OC EVENTS
Above left / The crew of Basilica celebrate winning the 2007 iShares Cup. Left / Racing right in the heart of the city for the series finale at Amsterdam. PHOTO: VINCENT CURUTCHET / OC EVENTS / DPPI
28
PHOTO: PAUL WYETH / WWW.PWPICTURES.COM Above / VIP guests enjoy a wet ride on board JPMorgan Asset Management.
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EXTREME | BOAT
THE CREW
Upwind
1. HELMSMAN: Steers the boat using extended tiller arm 2. MAINSHEET TRIMMER: Controls the biggest sail on the boat and how much horsepower the boat can handle 3. HEADSAIL TRIMMER: Controls the small triangular sail (jib) which is used to find balance and build speed 4. Bow crew: Super agile crew at front of boat, deploying and retrieving sails 5. FIFTH MAN: A place set aside for a VIP guest
Mainsail: The powerhouse of the boat — about the same area as a 5-star hotel suite!
Jib: Used for upwind sailing, made from a fibre called 3DL which has strands of carbon fibre and Kevlar (an incredibly light, strong fibre used in flak-jackets)
BOOM: Horizontal pole which extends out from the mast along the bottom of the mainsail, and helps pull the sail in and out
5 4 3 2 1
RUDDERS: Steering fins at the back which are attached to a stick called a tiller. There are two because, as the boat heels over, one rudder often lifts out of the water
DAGGERBOARD: Fin near the middle of each hull, designed to stop the catamaran from going sideways
Speed
Machines
The creators of the Extreme 40 took the biggest, fastest sailing boat in the Olympics — then made it twice as big and even faster. Yachting journalist Louay Habib found out what makes these high-tech speed machines so exciting. “The concept of Extreme 40 is to bring the sailing to the
about the same as a Mini Cooper. The finished boat fits
public and not the other way round,” explains Herbert
inside a standard 40ft shipping container, and the crew
Dercksen, CEO of TornadoSport, which developed the
can assemble it in just a few hours – then just add water
40ft catamaran in 2005 and build the boats. “The
for instant fun!
Extreme 40s are incredibly exciting to watch and we placed great emphasis on enjoyment for the spectators,
Faster than the wind
to try to give them the thrill of what it is like to sail the
There is no similar fleet of racing yachts that can match
Extreme 40.
the Extreme 40 for speed or spectacle; the boats do
Hydraulic vang: Used to pull down the boom to boost mainsail performance, this system can handle 8 tons of pressure
not have keels so they can race in shallow water, giving “The origins of the Extreme 40 are the Olympic Class
spectators a ring-side seat to some explosive action.
Catamaran, the Tornado. Yves Loday, the designer,
The racing rules also allow for a passenger on board for
is an Olympic Tornado medalist and both I and Mitch
the thrill of a lifetime. Dercksen explains, “The Extreme
Booth, who were involved from the start, have a lot of
40 is capable of reaching speeds of 40 knots, if you
experience in the Tornado. Basically, the Extreme 40 is
want an idea of what that feels like it is like putting your
a scaled-up version of the Tornado, it is just twice as big
head out of the window in a car when it is raining at
and incredibly fast.”
45mph (73kph)! Also, the Extreme 40 often flies a hull, sometimes over three metres above the water, giving
Formula 1 sailing
the sensation of gliding like a bird.”
The Extreme 40 is almost totally made out of two layers
Mainsail traveller: A track which is attached to the end of the mainsail and stretches between the two hulls to adjust the angle of the mainsail to the wind
Winches: Metal turning drums which take the huge loads when trimming the sails
PHOTOS (INC OVER PAGE): VINCENT CURUTCHET / DPPI / OC EVENTS
of carbon fibre, divided by an inner honeycomb core
Due to the stiff structure, the sails can be put under
called Nomex. This method of construction is very
huge tension. Add wind and very little friction with
similar to the way Formula 1 racing cars are built — but
the water and an Extreme 40 literally takes off like an
a Formula 1 car isn’t 40ft long and 62ft tall!
airplane. In just 15 knots of wind, an Extreme 40 is
The carbon fibre hulls, mast and other structures are
capable of traveling at over 25 knots — that sounds
assembled using a type of carbon fibre called ‘pre-preg’,
impossible but Herbert explains how it can be: “If you
which are strips of carbon fibre impregnated with a
get on a push-bike on a still day and start pedaling,
special resin. When the boat is being assembled, the
the faster you go the more wind you feel on your face.
structures are baked in a huge high-pressure oven
This wind is created by your speed; sailors call it the
called an autoclave. The very high heat and pressure act
apparent wind. The sails are designed and are adjusted
as catalysts causing the resin to harden, which makes
by the crew to harness this wind and use it to increase
the whole structure incredibly strong and stiff but also
the boat’s speed.”
very light. The whole boat — including sails — weighs
And the harder the wind blows, the faster the boats go!
SPECIFICATIONS LENGTH: 12.19m (40ft)
SAIL AREA: Mainsail 75sq m
WIDTH: 7.92m (26ft)
Jib 25sq m
HEIGHT: 18.9m (62ft)
Gennaker 78sq m
TOP SPEED: 40 knots
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EXTREME | BOAT Gennaker: This rolls away upwind when not in use, but downwind it’s the driving force for incredible boat speeds and it’s even bigger than the mainsail
Downwind Mast: 62ft (18.9m) high, and made in two sections. The stiffness varies along its length to allow the mast shape to be altered to increase performance. It can also rotate to improve main sail performance
Trampoline: Held taut between the two hulls and made of lightweight but tough nylon mesh, this allows the crew to move from side to side
Hulls: 40ft long to fit in a standard container for easy transportation
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EXTREME | TEAMS
Runners and Riders Ten teams, featuring 40 of the most talented sailors in the sport, will line up for the 2008 iShares Cup. Here’s your essential form guide on who to watch out for this season. Extreme 40 catamarans are unlike any other boats around, and iShares Cup racing is completely different from any other kind of sailing regatta, so the teams taking part need a unique set of skills. The 10 crews in this year’s iShares Cup include Olympic gold medallists, world champions, America’s Cup winners, record-breaking round the world racers and offshore solo stars. There are talented young sailors barely out of their teens, and highly experienced skippers with decades of top-level competition
Alinghi Team Aqua BT Holmatro iShares JPMorgan Asset Management Oman Sail TEAMORIGIN Tommy Hilfiger Volvo Ocean Race
behind them. Some have come from the world of high-speed skiff racing, some from the tactical battleground of match racing, and some have sailed thousands of miles in some of the most powerful racing yachts around. But they all have one thing in common: they want to win on the fast and furious iShares Cup circuit.
iShares Cup sailors: in figures
Joining these professional sailors in each race will be a ‘fifth man’ — one
29 world champions
lucky guest or VIP who will have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of joining a top-level professional crew. That’s like going for a kick-about with Ronaldo, a quick round of golf with Tiger Woods, or riding passenger to Lewis Hamilton for a few laps of the Grand Prix.
18 America’s Cup campaigns 8 Olympic sailors, who have won 4 medals 17 world records 9 nationalities
PHOTO: JEAN-MARIE LIOT / DPPI / OC EVENTS
PHOTO: PHILIPPE MILLEREAU / DPPI / OC EVENTS
PHOTO: THIERRY SERAY / DPPI / OC EVENTS
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EXTREME | TEAMS
Alinghi With the next America’s Cup looking set to take place in multihulls, the two-time Swiss Defender Alinghi will be putting their cat-sailing skills to the test in this year’s iShares Cup. America’s Cup-winning helmsman Ed Baird will skipper the Extreme 40 with a star-studded Alinghi cast. About the team: American Ed Baird’s glittering career has seen him reach the top of his game in both match racing and round the world Boat Sponsor: Alinghi
ocean races. Winning the 2007 America’s Cup with Alinghi was actually his fourth campaign for the ‘Auld Mug’ for the
2007 Position: New for 2008
former world match racing No.1. Baird has also won eight world championship titles.
Team Nationality: Swiss Colours: White
On the bow of the Alinghi catamaran will be Pieter Van Nieuwenhuyzen, a double America’s Cup winner and double
Boat Launch Year: 2005
Whitbread Round the World sailor. The mainsheet trimmer is New Zealander Rodney Ardern, another two-time Cup
Skipper: Ed Baird (USA)
victor, who mixes up his sailing with challenging events like the Swedish Classic – a combined cross-country skiing,
Crew: Pieter Van Nieuwenhuyzen (NED),
cycling, running and swimming event not for the faint-hearted. Italian Lorenzo Mazza also trims — a fellow multiple
Rodney Ardern (NZL), Lorenzo Mazza (ITA)
Cup winner and extreme sports enthusiast, who includes paragliding among his hobbies and ‘staying in one piece’
Web: www.alinghi.com
among his lifetime achievements!
Team Aqua
PHOTO: CARLO BORLENGHI/ALINGHI
Team Aqua brings a new boat and a new team to the iShares Cup in 2008. This professional international sailing team was formed in 2007 and competes in a variety of racing projects. Cameron Appleton is skippering the boat, joined by existing Team Aqua members, plus some new additions with specialist Extreme 40 experience. About the team: There’s a strong Kiwi contingent on board Team Aqua, with former Team New Zealand America’s Cup sailor Cameron Appleton taking on the role of skipper. Appleton is joined by fellow countryman Andrew Estcourt, who has won championships in boats varying from two man skiffs to Melges keelboats, and will be one Team Aqua’s trimmers. British-born Jim Turner is the second
Boat Sponsor: Team Aqua
trimmer — and an honorary Kiwi, as he lives in Auckland. Jim has competed in two America’s Cup
2007 Position: New for 2008
campaigns, and is also a double world, European and British national champion in the Fireball
Team Nationality: British
dinghy class.
Colours: Black Boat Launch Year: 2008
Brit Alister Richardson brings Extreme 40 experience to the crew. A top International 14 and 49er skiff
Skipper: Cameron Appleton (NZL)
sailor, Richardson helmed in the very first Extreme 40 races two years ago and will drive Team Aqua.
Crew: Alister Richardson (GBR), Jim Turner (GBR), Andrew Estcourt (NZL), Dan Johnson (GBR),
Team Aqua will be hoping to add success in the iShares Cup to their victory in the 2007 RC44
Jonathon Taylor (GBR)
Championship Tour — an international regatta circuit for one-design keelboats.
Web: www.teamaqua.org
BT Boat Sponsor: BT 2007 Position: 3rd Team Nationality: European Colours: Indigo Boat Launch Year: 2007 Skipper: Nick Moloney (AUS) Crew: Andrew Walsh (GBR), Ed Barney (GBR), Steve Mitchell (GBR) Web: www.btteamellen.com/btextreme40
BT are title partner to BT Team Ellen, which includes Ellen MacArthur and Seb Josse. The communications provider has put its name to the team’s Extreme 40 for the 2008 iShares Cup season of racing. BT made its Extreme 40 debut at the 2007 iShares Cup, when the team finished third. Nick Moloney will skipper BT in a bid to win the iShares Cup, joined by a top British crew.
About the team: Nick Moloney has a wealth of experience to his name including sailing campaigns in inshore, offshore, crewed and solo-sailing disciplines. An America’s Cup sailor, Moloney has also circumnavigated the globe three times. The first during the Whitbread Round the World Race 1997-1998, the second when he was part of the 2002 Jules Verne record-breaking crew, and the third during the 2004-2005 solo non-stop round the world Vendée Globe. Andrew Walsh will take the helm of BT. Andrew is a former youth European champion in the Laser dinghy, as well as a national Tornado champion. He’s joined by his top Tornado crew Ed Barney, who takes the role of trimmer. The fourth member of the team is Steve Mitchell, a double Star world champion crew who represented Britain at the 2004 Athens Olympics in the keelboat class. Steve will be running the front of the BT Extreme 40, as bowman and mastman.
35 PHOTO: THMARTINEZ / SEA&CO / BT TEAM ELLEN
EXTREME | TEAMS
Holmatro Making a return to the circuit following a successful season in 2007 is the Dutch Holmatro team, which finished runnersup last year. Austrian multiple cat racing champion Andreas Hagara will helm the distinctive orange boat, with a talented Dutch and Austrian crew. About the team: Andreas Hagara is a former Tornado world champion, and five times European champion in catamaran classes (Tornado, Hobie 18 and Hobie 16), so is well placed to take the helm of the Extreme 40. This will be Hagara’s third season in the class, having sailed the 40ft cats since 2006, including competing at two iShares events last season. Dutch sailor Mischa Heemskerk will take the role of mainsheet trimmer and tactician on board Holmatro. Heemskerk has twice won Round Texel, the world’s biggest catamaran race, held each year off the eponymous Dutch island. Sander Speet is the jib and gennaker trimmer, and brings plenty of yacht racing experience having sailed for the Holmatro team at the 2004 Commodores’ Cup, Spi Ouest, France and Skandia Cowes Week. Austrian Gerd Habermuller is the team’s mastman and grinder. He’ll certainly be used to the fitness training required for these hardworking roles, having been an athletics coach for two Olympic Games, as well as a bobsleigh competitor at the 1998 and 2002 Winter Games — well suited to the acceleration of an Extreme 40!
Boat Sponsor: N.V. Holmatro 2007 Position: 2nd Team Nationality: Dutch Colours: Orange (and dark grey) Boat Launch Year: 2005 Skipper: Andreas Hagara (AUT) Crew: Sander Speet (NED), Gerd Habermuller (AUT), Mischa Heemskerk (NED) Web: www.teamholmatro.com
36 PHOTO: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
Boat Sponsor: iShares 2007 Position: New for 2008 Team Nationality: European Colours: Black Boat Launch Year: 2005 Skipper: Hugh Styles (GBR) Crew: Hugh Fletcher (GBR), Adam Piggot (GBR), Gerhard Van Geest (NED) Web: www.iSharesCup.com, www.iShares.eu
PHOTO: JAN PEHRSON / ISHARES
iShares About the team: Hugh Styles represented Britain at the 2000 Olympic Games in the Tornado catamaran class, and has coached several Olympic sailors since. He has plenty of experience in the Extreme 40, having managed two iShares Cup boats in last year’s series, as well as crewing on board.
This season will see title partner iShares host a team in the iShares Cup for the first time. iShares will be skippered by British former Olympic Tornado sailor Hugh Styles and consist of a core talented crew. The team will be joined by famous local sailors as guest crew, or celebrities taking the role of ‘fifth man’, at each stop on the circuit.
Two Brits and a Dutch sailor make up the core crew on iShares. Hugh Fletcher also projectmanaged and sailed an Extreme 40 throughout last year’s iShares circuit, and is an experienced yacht sailor and campaign manager. Bowman Adam is just 19 years old but has already sailed an impressive collection of top-performance cats — including being the youngest competitor in the famous Round Texel Race and top youth sailor at the Tornado nationals. Gerhard Van Geest has an international multihull racing background, having won Nacra catamaran world championships and Round Texel. He is also a keen kitesurfer, and has even kiteboarded across the North Sea in nine hours for a record attempt.
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EXTREME | TEAMS Boat Sponsor: JPMorgan Asset Management 2007 Position: 8th Team Nationality: British Colours: Black Boat Launch Year: 2008 Skipper: Shirley Robertson (GBR) Crew: Fraser Brown (NZL), Nick Hutton (GBR), Chris Main (NZL) Web: www.jpmorganassetmanagement.co.uk
PHOTO: VINCENT CURUTCHET / DPPI / OC EVENTS
Team Origin TEAMORIGIN, the British Challenger for the next multi-challenger America’s Cup, will be lining up in this year’s series. Current iShares Cup champion Robert Greenhalgh — who skippered the winning boat on last year’s circuit — leads the team, joined by key members of the British Cup squad. About the team: Rob Greenhalgh was skipper and helmsman of Basilica,
mainsheet and calling tactics for his brother Rob.
the overall circuit winner of the 2007 iShares Cup, as
Frenchman Julian Cressant is the team’s trimmer, and
well as winner of each event last year. When it comes
has been a sought-after crew member on the ORMA
to sailing Rob is the ultimate speed demon, counting
multihull circuit.
Boat Sponsor: TEAMORIGIN
successes in boats both big and small — including
2007 Position: New for 2008
taking the 2004 18ft Skiff world championship crown,
Matt Cornwell is running the bow for TEAMORIGIN. Matt
Team Nationality: British
and winning the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race helming
has competed in two America’s Cup campaigns, and
Colours: Dark blue
ABN AMRO One — the common factor being that they
has scored victories in the Fastnet and Sydney Hobart
Boat Launch Year: 2005
are all powerful, and very, very fast!
offshore races.
Crew: Peter Greenhalgh (GBR),
Rob’s elder brother Peter Greenhalgh also crewed last
Mike Heffer will be running the logistics side of the
Julian Cressant (FRA),
year’s winning Extreme 40, and has campaigned a
TEAMORIGIN Extreme 40 campaign, providing shore
Matt Cornwell (GBR)
49er skiff on the Olympic circuit. He’ll be trimming the
support on the European tour.
Skipper: Rob Greenhalgh
Web: www.teamorigin.com
PHOTO: IAN ROMAN / TEAMORIGIN
JPMorgan Asset Management JPMorgan Asset Management Extreme 40 is unique among the 2008 entries, as the only boat with a female skipper. Double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson returns to the helm having competed in two events at last year’s iShares Cup, joined by some of last year’s crew as well as some talented new faces. About the team: Shirley Robertson is Britain’s all-time greatest
Fraser Brown returns to the crew of
Bowman and trimmer Nick Hutton is another
female Olympic sailor, having won back-to-
JPMorgan Asset Management as mainsheet
returning member of the JPMorgan team,
back gold medals at the Sydney Games in
and traveller trimmer. Fraser is a maxi cat
having sailed with Shirley at Skandia Cowes
2000 (in the Europe dinghy) and Athens in
specialist, having won the Oryx Quest Round
Week and Amsterdam last year. When he’s not
2004 (in the Yngling keelboat). The Scot now
the World Race in 2005, set a Jules Verne
on the front of a high performance boat, Nick
combines her busy sailing schedule with life
non-stop circumnavigation record on the
can usually be found kite boarding.
as mother of twins, and work as a TV presenter.
giant Cheyenne in 2004, and set four records
She is stepping back to the tiller of JPMorgan
on the famous Maiden. He has been racing
The fourth member of crew is former America’s
Asset Management, having first skippered
Extreme 40s since 2006.
Cup sailor Chris Main, who’ll be calling tactics
the Extreme 40 at last year’s Cowes and
for Shirley.
Oman Sail
Amsterdam iShares events.
A brand new team this year is the Oman Sail Challenge, backed by the Sultanate of Oman as part of a larger sailing project to re-ignite the country’s maritime heritage. The crew will begin the series made up of international pro sailors, but with an increasing presence of Omani sailors as the campaign progresses.
Boat Sponsor: The Sultanate of Oman 2007 Position: New for 2008 Team Nationality: Omani Colours: White, Red & Green Boat Launch Year: 2005 Skipper: Pete Cumming (GBR) Crew: Chris Draper (GBR), Mark Bulkeley (GBR),
About the team:
David Carr (GBR), joined by
The Oman Sail Challenge will kick off with Pete
As the season progresses they will be joined
Oman Sail Team
Cumming as the boat’s skipper and trimmer.
by Omani crew who have been selected after
Web: www.omansail.com
Olympic bronze medallist Chris Draper will helm,
an arduous land and sea assessment and have
having made the switch from the 49er skiff
undergone intensive sail training.
class. Mark Bulkeley, who represented Britain in the Tornado catamaran at the 2004 Olympic
The team will be promoting Oman as a world-
Games, is mainsheet trimmer and tactician, with
class sailing destination – it will be home to a
experienced Extreme 40 and America’s Cup crew
spectacular International Festival of the Sea in
David ‘Freddie’ Carr on the bow.
Muscat in 2010 – and a place for investment, business and leisure.
EXTREME | TEAMS
Tommy Hilfiger
Boat Sponsor: Tommy Hilfiger 2007 Position: 4th Team Nationality: USA and Dutch Colours: Metallic Silver Boat Launch Year: 2007 Skipper: Randy Smyth (USA) Crew: Stan Schreyer (USA), Jonathan
Tommy Hilfiger return to the iShares Cup for 2008, having been a strong contender throughout the 2007 series. This team reunites three of last year’s crew with skipper Randy Smyth.
Farrar (USA), Mark van Gelderen (NED) Web: www.tommy.com
About the team: American skipper Randy Smyth returns to the Extreme
team for 11 years — and enjoys other all-American
40 class after last year’s iShares Cup Amsterdam
pursuits such as baseball and Nascar driving.
event, and raced at the front of the fleet the previous
Fellow American Stan Schreyer is the team’s trimmer,
year. Randy counts an astonishing 58 national and
and was previously a top university sailor, earning
world championship wins in mutihulls, as well as
All-American honours.
winning an Olympic silver medal in 1984 and the America’s Cup in ’88.
Dutch bowman Mark van Gelderen brings a European touch to this trans-Atlantic team — in fact he’s sailed
Jonathan Farrar is Tommy Hilfiger’s tactician and
‘across the Pond’ no fewer than 10 times.
mainsail trimmer. Jonathan has been on the US sailing PHOTOS: THIERRY SERAY / DPPI / OC EVENTS
Volvo Ocean Race The Volvo Ocean Race Extreme 40 team is a largely Dutch crew who’ll be looking for a big finish at the finale in Amsterdam. Skipper Herbert Dercksen is a catamaran world champion, joined by an experienced crew with plenty of ocean miles under their belts. They represent the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race, a multi-stage offshore race around the world. About the team: Herbert Derksen has won three world titles in cat classes, and has twice competed at the Olympics — finishing ninth at Atlanta and fifth — in the Tornado. Crew Gerd-Jan Poortman, Simeon Tienpont and Arend van Bergeijk have each completed gruelling Volvo Ocean Race or Whitbread Round the World Races. Arend van Bergeijk will be trimming the mainsail and traveller, while Gerd-Jan Poortman is the team’s jib and gennaker trimmer. Simeon Tienpont provides the muscle on the boat as the team’s grinder.
Boat Sponsor: Volvo Ocean Race 2007 Position: 5th Team Nationality: Dutch Colours: Metallic Blue Boat Launch Year: 2008 Skipper: Herbert Dercksen (NED), Crew: Simeon Tienpont (NED), Gerd-Jan Poortman (NED), Arend van Bergeijk (NED) Web: www.volvooceanrace.org
EXTREME | STYLE Left / Musto’s Evolution range utilises the latest fabric technology available for ultra lightweight, waterproof and breathable sailing wear. This is the men’s Evolution Fleece jacket and ladies’ Soft Shell. Below / Musto Needles Polo Shirt and Black Rock Cargo Shorts.
Above /Asymmetric Fairwind knit and Atlantis Linen Trousers from the Musto 2008 casual range. Right / Classic nautical navy and white Atlantis Linen Shirt and Shorts.
PHOTOS: MUSTO LTD
42
Get the Contemporary nautical style for on board or on shore
look
Don’t miss a minute of the action — Omega’s Seamaster Aqua Terra Ladies’ watch has a mother-of-pearl dial featuring “Teack Concept” vertical lines, reminiscent of the deck of a luxury yacht, all set with a total of 55 diamonds. £4,850 (Available early 2009) www.omegawatches.com
Extreme 40 crews face a wet ride — Musto Match Trainers have a special Neoprene sock and side drainage to disperse water away. £60 www.musto.com
Protect your hands with Musto Long-Fingered Performance Gloves, with wraparound grip on fingers and palms. £22 www.musto.com
Keep your Champagne G.H. Mumm safe no matter how
Carry your essentials whilst watching the racing in
extreme the sport with
Musto Evolution Ladies Holdall, with special rubber feet
this brushed aluminium
so it won’t damage the deck. £25 www.musto.com
Traveller Tin. £23.99 www.mumm.com
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EXTREME | PARTNERS
44 PHOTO: JAN PEHRSON / ISHARES
About… iShares iShares funds unlock the gate to new investment opportunities At Barclays Global Investors (BGI) we are putting our long heritage of investment management innovation and expertise to work for our investors. We pioneered index strategy investment in the 1970s and since then constant innovation and customer focus have made us the world’s leading exchange traded funds provider*. We currently have over 321 iShares funds listed on major exchanges across the globe, with in excess of $400 billion in assets under management across our ETF range. In fact 50.5% of total ETF assets under management globally are invested in iShares funds. The expansion of the iShares fund range is driven by investor demand for instant, lowcost access to new investment opportunities across the world. We are continually adding new funds to our range, underlining our commitment to constantly broaden our clients’ investment choices through cost-effective investment vehicles and focusing our global iShares business on servicing local needs. As the world’s leading ETF provider and experienced asset manager we advise investors to check for specific risks and tax implications before investing in ETFs, and to be aware that the
PHOTO: LORIS VON SIEBENTHAL / DPPI / OC EVENTS
value of their investment may go up as well as down. iShares funds behave like any listed equity, they are traded on the local stock exchange and their performance aims to reflect that of the index. iShares’ broad range of ETFs and global reach appeals to all types of investors, allowing them to gain exposure to country, regional and broad based equities, fixed income, property and emerging markets at real-time prices during trading hours. With iShares ETFs investors can implement a wide range of investment strategies from core/satellite and tactical asset allocation, to using them as substitute for other instruments.
www.iShares.eu
Flexibility, versatility and costeffectiveness make iShares funds popular choices for both retail and professional investors
* Morgan Stanley report, January 2008 This document has been issued by Barclays Global Investors Limited (‘BGIL’), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (‘FSA’). ‘iShares’ is a registered trademark of Barclays Global Investors, N.A. All other trademarks, servicemarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2008 Barclays Global Investors Limited. Registered Company No. 00796793. All rights reserved.
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EXTREME | PARTNERS
Omega
Official Timekeeper Omega’s role as Official Timekeeper to the iShares Cup is the latest exciting chapter in the Swiss prestige watch company’s proud nautical history. The Omega Marine Chronometer wristwatch earned its place in the record books when it helped French sailing legend Eric Tabarly to victories in the OSTAR east-west transatlantic race in 1964 and again in 1976. Omega then remained closely associated with sailing as Official Timekeeper of the Transat 2004 and was sponsor of the America’s Cup 2007 competitor Emirates Team New Zealand. Omega is well represented by such exceptional sailors as Ellen MacArthur, Dean Barker and Mateusz Kusznierewicz, all of whom serve as Omega brand ambassadors, and the Omega Seamaster remains a popular choice among sailors in need of a highly precise, robust and reliable timepiece. In the wider world of sport Omega has been the Official Timekeeper to the Olympic Games since 1932, and through numerous partnership agreements at the top level of competition in various other sporting disciplines such as golf, athletics, swimming and bobsleigh. Omega has actively supported for many years the ideal of perfection and precision, personified by the brand’s sports ambassadors such as Michael Schumacher, Michael Phelps and Ernie Els. www.omegawatches.com
46 PHOTO: THIERRY SERAY / DPPI / OC EVENTS
Musto Official Clothing Partner
Famous for its contribution to world class yachting, from the Olympics to round the globe racing, Musto brings a unique heritage to the 2008 iShares Cup Series and is proud to be asked to contribute its expertise to the thrills and spills of inshore catamaran sailing, which has captured an international audience of millions. With America’s Cup contenders sharpening their wits – and their claws – in Extreme 40s, this contest of cats will be no holds barred, demanding the ultimate in skill and equipment. At each event, many of those out on the water will be wearing MPX Race kit, the choice of Nick Moloney aboard BT and Hugh Styles, who drives iShares. Waterproof, highly breathable and stripped out to save weight and windage, MPX Race provides the perfect level of protection, yet is able to cope with high levels of crew activity whatever the racing environment from the mid-summer Med to the Medina. Musto’s MPX Race range encompasses a jacket, smock, dry smock, salopettes and shorts. “Musto: achievement through adventure” www.musto.com
Champagne G.H. Mumm Official Champagne Partner Champagne G.H. Mumm has enjoyed an association with sailing and adventure for 180 years. Georges Mumm, the founder of the champagne house, sponsored sailing back in 1904 when his friend Captain Charcot became the first Frenchman to reach the Antarctic and celebrate with a glass of G.H. Mumm Champagne. Ever since, we have been committed as a brand to celebrate remarkable feats of determination, audacity, courage and passion and that’s exactly what all the competitors of iShares Cup are still doing. G.H. Mumm is delighted to be involved with the iShares Cup. Since the 1970s, Champagne G.H. Mumm has been closely involved with some of the most prestigious sailing events around the world including the Champagne G.H. Mumm Admirals Cup, the Vendée Globe, the Hermes G.H. Mumm Regatta, and events much closer to home such as Skandia Cowes Week. Yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur carries on the spirit of G.H.Mumm and the quest for extraordinary achievement, when she toasted her success in her record-breaking solo voyage of the globe. Similarly when she finished 2nd in the 2001 Vendée Globe, her champagne of choice was G.H. Mumm. Ellen and her team mate Nick Moloney join G.H. Mumm and its growing team of explorers and adventurers that are helping to promote the brand as the champagne with a spirit of adventure. Other ‘Friends of G.H. Mumm’ who have celebrated extraordinary achievements with Champagne G.H. Mumm include Bear Grylls, David Hempleman-Adams, Ewan MacGregor, Gordon Ramsay – and of course every Formula One Grand Prix winner since 2000! www.mumm.com PHOTO: MARK LLOYD / DPPI / OC EVENTS
EXTREME | ONLINE
Media Press and media users can sign up for updates, download all the latest digital content from the Online Media Centre by accrediting at http://media.iSharesCup.com About the organisers:
OC Events OC Events, part of the OC Group owned by Ellen MacArthur and Mark Turner, is responsible for organising the Extreme 40 sailing series. OC Events also organise The Artemis Transat — the oldest transatlantic solo race in history, first won by Sir Francis Chichester in 1960 — and in 2005 OC Events launched a new concept in offshore racing — the Barcelona World Race. This double-handed, non-stop, round the world race
Follow the iShares Cup
started on 11 November 2007 and saw nine IMOCA 60s battle their way around the planet. OC Events also established a circuit encompassing the Far East, when Ellen MacArthur completed the inaugural Asian Record Circuit onboard her record-breaking trimaran establishing eight new records via eight countries. www.ocevents.org About the class organisation:
TornadoSport TornadoSport originated the concept of the Extreme 40
Follow all the action, learn more about your favourite teams, get up-to-the minute news and results, and watch fantastic footage from the racing at the event website. You can sign up for email updates and view the website via your mobile phone. To find out more go to www.iSharesCup.com
and supply the boats. Since the class launched in 2005 the fleet has expanded, and TornadoSport have now built 14 Extreme 40 catamarans. www.tornadosport.com www.extreme40.org
Contact us OC Events t: +44 (0)970 063 0218 e: info@ocevents.org Event Communications Helen Fretter helenf@ocevents.org PR Emily Caroe emily@ocevents.org Events Manager Louise Close louise@ocevents.org
48 PHOTO: CARLO BORLENGHI/ALINGHI