Extreme 2009 by OC Sport

Contents 04 - On top of the sailing game

What is the iShares Cup about?

06 - Ticking all the boxes

Reasons behind the success

08 - 3, 2,1… Go!

The racing explained

10 - May we quote you? First hand impressions ©P.Contin/OC Events/DPPI

12 - Pan European Racing

The 2009 circuit in detail

18 - Up close and personal

Loïck Peyron, Mr Multihull

20 - The female factor

Meet the leading ladies

22 - Surviving the capsize

Peter Greenhalgh tells it like it is

24 - Zoom

The 2008 season in pictures

32 - Speed machines

The Extreme 40 in detail

38 - Vive la différence!

Different worlds, one racecourse

42 - The 2009 lineup All the teams taking part in the 2009 iShares Cup in detail 54 - Backstage pass

A look behind the scenes

58 - Henri Lloyd

Official technical clothing partner

60 - About…

iShares, OC Events and Tornado Sport

You can follow the latest news at: www.iSharesCup.com Cover photo: Mark Lloyd

TITLE PARTNER

Edited by: OC Events Editor: Jocelyn Blériot Contributors: James Boyd, Ed Gorman, Julie Royer

OFFICIAL PARTNERS

Printed by: Cedar Group on stock with a Mixed Sources label supporting the development of responsible forest management worldwide. The wood comes from FSC certified well managed forests, company controlled sources and/or post-consumer reclaimed material.

Welcome to the 2009 iShares Cup © M.Lloyd

iShares, the world’s No.1 Exchange Traded Funds provider, has been title partner of the iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series since its inception three years ago. We are delighted to continue our association this year and look forward to some spectacular sailing. Featuring the latest breed of high-performance sailing boats – the Extreme 40s – the series has now firmly established itself as the “grand prix” of sailing, with “crash and burn” racing that has revolutionized the sport in the same way that iShares is revolutionizing the world of investment. With top-level racing, the 2009 iShares Cup has once again attracted some of the world’s best Olympic, round the world, America’s Cup and solo sailors, who will compete head-to-head in high-octane, competitive close-quarter city centre races. Last year over 150,000 spectators witnessed the Series at the five venues throughout Europe, with millions more viewing on TV. This year the series makes its debut in the picturesque city of Venice, and with the addition of a new sixth and final event in Andalucía, Spain, we look forward to showcasing this cutting-edge sponsorship to an even bigger audience. This year will also see a new skipper for the iShares team, with double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson joining the fold. We look forward to supporting Shirley and her team, and on behalf of iShares I would like to take this opportunity to wish them, and all the teams competing, the very best of luck for the season.

Rick Andrews Head of iShares Marketing, Europe 3

what is the ishares cup about? friendly configurations. It’s a VIP experience, and “hot seats” are available onboard, a fifth man being able to join the four-man crew in order to get a firsthand experience and feel the excitement. Not willing to compromise, iShares Cup organisers OC Events have created a formula where serious competition and spectacle go hand in hand, the rapid success of the Extreme 40 series proving how well balanced the recipe is. In just two seasons, the iShares Cup has become a

benchmark in the sailing world, steadily growing and attracting the biggest names in the sport whilst proving to be an extremely efficient partnership opportunity

On top of the

sailing game

in these uncertain economic times (read our feature on page 6). Fast. Tricky. Spectacular. Capable of reaching speeds usually reserved to motorboats even in medium wind conditions, the Extreme 40 was designed

Forget everything you thought you knew about

by Olympic champions Yves

sailboat racing, the iShares Cup is the perfect antidote

Loday and Mitch Booth, with

to distant and slow yacht confrontations!

Tricky wind conditions combined with the level of competition inevitably lead to

performance-focused multihull.

close combat racing

Sailing with a hull above the

to the public since

water in as little as 8 knots (15

2007, the iShares Cup

km/h) of breeze, the 40-foot

Extreme 40 European Sailing

(12m) long carbon speed machine

Series is back for another

requires coordination, finesse

season with yet more great

and also sheer muscular power

names and spectacular venues.

from the crews who battle it out

It’s a sport, driving state-of-the-

some spectacular crashes, capsizes and

skippers are lining up to do just

near misses.

courses and the most respected that, competing so fiercely that heart-stopping close encounters always feature on the menu. It’s a show, and the public has full access to the action from the shore, in carefully chosen venues combining challenging sailing conditions and spectator-

a visually stunning and 100%

ringing world-class

art multihulls on very demanding

other hair-raising

the aim of providing sailing with

on short courses during races that do not exceed 20 minutes and there can be up to 8 of them per day! Tricky wind conditions combined with the level of competition inevitably lead to some spectacular crashes, capsizes and other hair-raising near misses as the 2008 season proved (read our “Surviving the capsize” feature on page 20, and see our “Zoom” photo section on page 24)!

Olympic contingent is also represented by Carolijn Brouwer on Holmatro, Yann Guichard on Gitana Extreme and Pete Cumming with Chris Draper on the helm of Oman Sail’s Masirah - not to mention the plethora of Olympian crew members throughout the fleet, including the Mourniac brothers aboard Erik Maris’s Luna. Australian Nick Moloney brings his eclectic experience as a round-theworld and America’s Cup sailor back into the fray with BT, after finishing the 2008 iShares Cup on the podium. Also coming from the prestigious world of the America’s Cup’s, James Spithill (BMW ORACLE Racing) will be a real rival for the number one spot. Find the detailed lineup starting from page 42. Visiting 6 European countries compared to 5 last year, the iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series has clearly grown in terms of exposure and will be taking place in Italy and Spain for the very first time. The timeless splendour of Venice will host the first event of the 2009 season, and as Gilles Chiorri, © P.Contin / DPPI

Logistically, everything is put

by the 2009 entrants! This

“teaching” the BMW ORACLE

in place so that teams can

third season sees the arrival

Racing team how to use their

resume racing as soon as

of French specialists Loïck

brand new maxi (90-foot)

possible should an incident

Peyron, Franck Cammas

trimaran - the young French

occur, and the professionalism

and Yann Guichard who

skipper already has had a taste

of the shore teams is clearly

are simply unrivalled in the

of the iShares Cup after having

comparable to that of Formula

oceanic multihull world.

raced at the French event in

1 squads operating in the pit

Peyron (skippering Oman

2007 and in Cowes last year,

zone. During the UK round of

Sail’s Renaissance), on top of

and wanted to come back for

the 2008 iShares Cup in Cowes,

having five Oceanic Multihull

a full season with his long

a capsized boat was put back on

champion titles to his name,

term partner Groupama. Mike

its hulls so quickly that the crew

won The Artemis Transat in 2008

Golding, the only Briton to

was able to start the next race

making it three wins in total on

win the IMOCA Ocean Racing

minutes later! Read all about

the toughest solo transatlantic

World Championship, will be

the Extreme 40 on page 32.

course, thus rising one step

entering the iShares Cup for

above the French legend Eric

the first time on Ecover, whilst

Tabarly. For his part, Cammas

double Olympic gold medallist

holds the North Atlantic speed

Shirley Robertson will skipper

record and has recently been

Team iShares in 2009. The

When it comes to the line up, one can only be impressed by the quality of the CVs displayed

OC Events Director, put it: “We have spent the past six months researching Italy to find an ideal venue for the regatta and Venice came top in all our research. The Bacino San Marco provides a perfect grandstand.” The finale of the 2009 season will take place in Almeria, Andalucia, and the local authorities have signed a five-year contract to guarantee the continuity of the venues. But the circuit also returns to Hyères (France), Cowes (UK), Kiel (Germany) and Amsterdam (The Netherlands) where past editions of the iShares Cup have generated huge enthusiasm. Read all about the venues on page 12. 5

reasons behind the success

Ticking all

the boxes By Edward Gorman Formula 1 correspondent for The Times

Going from strength-to-strength would sum up the state of play in the short and successful history of the iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series, an innovative extreme sailing circuit which is setting the standard on presenting the sport in a way that sponsors, sailors and members of the public can enjoy.

The balancing act which is key

Marketing at iShares, believes

to the success of the format is

the series is more than fulfilling

providing an enjoyable spectacle

the brief they set out for it.

for the public, especially those

“It’s been phenomenal,” says

who may not generally follow professional sailing, while also maintaining the credibility of the series as a sporting event. This year, as the circuit expands further in Europe, that balance is being maintained, as evidenced by the quality of skippers taking part, among them for the first time the French superstars Loick Peyron and Franck Cammas.

alk to anyone involved

The iShares Cup offers exciting

At iShares, the company’s first

with the championship,

competition in powerful boats

foray into sailing sponsorship

now beginning its

racing on short courses right

has been a positive experience.

third season under the

next to the shore, featuring

Having signed for two years

management of OC Events, and

some of the world’s top inshore

in 2007 the company has now

you get the same vibes; this is

and offshore grand prix sailors

re-signed for two more seasons

state-of-the-art sailing action

and giving the chance for people

up until the end of 2010 and Rick

packaged for the 21st century.

to sail on board.

Andrews, the Head of Europe

Andrews. “Client response from surveys has been phenomenal. They are just absolutely blown away by lots of different elements. "The racing is part of it, being able to go on the boats is part of it, but it’s also about the reputation of the sailors. The opportunity to go and talk and have a beer with world class record-breakers or Olympic sailors is something very special. The sailors love talking to clients and they love sharing their experiences. You don’t get this in a lot of other sports where you get little access and you tend to be kept behind a velvet rope.”

It is the “up close and personal”

who is starting her

feel to the regattas that Andrews

second full season

is most impressed by. To get a

in the championship

sense of that unique quality in

helming the iShares

the iShares Cup, visualise this: a

Extreme 40 boat,

40ft racing multihull driven by an

believes one of the

America’s Cup helmsman comes

reasons why the

within 20ft of the seawall in the

formula works is

middle of a big European city,

because it cuts out so

where hundreds of spectators

much of the hanging

are standing, and then flips over

around which tends

almost within touching distance

to bedevil traditional

of the crowd or turns round a

events. “Sailing is

mark of the course and then

often full of delays,”

rips away at speeds of up to 30

she says, “you get to

knots. The concept is not new

the boat hours before, you motor

- other classes have tried this

out, you wait for breeze. There

sort of highly packaged sailing

is usually a lot of time taken up

entertainment - but the iShares

for only a little bit of action. The

Cup has hit the nail on the head

Extreme 40s are not like that

and taken the formula further

- it is all-action, especially for

than ever before.

corporate guests. They turn up,

FOR THE FIRST TIME

they have half an hour of sheer

“As much as anything, it’s

adrenalin and then they get off

A total of 80,000 people watched the racing in Kiel in 2008

about being at the forefront of a

again.”

change in the way the sport has

Enthusiasm from those

been received,” adds Andrews.

involved is one thing but the

“Previously sailing has been

series is drawing praise from

about wealthy people jumping

independent observers in a

on big boats and everyone

sport which has proved more

standing on the dockside

challenging than most to find

own format with the iShares

concepts that meet the needs

Cup, we are still right at the

of sponsors, athletes and the

beginning,” says Turner, “and we

general public. Andrew Hurst,

are a bit frustrated at how little

the editor of the leading yacht

we have managed to innovate

racing magazine, Seahorse,

beyond the initial step. I think

likes the mix and believes

you have got to be systematically

the iShares Cup Extreme 40

breaking the taboos and

Sailing Series is leading this

the rules whilst absolutely

type of pro sailing competition

maintaining sporting integrity.

in the right direction. “I think

The process of development is

it demonstrates that if you

continuing and we plan for much

concentrate a package that is

bigger and better things in the

spectacular but accessible in

future.”

boats that are manageable, it

Robertson is eager to get going

can be very exciting and, with very short races, you can put

and waving them off.

together quite an attractive

Here for the first time we

media and entertainment

are bringing 40ft racing

package,” says Hurst.

catamarans within 20ft of the shore and people can actually see these things and they can get up close. From a client perspective, we can actually put them on

on another white-knuckle ride this year. For her the occasional eccentric course crammed inside a harbour or a canal is a small price to pay for the

BROADENING THE SCALE

buzz she and her crew get from

The brains behind the iShares

racing in stadium conditions.

Cup format, Mark Turner, the

“Sometimes you are in a canal

CEO of OC Group that owns OC

in Amsterdam, say, and you

Events, is not content to allow

might get a little bit frustrated

the championship to rest on its

but sailing is like that - the

laurels but is looking to broaden

iShares Cup is all about dealing

the scale of the entertainment

with different places and getting

package offered to the public

your head round different

and sponsors and their clients

conditions. The best team, the

and he believes there is a lot

best-prepared sailors still come

more that can be done. “In our

out on top.”

the boats and they can experience racing first hand which is such a rare opportunity in sport today.” That same enthusiasm is evident in the sailors who race the Extreme 40s. The Scottish double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson, both pics on this page © J.M. Liot / DPPI

The racing explained

An essential guide to following all the action on an Extreme 40 racecourse…

3-2-1

The start

at first, but understanding the

sailors will know which course to

whistling and pointing a red flag

The start is one of the most

sequence makes the spectacle

sail by the flags flown from the

at the boat that has committed

exciting parts of any sailing

all the more exciting! For 2009,

committee boat.

the foul. If the umpire thinks

race, and with such short races

the 5-minute starting procedure

a good start is a vital part of the

has been simplified, and a

winning tactics. Both the start

flag displaying the number of

and finish are imaginary lines

minutes remaining until the

drawn between orange flags on

actual start will be hoisted in a

the race committee boat and a

5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 sequence.

black inflatable iShares cylinder buoy. Generally, it will be more advantageous to start at one end of the line (either nearer the committee boat or buoy), due to factors such as the wind direction, the tide, and who has right of way. The more aggressive crews may be fighting to start at that end, while more conservative crews may start further away

If the race committee see any part of a boat over the line when the gun goes then there will be a loud sound signal and the X-flag is hoisted. In that case they have to go back and cross the line again, keeping out of the way of the other teams — a substantial penalty, so they will be keeping a close check on this!

When the boats are sailing upwind they will be zig-zagging as they tack towards the first mark, then when they sail away from the wind they will hoist the huge gennaker sails at the front of the boat. During the racing The sailors will be shouting at other boats to try and use the racing rules to outwit each other, especially near the mark roundings. If any skipper thinks another boat has infringed one of the racing rules they can wave a red flag and shout “protest!”.

from the jostling boats — but

The course

Umpires are on the water (look

they are likely to have the benefit

Depending on the number

for the boats with big iShares

of "clean" undisturbed wind.

of boats, venue, and wind

Cup UMPIRE flags), and work like

conditions, the race organisers

football referees — they decide if

can decide to run racing over

any boats have committed a foul

different shape courses - oval

and can give penalties (imposing

or triangular - around two or

a delaying manoeuvre). The

three buoys (race marks). The

umpire signifies a penalty by

The starting procedure The races are started with a countdown involving starting guns and flag signals, which might seem rather complicated 8

there was no foul you may see them blow a whistle and 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! Finish First past the post wins - it’s as simple as that! The iShares Cup is scored using a “high point” system, so if there are 10 boats competing in the series the winner scores 10 points, the second placed boat gets 9 points, the third 8 points etc. A disqualified team gets zero, and there are no discards. The last race of each event scores double points, putting the pressure on for a great finale.

FIRST-HAND IMPRESSIONS

May we

quote you?

Don’t just take our word for it! Here are just a few impressions from the many who experienced the thrill of sailing aboard an Extreme 40. O F FICIAL CHAMPAGNE © P.Contin / DPPI

93� of VIP guests surveyed placed the iShares Cup in the top 3 hospitality days they attended over the year. “There are a lot of egos out there and not enough water...” Shirley Robertson, iShares skipper. “This is the future of our sport. I pull twice as hard on the sheet if I hear the crowd cheering for us.” Mischa Heeskerk, Holmatro. “In all my career I have seen some amazing events and sailing venues but this was pretty different and fantastic… lots of energy, pressure, atmosphere etc - very memorable.” Nick Moloney, BT skipper, holder of 12 sailing speed records.

CELEBRITIES “It’s my new love! I’ve raced cars against Jeremy Clarkson and played high-goal polo, but this beats the lot for thrills. I loved every minute.” Jodie Kidd, Supermodel.

SPONSORS “In only its second year, the iShares Cup attracted over 150,000 spectators, while our guests were given the chance to experience the unique racing first hand. Strong client feedback post-event demonstrated high levels of positive impact for both our brand and business.” Rick Andrews, Head of iShares Marketing Europe. G.H. Mumm ambassadors, supermodel Jodie Kidd, adventurers Bear Grylls and Tom Avery share a wild ride with Ellen MacArthur aboard the BT Extreme 40

PRESS

photographed sailing events of 2008 and with

“Leigh McMillan, the skipper and a member

good reason.” Andrew Hurst, editor, Seahorse

of Britain’s Olympic sailing team {asks me}

Magazine.

‘Fancy a go a steering? ’There’s a look in his eye like an antiques dealer handing a Ming vase over for inspection to Mr Bean. It’s scary. It’s fantastic. It’s also a £280,000 accident waiting to happen.”

SAILORS “I think we’ve probably sailed in front of this many in a television situation, but not in person, this is fantastic - you can hear the

“I have already had so many positive reactions, the enthusiastic crowd has given OC Events the recognition they deserve. Also experienced sailors (…) were thrilled to sail in ‘big stadium like’ circumstances.” Jaap Meijer, CEO Holmatro.

GUESTS-5th MEN “In all of my years in the business, this was I think the best and most thrilling day I’ve been to.”

crowd cheer.”

“Thank you for the invitation to the iShares Cup. Everything was fantastic and it was a

“The class is one of the first to get itself

Ed Baird, Alinghi skipper, iShares Cup 2008 winner.

onto the main pages of the daily papers. The

“It’s like putting a 6-litre engine in a Mini...”

Richard Woods, Sunday Times InGear.

iShares Cup has been amongst the most

Rob Greenhalgh, Team Origin skipper.

unique and emotional experience that will remain with me for a long time. This event has set a new benchmark for me!” 11

the 2009 circuit

Venice

Six fantastic venues will welcome the iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series this season. We take a look at the stunning locations that will set the scene for 2009.

Venice, Italy 15 - 17 May, Riva dei sette Martiri Often cited among the planet’s most

he iShares Cup 2009 visits six

beautiful cities, Venice has had an incredible

European venues, a mix of buzzing

influence on the Western world throughout

cosmopolitan cities and spectacular

the centuries in terms of maritime trade,

seaside resorts, each carefully

finance, architecture or arts and culture.

chosen to provide not only the hottest

Spreading across a total of 118 little islands in

racing but also the best vantage points for

the lagoon, Venice is the capital of the Veneto

spectators to get up close to all the action.

region and is located along the Adriatic Sea in

Each regatta takes place over three days,

Northeast Italy. During the Middle Ages, the

with as many as 18 fast and furious races,

Venetian Republic was a prominent maritime

each lasting around 20 minutes. Each day is

power, an important commercial place but

a mix of corporate sailing races, giving VIP

also a thriving cultural centre. By 1482 it

guests and media a chance to get out on the

was the printing capital of the world and

water and experience the Extreme 40 and

architecturally its jewels still amaze millions

then the real action of the iShares Cup racing

of visitors by their sheer beauty and ingenuity.

itself — although there will still be ‘fifth man’

The famous San Marco plaza, the Rialto

guests on board, expect the sailors to take no

bridge and the bridge of sighs, the Palazzo

prisoners in the fiercely competitive races.

Ducale, the Guggenheim Museum… the list

Things will step up yet another gear for the

of places of interest seems endless and

final race of each event, which counts for

there is a lot to be said about simply strolling

double points! Last season every regatta

without a map and getting lost in the intricate

went to the wire including the Overall iShares

network of narrow streets and waterways.

Cup 2008 winner.

Venice’s seductive power is unrivalled, its

Pan-European

racing concerned - having put the emphasis on the

welcoming and supporting high-profile

preservation of its environment, it can also

events such as the 2007 Tall Ships Race, the

boast fantastic natural assets and its bay

Tour de France à la Voile in 2008, and this

is a delight for sailors. Home of the annual

year the SOF and the iShares Cup.

French Olympic Sailing Week, Hyères also

www.tpm-agglo.fr.

attracts world-class events such as the J24 World championships, and provided the 2008 iShares Cup with spectacular conditions, allowing for some of last season’s most striking images. The combination of Mistral wind and gorgeous blue waters define Hyères’ trademark appeal. The Hyères event receives the support of the Toulon © Photovoyager/iStock

timeless magic being reinforced by the total absence of cars or lorries, making it the largest car-free urban area in Europe. Boats have always been an integral part of Venice,

Provence Méditerranée county organisation. Blessed with more than 200 km of shoreline and two exceptional harbours, TPM has naturally capitalised on theses assets - both for touristic and economic purposes - by

Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK 1 - 3 August, Egypt Point / The Green The iShares Cup at Cowes Week will be the third round of the season. Home of the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes is the birthplace of the America’s Cup and hosts the oldest annual regatta, Cowes Week. The building of an 80-ton vessel for Queen Elizabeth II in 1589 is believed to have initiated the town’s shipbuilding tradition, and its reputation in that field quickly grew to an international level. Recreational sailing became a trademark with King George IV, who

and not only for practical reasons since sailing races have often taken place on the Grand Canal… which actually gave birth to the word “regatta”, a term that originated in Venetian dialect!

Hyères -TPM, France 3 - 5 July, St Pierre Harbour Greek sailors arriving from Massalia founded a first trading post named “Olbia” (“the happy one”) during the 4th Century BC, which provided the basis of the expansion for the city of Hyères. That name first appeared in 963, but the real development did not start before the mid-1200s, when King François the First granted the city, that had suffered from wars and barbarian invasions, a special protection. Hyères’ recent growth made it one of Southern France’s most attractive cities not just for tourism but also as far as economic activities are Hyères

the 2009 circuit Northern Europe, and later emerged as an intellectual centre when its first university was founded in 1665. Two centuries later, Kiel was declared “Imperial War Harbour” by Emperor Wilhelm 1, the prestigious Kiel Yacht Club was created in 1887, and at the end of the 19th century the city grew quickly around its shipyards. It was also the epicentre of the sailor’s mutiny (refusing to fight a hopeless battle against the Royal Navy) which led in 1918 to the end of German monarchy and the installation of the Weimar Republic. Bombed during World War II, it has been rebuilt and became a prominent economic centre with high-tech boatbuilding facilities and ferries linking Germany to Sweden, Norway and Russia. Water is the main element in KIEL. SAILING CITY. The Land Capital is a dockyard and Navy city rich in tradition, with a lively Cowes

student scene, child-friendly atmosphere

arguably gave Cowes its “Yachting Capital of

week in early August! World-class racing and

and urbane charm. Kiel’s sailing tradition

the World” status. In 1826, the first edition

great onshore entertainment definitely are on

is alive and kicking more than ever, notably

of what was to become Cowes Week was

the menu, with more than 1000 boats on the

with the annual Kiel Week attracting more

organised by the Royal Yacht Squadron,

various race courses.

than 1000 boats, and during last year’s

and the tricky emerald green waters of the Solent soon became a playground of choice for yachtsmen. The town’s preserved charm and welcoming facilities are a coveted haven for visiting crews, and numerous spots along the seafront close to Cowes Castle, home of the Squadron, offer spectators a good view of the action. In Cowes, everything is about sailing and no fewer than 9 yacht clubs are to be found despite the town’s modest size - the population usually doubles (from 16 000 to more than 30 000 people) during the sailing

Kiel, Germany

iShares Cup event more than 80,000 people watched the racing! In June 2002, 500,000

28 - 30 August, Kieler Forde

visitors prepared a grand welcome for the

Located on the Southwestern shore of

Volvo Ocean Racers on the final leg of their

the Baltic Sea, Kiel is today the country’s

race. Kiel was two times the host city of

undisputed sailing capital. Founded by Adolf

the Olympic sailing games. And the Sailing

IV, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein,

Camp 24|sieben for young people is unique

the city instantly recognised its favourable

nationwide. Further Information:

position by the sea. In Kiel Castle, the

www.kiel-sailing-city.de | www.kiel.de

Russian Tsar Peter III, was born. The city was part of the Hanseatic League, a late Middle Ages alliance of trading cities in

Amsterdam, the Netherlands 25 - 27 September, IJ Haven Amsterdam started off as a small fishing village in the 12th century but rose to become one of the world’s most important ports and wealthiest cities in the 17th century. During that era, the city was at the centre of a vast trading network ranging from the North Sea all the way to India and the American continent, as well as the world’s leading financial centre. It is also generally acknowledged that the Dutch East India Company’s offices became the first stock exchange when the institution started trading its own shares. At the end of the 19th century, after a relative decline, Amsterdam found a new breath notably thanks to the industrial revolution which accelerated the urban expansion. Yet the historic centre, shaped

Kiel

by the distinctive network of canals and waterways designed in the 1600s, kept its authenticity and allowed the city to gain the nickname of “Venice of the North”. Arguably one of the most cycle-friendly capitals in the world, Amsterdam is also a vibrant cultural centre with major museums and festivals attracting a wide international audience. The iShares Cup will bring, as it has done on two occasions already, racing on a canal in the heart of the city with the crews having to battle it out on very short courses surrounded by walls of concrete no more than a few metres away from spectators.

Almeria, Andalucia, Spain 10 - 12 October, Puerto de Almeria Founded by Abd ar-Rahman III, Emir and Caliphe of Cordoba, in 955, Almeria was established to strengthen the region’s Mediterranean defences. Built and designed around its harbour, the city has always looked to the sea and rapidly became wealthy thanks to its silk industry - on top of having a “natural” high value due to its strategic location. Almeria grew in terms of regional influence, and the most visible symbol of that golden era, the Alcazaba castle, is today the second largest Moorish fortress of Andalucia behind the legendary Alhambra.

Amsterdam

Unfortunately, a series of earthquakes

Europe’s biggest orchards, while tourism

devastated the city during the 16th century,

certainly played an important part in the

and frequent attacks by Berber pirates put

city’s expansion. Hosting the Mediterranean

its defences to the test… but by the early

Games in 2005 was an important step, and

18th century Almeria found a new prosperity

welcoming the iShares Cup is part of the

when iron mines of considerable size were

regional government’s objective to position

discovered. The economic growth has been

Almeria as an international reference on

particularly spectacular during the 20th

the world map of sailing.

century with the development of extensive

www.andalucia.org

agriculture, Almeria becoming one of

Almeria

European Venues Venice, Italy 15th to 17th may 2009 HyĂ¨res-TPM, France 3rd to 5th july 2009 Cowes, UK 1st to 3rd august 2009 Kiel, Germany 28th to 30th August 2009 Amsterdam, The Netherlands 25th to 27th September 2009 AlmerĂa, Spain 10th to 12th October 2009

VENUE PARTNERS

Host Cities Venice Cowes Amsterdam

Up close and personal

ÂŠ Mark Lloyd

Mr Multihull There is no shortage of great names in the iShares Cup skipper line up, and since its creation the European Extreme 40 Sailing Series has attracted the very best skippers and crews. For 2009 the entry list continues to impress as world-class champions gather from the offshore racing scene, the Olympic Games and the America’s Cup - all set to clash on the race course! Among those prominent figures, Frenchman Loïck Peyron is unarguably the skipper with the biggest multihull experience and boasts an unrivalled track record, so naturally his presence at the helm of Oman Sail’s Rennaisance does not go unnoticed on the iShares Cup circuit. aving been one of the driving forces behind the evolution of modern multis, which he has been racing since 1980, Peyron has won the ORMA (Ocean Racing Multihull Association) world championships five times, an unequalled performance which earned him the nickname of “Mr Multihull”. This jovial character and intuitive competitor brings a wealth of experience to the circuit, and if his rivals unanimously declare feeling humbled by his outstanding CV, he’s quick to point out that the circuit did not wait for him to attain the highest level of competition! “Sure, I’ve been around for a while and my love affair with multihulls has always been very passionate, so I clocked up a lot of ‘flight hours’ on windward floats. But I’m not the only one and after having trained on an Extreme 40 rather briefly compared to some of my colleagues, I know I’ll still be learning about the boat when the first gun goes off.”

Combining his iShares Cup season with the Geneva Lake D35 high-tech catamaran championship, Loïck knows how to keep busy and finds a lot of motivation in his role as a “mentor” for the Oman Sail team. “I like to keep on learning, as much as I like to pass on my knowledge. The Extreme 40 circuit helps the sport of sailing to reach out to a wider audience, and my team’s aim is to inspire a new generation of sailors in Oman, so this new adventure ticks all the right boxes for me. I’m eager to get out there, I’m sure the races will be intense given the quality of the crews involved - guys like Franck Cammas, against whom I’ve competed a lot, James Spithill

Peyron, who has won the Clairefontaine Champions Trophy (raced

or Olympic talents such as Shirley Robertson and Yann Guichard will

onboard one-design sports catamarans) 7 times and the Geneva Lake

put up a serious fight and on short courses it will require razor-sharp

Bol d’Or twice - two unequalled feats - knows how hard it is to bring

trajectories as well as perfect manoeuvres.

sailing action to the public. “We tried to achieve that within the very spectacular ORMA class, but at 60 feet of length the boats needed some room to stretch their legs…and also relatively deep waters to accommodate their important draft. The spectacle was astounding and everyone who had the chance to witness it will tell you how impressive it was, yet unfortunately only a limited number of people were able to go out and watch the racing. On the Extreme 40 circuit, using smaller boats which are easily shipped from one venue to another, the ‘public-friendliness’ of the venue is a criteria of selection, and being able to hop on the trampoline from the dock and to sail within 5 minutes is refreshing. Don’t get me wrong, our 60-footers were fantastic machines which could also take us across the oceans

“I can’t think of anything better to keep my tactical senses alert, or to provide the public with an exciting show. Not to mention the guests, who can have the time of their lives as I’ve experienced first hand recently. Whilst in Muscat I was introduced to Claude Le Roy, who’s the French coach of the Oman football team - the man is a total star in the country, since he led the team to a final victory in the 2009 Gulf Cup, which was a major achievement that made the headlines in the region for days. We talked about sailing over dinner, and despite not knowing anything about it, he showed a lot of interest. So I simply invited him for a ride the next day and within the first few seconds of flying a hull he was blown away!

and I loved them dearly, but I have to say that getting the thrill without

“It’s fascinating to see the effect those ‘flying carpets’ have on people,

the logistical hassle feels like a holiday!”

yet it all remains abstract if no one can see the boats up close or has the chance to sail on one. The iShares Cup makes it real, and it’s probably its biggest merit - well, second biggest in fact…since providing us sailors with a fantastic playground definitely sits on top of the list as far as I’m concerned!”

LEADING LADIES

The Female Factor Shirley Robertson and Carolijn Brouwer have been racing against each other for years on the international circuit, and find themselves on the same racecourse again this year in the Extreme 40 Sailing Series. Both well-known for their appetite for victory, they have fallen in love with high-adrenalin multihull racing and are determined to get their share of laurels this year… ack to skippering Holmatro after a

gents on the same playground! How many

brief absence in 2008 due to Olympic

other disciplines can boast the same level of

commitments, Carolijn Brouwer

equality?

nails it down when it comes to discussing the importance of gender: “Whether there is or isn’t a feminine way of doing things is rather irrelevant once you are out on the racecourse,” she points out. “On shore the men are very gentlemen like, once you are out there fighting for every inch, we are considered one of ‘the blokes’ as we are all playing the same game and trying to win. And that is the way it should be.” Observers watching Shirley win the inaugural event of the 2008 iShares Cup season in Lugano couldn’t have agreed more… Yet if it is perfectly understandable that the girls do not want to receive a specific treatment, the male / female distinction cannot be completely ruled out - sailing being one of the very few sports where ladies can beat

“Carolijn and myself have competed against each other for years,” says Robertson, “and of course I’m really looking forward to catching up with her this season - we might be rivals on the water, but we enjoy each other’s company ashore.” Both skippers have a very strong monohull background and competed at the highest level in Olympic classes, as Carolijn underlines: “We have sailed against each other in the Europe class dinghy for many

Carolijn Brouwer, Holmatro skipper

years. Shirley is an excellent sailor and it’s

race in this years iShares Cup!” In fact Brouwer

amazing how quickly she has picked up the

couldn’t be more right, and Shirley admits that

feel for multihull sailing. It’s great to have

going back to slower boats is not exactly an

more women in multihull sailing. And maybe

easy move to make! “Extreme 40s are thrilling

its true when people say: once you get into cat

machines, there’s so much power at hand.

sailing, there is no way back. I guess Shirley

The racing is exciting, situations get critical

feels the same way, as she is back again to

very quickly and I think the circuit pushed me

mentally, physically and technically. Given the level of tension and the risks at stake - at the speed those boats travel, we’re not only talking about a few scratches on the paint job - there is a very strong bond between crewmates, as they all have to trust each other, it’s also what makes the iShares Cup special.” “The competition last year was tough already but I think this year the game has stepped up another level again with all the new entries,” says Carolijn. “I got involved in the Extreme 40 sailing in 2005, it was my first year on a catamaran as I had never sailed a multihull before in my life, and it was also the same year I started my Olympic campaign in the Tornado. It’s amazing to see how far the Extreme 40 has come in 4 years!” For Shirley, the 2009 line up is humbling, and if she declares feeling “honoured” to be racing against such great sailors, without any doubt the said champions feel the same way about her and Brouwer… Come to think of it, they’re probably a little Shirley Robertson, iShares skipper 20

worried - or at least they should be.

Up and OVER!

SURVIVING THE

CAPSIZE © P.Contin/DPPI

Light and powerful, Extreme 40 catamarans are naturally quick to take off… yet as the 2008 season proved, landing can sometimes be very tricky! Peter Greenhalgh, sailing aboard Oman Sail’s Renaissance for 2009, was with Team Origin when they capsized in Hyères last year. He shares his experience.

“It’s more likely to happen during the bear away (steering away from the wind), pushing too hard downwind or reaching. If you have a gennaker up, then the windage of the kite is what blows you over and if it happens on a bear away, well it can be because of the sea state or because you haven’t eased enough mainsheet, which results in the boat being overpowered. You know when you’re slightly on the edge, as at that moment if a little breeze comes through that’s enough to make the boat pass the point of no return, that’s why it’s so tricky, there is no clear limit, no indicator that works every time. Once you’ve started to go over, there’s not a lot you can do! Then it’s a matter of hanging on to the top hull, and when the mainsail hits the water you get quite a nasty jolt unfortunately, you’re left to hang on to the edge of the stickers with your fingernails because there’s not much else! If the rig hits the bottom, provided you’re in shallow waters, you get a second pretty bad jolt - basically, if you’ve survived the two blows, you end up safe on the upturned hull. If it’s deep and you’re going to invert, there’s no real point to hanging on to the hull be honest - you’d be better off clinging to the netting, which is a safe option. The bottom line is that it’s a pretty big mistake if you capsize, so you’re really trying not to play with fire as a rule of thumb… but then again there will be situations where you’ll get carried away, by the level of competition mostly. If it happens in shallow waters and you’re careful enough to put the boat back up without snapping the rig, you’ve saved the day (note; RIBs are used to put the boat back upright)… but an Extreme 40 flat on her back is another 22

story and can ruin a whole event.”

ZOOM!

ZOOM! ZOOM! The 2008 season as captured through some well aimed camera lenses.

ZOOM - CAUGHT ON CAMERA

IN DETAIL

Upwind

Mainsail: The powerhouse of the boat â&#x20AC;&#x201D; about the same area as a 5-star hotel suite!

Jib: Used for upwind sailing, made from

BOOM: Horizontal pole which extends out

a fibre called 3DL which has strands of

from the mast along the bottom of the mainsail,

carbon fibre and Kevlar (an incredibly

and helps pull the sail in and out

light, strong fibre used in flak-jackets)

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

THE CREW 1. HELMSMAN: Steers the boat using extended tiller arm

DAGGERBOARD: Fin near the middle of each hull, designed to stop the catamaran from going sideways

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

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. And no, brakes do not come as standard…

“The concept of Extreme 40 is to bring the sailing to the public and not the other way round,” Herbert Dercksen, CEO of TornadoSport

IN DETAIL

ornadoSport developed the 40ft catamaran in 2005 and still manages the sales of the boats. The company’s CEO, Herbert Dercksen continues, “The Extreme 40s are incredibly exciting to watch and we placed great emphasis on enjoyment for the spectators, to try to give them the thrill of what it is like to sail the Extreme 40. “The origin of the Extreme 40 is the

Olympic Class Catamaran, the Tornado. Yves Loday, the designer, is an Olympic Tornado medallist and both I and Mitch Booth, who were involved from the start, have a lot of experience in the Tornado. Basically, the Extreme 40 is a scaledup version of the Tornado, all of the dimensions are relative to the Tornado, it is just twice as big and incredibly fast.”

From the pressure cooker to the race course Both light - for better speed and acceleration potential - and very stiff - to withstand the huge efforts put on the structure - the Extreme 40s are made of a honeycomb core trapped between two carbon fibre skins. These skins are pre-impregnated with resin, and the various elements of the boat (hulls, crossbeams etc) are cured under pressure

in an autoclave. The resin hardens while

boat’s potential! As Dercksen explains, “The

the pressure ensures that the honeycomb

Extreme 40 is capable of reaching speeds

/ carbon fibre sandwich is as compact as

of 40 knots, if you want an idea of what that

possible. The whole boat — including sails

feels like. It is like putting your head out

— weighs about the same as a Mini Cooper.

of the window in a car when it is raining at

The finished catamaran fits inside a standard

45mph (73kph)! Also, the Extreme 40 often

40ft shipping container, and the crew can

flies a hull, sometimes over three metres

assemble it in just a few hours – then just

above the water, giving the sensation of

add water for instant fun!

gliding like a bird.”

Ready for take off?

The generous sail area allows the Extreme

The magic of multihulls lies in their absence

40s to sail faster than the wind, which might

of counterweight, which makes them

seem puzzling at first - in just 15 knots of

extremely light and responsive. The stability

wind, an Extreme 40 is capable of traveling

is provided by the shape of the structure,

at over 25 knots - but as Herbert explains: “If

the Extreme 40 being a “rectangle” sitting

you get on a push-bike on a still day and start

on the water, but things change very quickly

pedaling, the faster you go the more wind

when the wind kicks in and one hull starts

you feel on your face. This wind is created by

to fly: it’s a treat for spectators, and a real

your speed; sailors call it the apparent wind.

challenge for the crew who have to maintain

The sails are designed and are adjusted by

the balance whilst making the most of the

the crew to harness this wind and use it to increase the boat’s speed.”

Downwind Gennaker: This rolls away upwind when not in use, but downwind itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the driving force for incredible boat speeds and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even bigger than the mainsail

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 mainsail performance

Trampoline: Held taught 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

Different worlds, one race course

vive la différence! Franck Cammas GROUPAMA

By James Boyd, Editor and Publisher of thedailysail.com

There are few circuits in sailing that bring together such a diverse range of talent as the iShares Cup. Peppered throughout the fleet are multiple G.M. Raget / BMW Oracle

Olympic medallists, stars of sailing’s three other pinnacle events - the America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race and Vendée Globe, plus world champions from all four corners of the globe. But how will they get on and who will win in this very different discipline that is the iShares Cup?

BMW ORACLE

ithin the sailing world France

to do with the ORMA 60 Grand Prix racing,

is considered the spiritual

but with a more international factor. We’re

home of large multihull racing

delighted to take part in such a competitive

and the iShares Cup is this

multihull series, which travels around Europe,

year to be contested by two of the sport’s

especially this year given the great names

greatest exponents: Loïck Peyron and Franck

involved. With sailors coming from different

Cammas. Both have been multiple champions

horizons, all of them being among the best in

on the ORMA 60ft trimaran circuit. Peyron

their specialities, it’s going to be a fantastic

has been racing large multihulls, inshore,

season sporting-wise.” When Cammas isn’t

offshore, singlehanded and fully crewed

competing in the iShares Cup this year he will

for more than 30 years and his sailing CV

be taking his 105ft Groupama 3 on a series of

is as impressive as it is long. He is a three

record attempts culminating at the end of the

time winner of The Artemis Transat and its

year in tackling the Jules Verne Trophy, for the

previous incarnations, singlehanded east to

fastest time sailing non-stop round the world.

time champion of the ORMA class aboard his Fujifilm and Fujicolor trimarans. Franck Cammas is also a five time ORMA champion aboard his Groupama trimarans. While the ORMA class is best known for its offshore events, both Peyron and Cammas have proved

Peyron and Cammas will be joined by yet more French competition in Yann Guichard, who represented France in the Tornado catamaran

©JM.Liot_DPPIr

west across the north Atlantic and was a five

at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, skippering Gitana . While Gitana have previously fielded boats on the ORMA circuit and most recently sent Peyron around the world singlehanded in

NICK MOLONEY BT

the Vendée Globe, the iShares Cup represents

“In Cowes it was just awesome because it

a new challenge for the team owned by

was so windy,” he recalls. “The short courses

Skippering Renaissance, Peyron is leading

Baron Benjamin de Rothschild of the famous

and being so close, makes it pretty exciting.

an impressive international crew including

banking and wine making dynasty.

At times the racing is a little compromised,

racers.

Australian round the world and long distance dinghy cat sailor Greg Homann, British former 18ft Skiff World Champion Pete Greenhalgh and France’s Julien Cressant - the latter two raced last year in Rob Greenhalgh’s TEAMORIGIN crew. Cressant previously sailed around the world with Peyron to second place in The Race in 2000-1. This top crew will also be sharing its knowledge with Omani apprentices. “It is interesting because they are multihulls, they are one designs, so identical and also

In addition to Guichard, the Gitana Extreme 40 is to be sailed exclusively by former

As to the formidable competition he is up

Pennec, Guichard’s helm at the 2000 Games;

against this year, Spithill states: “We have

Christophe Lassegue, Guichard’s crew for

some real multihull experts this year.

their 2004 Olympic campaign; and Herve Cunningham, well-known on the America’s Cup.

2006 World Champion in Mumm 30 keelboats.

match racing ace, James Spithill. Despite

attraction of the iShares Cup. “It was the case

only turning 30 this year, Spithill has already

last year, but this year it is even better.”

helmed boats in the past three America’s

the starts are very important. 80% of the job is done at the start and because the starting line isn’t long, you have to be very confident. So it is easy to make a bad race.” Peyron’s old rival, Franck Cammas, harks back to their days on the ORMA 60ft trimaran circuit: “The Extreme 40 Sailing Series is the closest thing there is to what we used

a big number of teams. When you look around

France, is a team skippered by Erik Maris, the

is quite impressive,” says Peyron as to the

very difficult for a lot of reasons, but especially

The level has stepped up big time and there is

Also new to the iShares Cup this year from

From the America’s Cup comes Australian

courses will be particularly challenging. “It is

through. So it should be some fun.”

French Tornado sailors including Pierre

because this year the level of all these crews

As to the racing Peyron reckons the short

but over a series the good guys should come

Cup including the hotly tipped OneWorld and Luna Rossa campaigns. He is now with Larry Ellison’s powerful BMW Oracle Racing team sailing with Cup legend Russell Coutts and has spent the last year getting up to speed on multihulls from the team’s giant 90ft trimaran to singlehanded A-Class dinghy catamarans. © Y.Zedda/Gitana

themselves to be equally talented inshore

Spithill and his team competed at the dramafilled iShares Cup event in Cowes last year, during which he memorably capsized during one race.

YANN GUICHARD GITANA

Different worlds, one race course there are a lot of classes which have gone

“I have been involved with the class since

down because of the economic crisis, so it is

the beginning and every year it is another

encouraging to see such strong interest for it.”

step up again,” says Brouwer of the iShares

Spithill’s Extreme 40 crew will include world class tactician John Kostecki, who himself skippered the winning boat round the world in the 2001-2 Volvo Ocean Race. Other round the world sailors on the iShares Cup this year include BT skipper Nick Moloney who competed in the 1997-8 Volvo Ocean Race and the 2004-5 Vendee Globe, singlehanded round the world race. From the world of Olympic sailing, the fleet is peppered with accomplished individuals. 2009 will see the return of two time Olympic Gold medallist, Shirley Robertson, plus Australian two time Olympic silver medallist Darren Bundock and 49er Olympic bronze medallist Chris Draper and others such as Carolijn Brouwer, one half of the only mixed

Cup. “It is a combination of the boat itself, a 40ft catamaran which is quite a big boat, but only sailed with four people and it is as if you are sailing a small catamaran – it is very responsive and sensitive and that makes a great product, combined with the type of racing we do in the iShares Cup, which are the really short courses that makes the racing really intense and brings sailing to the public, which is the main goal. All that together it makes it great fun.” What is certain is that despite all their wealth of experience, the iShares Cup’s short courses right up against the shore, will provide a refreshing new challenge to this uniquely diverse gathering of world class sailors.

sailing crew to have competed at the last two

2008 season results

Olympiads.

1. Alinghi (Ed Baird)

Following a year out of the circuit to

2. Team Origin (Rob Greenhalgh)

concentrate on the Games, Brouwer returns in 2009 on the helm of the Holmatro-backed boat with an all-Dutch crew including Pim Nieuwenhuis, who represented the Netherlands in the Tornado last year in Beijing.

3. BT (Nick Moloney) 2007 season results 1. Basilica (Rob Greenhalgh) 2. Holmatro (Carolijn Brouwer/Andreas Hagara) 3. BT (Nick Moloney)

The level has stepped up big time and there are a big number of teams. When you look around there are a lot of classes which have gone down because of the economic crisis, so it is encouraging to see such strong interest for it. JAMES SPITHILL BMW Oracle Racing

TEAMS

The 2009 lineup

Ten teams, featuring 40 of the most talented sailors in the sport, will line up for the 2009 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 EXTREME 40 RACING is completely different from any other kind of sailing regatta, so the teams taking part need a unique set of skills. he 10 crews in this year’s iShares Cup include Olympic gold medallists, world champions, America’s Cup sailors, recordbreaking 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 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. Joining these professional sailors in each race will be a "fifth man" — one lucky guest who will have the once-in-a-lifetime experience of joining a toplevel professional crew. iShares Cup sailors in figures:

50 World Championship titles

12 European Championship titles

27 America’s Cup Campaigns

11 Record Holders

17 Round the World navigations

6 Olympic Medals

14 Olympians

BMW Oracle Racing Boat Sponsors: BMW Oracle New 2009 Entry Team Nationality: USA Skipper: James Spithill (AUS) Crew: John Kostecki (USA), Dirk de Ridder (NED), Joe Newton (AUS), Simeon Tienpoint (NED) Web: www.bmworacleracing.com Founded by American Larry Ellison in 2000, the team represents Golden Gate Yacht Club of San Francisco and is the Challenger of Record for the 33rd America’s Cup. An appearance during the UK event of the 2008 iShares Cup convinced the team to commit for a whole season, skipper James Spithill having been impressed by the level of competition found on the Extreme 40 Sailing Series circuit. Relying on a very experienced crew, BMW Oracle will play to win.

About the team... Australian prodigy James Spithill, who will turn 30 in June 2009, won the World Youth Match Racing championships before becoming the youngest America’s Cup helmsman ever in 2000 - he then went on to become Match Racing and Melges 24 World champion among other feats, and is regarded as one of the most talented men on the international inshore circuit. On the BMW Oracle Racing Extreme 40, he is joined by the very experienced John Kostecki, who won the 2001 Volvo Ocean Race (around the world, crewed with stopovers) and shone on the Grand Prix scene at world level. Fellow Australian Joe Newton campaigned alongside Spithill in the 2000 America’s Cup, and shared the 2005 Match Racing World Champion title with him. Offshore specialists Dirk de Ridder and Simeon Tienpoint will bring sheer power and nerves of steel to the crew.

TEAMS

Boat Sponsor: BT 2008 Position: 3rd Team Nationality: Europe Skipper: Nick Moloney (AUS) Crew: Darren Bundock (AUS), Ed Barney (GBR), Steve Mitchell (GBR) Web: www.btteamellen.com BT, title partner to the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team and leading global communications provider, have put their name to the team’s Extreme 40 for the third consecutive iShares Cup season of racing. BT made their Extreme 40 debut at the 2007 iShares Cup, when they finished third. Round the world sailor Nick Moloney managed to secure another podium position in the 2008 iShares Cup, finishing third despite a notably higher level of competition… and will naturally be aiming at a victory this season.

©P.Contin/DPPI

About the team... Nick Moloney has a wealth of experience to his name including sailing campaigns in inshore, offshore, crewed and solo-sailing disciplines. A former America’s Cup sailor, Moloney has also circumnavigated the globe three times. The first during the Whitbread Round the World Race 19971998, 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. Nick will be able to rely on fellow Aussie Darren Bundock, Olympic medalist in the Tornado Class and multiple A-Class (catamaran) world champion . He’s joined by 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 © V.Curutchet/DPPI/BTTeamEllen

Olympics in the keelboat class. Steve will be running the front of the BT Extreme 40, as bowman and mastman.

Ecover Boat Sponsor: Ecover New 2009 Entry Team Nationality: European Skipper: Mike Golding OBE (GBR) Crew: Bruno Dubois (BEL), Fraser Brown (NZL) (Crew 4 still to be announced at the time of going to print). Web: www.mikegolding.com Ecover, the world’s leading manufacturer of ecological cleaning and washing products, have supported Mike since 2001, including two editions of the Vendée Globe. The pairing have now set their sights on a new challenge, the 2009 iShares Cup.

About the team... Golding’s CV detailing his success in singlehanded racing speaks for itself: he was FICO world champion 2005/6 and IMOCA world champion for two successive years 2004/5 and 2005/6; the first and only British sailor to hold this coveted title. He was also the first person ever to race single-handed and non-stop around the world in both directions and is one of just two British sailors to ever have stood on the podium in the Vendée Globe. Mike has put together an experienced team for his first season competing in the iShares Cup, including Fraser Brown (NZL), one of the most experienced Extreme 40 sailors on the circuit. Trimming will be Bruno Dubois (BEL) who is a familiar face to Ecover and Mike Golding, the pair have sailed together on many races on the IMOCA Open 60 circuit.

TEAMS

Gitana Extreme - Groupe LCF Rothschild Boat Sponsor: Groupe LCF Rothschild New 2009 Entry Team Nationality: French Skipper: Yann Guichard (FRA) Crew: Pierre Pennec (FRA), Christophe Lassegue (FRA), Hervé Cunningham (FRA) United in the destiny of the Franco-Swiss branch of the Rothschild family, the story of Gitana began in 1876 on the shores of Lake Geneva, and has continued ever since. Recent times have seen the successes of the Gitana multihulls on the racecourse - with a notable win in the famous solo Route du Rhum - and around the planet. The team now moves “inshore” by joining the iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series.

About the team... Having campaigned ORMA class trimarans and record breaking maxi-multihulls, the Gitana Team makes a first appearance in the iShares Cup this year with a crew of Olympic catamaran experts. Skipper Yann Guichard has represented France in the Tornado class at the Sydney ©G.M.Raget

Games in 2000, before moving on to ocean multihull racers, gaining invaluable shorthanded experience on these radical machines. He is joined by two of his former team mates: Pierre Pennec, who was his helm at the 2000 Olympics and then sailed in Loïck Peyron’s all-conquering ORMA team, and by Christophe Lassègue, who crewed for Hervé Cunningham, who has an ©G.M.Raget

impressive track record in the

America’s Cup and who’s also a multihull specialist, will bring his close-combat experience.

Guichard in their 2004 campaign.

Groupama 40 Boat sponsor: Groupama New 2009 entry Team Nationality: French Skipper: Franck Cammas (FRA) Crew: Bruno Jeanjean (FRA), Tanguy Cariou (FRA), Fred Lemaistre (FRA), Thierry Fouchier (FRA) Web: www.cammas-groupama.com Groupama (insurance and banking) have been supporting Franck Cammas’s multihull campaigns for more than ten years and enter the iShares Cup for the complete 2009 circuit after having made a brief appearance during the Marseille event of the 2007 season. Well-known on the international scene thanks to its numerous oceanic wins (Transat Jacques Vabre, Transatlantic record…), the Groupama team tackles the high-octane Extreme 40 circuit with high ambitions.

About the team...

Franck Cammas has exclusively been sailing multihulls since 1998, securing in the process an impressive number of medals - among which 5 Offshore Racing Multihull Association (ORMA) World Champion titles, and the prestigious Atlantic crossing record (still standing today). Very incisive on inshore races, Franck Cammas is joined by tactician Tanguy Cariou, alongside whom he accumulated Grand Prix wins during the ORMA days. Bruno Jeanjean, 2006 Mumm 30 World Champion and Transatlantic record co-holder, will be working on the bow, a role he’ll share with Fred Lemaistre who sailed on oceanic maxi-multihulls and campaigned in the America’s Cup. Last but not least, trimmer Thierry Fouchier has already raced Extreme 40s in Hyères and Cowes last year, and his inshore racing experience (Admiral’s Cup, Match Racing Tour…) will be a precious asset.

TEAMS

Holmatro Boat Sponsor: Holmatro 2008 Position: 5th Having been involved in the

Nationality: Dutch

Extreme 40 Sailing Series since

Skipper: Carolijn Brouwer (BEL)

the very first season, Holmatro

Crew: Pim Nieuwenhuis (NED), Mark van

(sailing yachts hydraulic equipment

Gelderen (NED), Gerd Habenmuller (AUT)

specialist) will enter the distinctive

Web: www.teamholmatro.com

orange catamaran after having sailed a convincing 2008 season and more importantly taken a second place overall in 2007. Olympic sailor Carolijn Brouwer is back at the helm after a short “break” to compete in the Beijing games last summer - with three Olympic campaigns to her name, she is definitely a serious contender. ©Joris Lugtigheid

About the team... 35-year old Carolijn Brouwer, ISAF Sailor of the Year 1998 and two-time Europe (dinghy) world champion, presents her team: “I think preparation plays a big role, this is one of Team Holmatro’ s strong points. Besides that both Pim Nieuwenhuis and I have the experience of sailing a Olympic multihull the last four years. "We both also sail F18 sport catamarans. I have been to the Olympics three times now and Pim crewed for Mitch Booth (Extreme 40 co-creator) in the Tornado in Beijing. ©Team Holmatro

Mark van Gelderen has been involved with the Extreme 40 since day 1, nobody knows the boat inside out better than him. And then we have Gerd Habenmuller with his big 'guns': I have never seen somebody get the gennaker up on his own so fast. He is strong and exactly what we need on the front of the boat.” Holmatro can indeed count on their good experience of the Extreme 40 boat to have an edge on the racing course.

iShares Boat sponsor: iShares 2008 Position: 9th Team Nationality: European Skipper: Shirley Robertson (GBR) Crew: Hugh Styles (GBR), (crew 2 and 3 still to be announced at the time of going to print). www: isharescup.com Title partner of the Extreme 40 Sailing Series iShares, returns to the racecourse for the team's second consecutive season, handing the helm of their one design catamaran to double Gold Olympic medallist Shirley Robertson, who will have the pleasure of racing at home in Cowes once more, during the third event of the 2009 circuit. She will be joined by former British Olympic Tornado sailor Hugh Styles, with the © J. Blériot

remaining two crew members still to be named.

About the team... Having won back to back Olympic gold

“I’m delighted to sail alongside Hugh Styles,”

medals at the Sydney Games in 2000 (in the

says Shirley, “he knows the boat inside out

Europe dinghy) and Athens in 2004 (in the

and given the level of tension that can be

Yngling keelboat), Robertson now combines

reached on the short courses when the

her busy sailing schedule with life as mother

wind picks up, being able to trust your crew

of twins and work as a TV presenter for the

is a must.” Having an extensive Olympic

BBC and CNN. The Scot was named female

background too, Styles has been Robertson’s

sailor of the year by the International Sailing

training partner and has gained invaluable

Federation in 2000 and was awarded an MBE

experience in the Tornado class, before

for her services to British Sailing in 2001 and

skippering iShares’s Extreme 40 during the

an OBE in 2004.

2008 season. 49

TEAMS

LUNA Boat Sponsor: Luna Team New 2009 Entry Team Nationality: French Skipper: Erik Maris (FRA) Crew: Philippe Mourniac (FRA), Jean-Christophe Mourniac (FRA), Chris Tiggeler (NED) Web: NA The Luna team, spearheaded by skipper owner Erik Maris, took part in the Hyères event of the 2008 iShares Cup under the name “Twins”, in order to get a taste of the circuit. The experience proved thrilling enough for Maris to put together a campaign for the complete 2009 season, and the crew includes the Mourniac brothers, French Tornado (Olympic catamaran) specialists, as well as Chris Tiggeler who has taken part in numerous international monohull Grand Prix events alongside Maris.

About the team... Luna’s skipper has an impressive monohull

thought it might be a good idea,” explained

Cup, the ORMA trimaran Grand Prix Scene,

track record, notably having been crowned

Maris last year upon entering the Hyères

the F18 catamaran World Championships

World Champion in the extremely competitive

event… prior to which he had never sailed a

and the Olympic multihull circuit, Luna will

Mumm 30 One-Design class in 2006 in

catamaran! Relying on the very experienced

also benefit from the expertise brought by the

Miami. “There was so much noise about {the

Jean-Christophe and Philippe Mourniac,

Netherland’s Chris Tiggeler, who has been

Extreme 40} that I came across them and

whose track records include the America’s

part of Maris’s team for many years.

Masirah (OMAN SAIL TEAM)

Boat Sponsor: Sultanate of Oman 2008 Position: 4th Team Nationality: Omani Skipper: Pete Cumming (GBR) Crew: C hris Draper (GBR), Mark Bulkeley (GBR), David Carr (GBR), joined by Oman Sail Team Web: www.omansail.com © I.Jense / Oman Sail

Backed by the Sultanate of Oman as part of

About the team...

a larger sailing programme to re-ignite the

Olympic sailor Pete Cumming skippers

capitalise on previous collective experience

country’s maritime heritage, Masirah made

Masirah for the second consecutive season,

and strong cohesion - so Mark Bulkeley,

a very convincing debut last year, finishing

making final decisions while sticking with

who represented Britain in the Tornado

fourth overall and stepping on the podium of

his role as trimmer. Skiff specialist and

catamaran at the 2004 Athens Games, is still

the last event of the season in Amsterdam.

Bronze medallist (Olympic 49er class) Chris

mainsheet trimmer and tactician. Finally,

The crew gradually took Omani sailors

Draper will remain at the helm, after a very

David “Freddie” Carr, known to be one of the

onboard and has been extensively training

good 2008 season during which his incisive

strongest men on the Extreme 40 circuit, will

this winter with potential local recruits,

starts and boat placement abilities have

work on the bow - a position he has occupied

spending many hours on the water to come

not gone unnoticed! No changes have been

in the prestigious and technically demanding

back stronger than ever for 2009.

made to the crew - which allows Masirah to

America’s Cup.

©P.Contin/DPPI

TEAMS

Renaissance (OMAN SAIL TEAM)

Boat Sponsor: Renaissance Services New 2009 entry Team Nationality: Omani Skipper: Loïck Peyron (FRA) Crew: Julien Cressant (FRA), Peter Greenhalgh (GBR), Greg Homann (AUS), joined by Oman Sailing Team Web: www.omansail.com This new 2009 entry flying the colours of one of the Sultanate of Oman’s leading service providers sits within the ambitious Oman Sail campaign. Relying on a core team of worldclass professionals spearheaded by France’s Loïck Peyron, arguably the most experienced multihull sailor in the circuit, Renaissance is already cited amongst the 2009 season favourites despite having had less training time than most rivals. But key crew members have been around the Extreme 40 circuit for a Boat branding design tbc. at the time of going to print

while already!

About the team... An expert offshore singlehander with

sailing multihulls inshore and around the

three wins on the historic North Atlantic

world for almost 30 years, and his natural

course (The Artemis Transat and previous

ease at the helm will be backed up by his

incarnations), Loïck Peyron has also proved

crew’s extensive knowledge of the Extreme 40

to be a master inshore. The man has been

catamaran. Peter Greenhalgh was part of the crew that won the inaugural iShares Cup in 2007, and sailed last year alongside Julien Cressant, capturing a second place overall onboard Team Origin. Cressant has an extensive America’s Cup CV, but also sailed around the world nonstop with Peyron, coming second in The Race (2001). Finally, Australian Greg Homann is also a multihull expert, having raced maxis as well as lightweight boats. Renaissance definitely boasts a very strong lineup.

Behind The Scenes

All access -

backstage pass

Who moves 100 tons of gear to bring red hot multihull racing to the public around Europe each summer? How does it all come together before the starting gun goes off? Take a peek behind the curtain and venture backstage to find out…

riginally specialising in offshore races, OC Events has gained a worldwide reputation

everyone involved - the last thing you want

by managing and marketing The Artemis Transat (the world’s oldest solo transatlantic

is a van towing a 40-ft catamaran stuck in a

race from UK-North America, previously known as the OSTAR) and the Barcelona

medieval narrow street! We try and anticipate

World Race (two crew, round the world non stop on board IMOCA Open 60 monohulls).

every problem, so when everything goes well

Around the planet or across the oceans, the company’s field of expertise also extends to inshore

you can guess that a lot of work went into

competition, and OC Events’s Extreme 40 Sailing Series brings the action to the public around

the preparation, even though it all seems

Europe - which requires particularly well-oiled logistics! We discuss the nuts and bolts with

completely transparent.

Stuart Whitman, events co-ordinator.

"We also have to consider and organise transit

“The teams obviously have different schedules,

of ground surface! Of course a crane has to

zones: this season for example, the Venice and

but we want them to arrive in the venues

be on site to lift the containers upon arrival,

Hyères events are only a month apart so for

in a fairly organised way - managing that is

step the masts on the platforms and put the

some teams, notably the Northern European

always an 'interesting' challenge! They have

assembled boats into the water.

ones, it does not make any sense to send the

a maximum of three days to build their boats and get ready before the media sailing day, which takes place on Thursday. The technical zone, that occupies at least 1500 square metres, is a crucial area since we want the teams to have enough space to work properly and without being disturbed. Not all of them have containers, but when we’re working on the definition of the technical area with local authorities for each venue, we have to know precisely who is likely to bring what, and anticipate boat movements knowing that each catamaran occupies 84 square metres 54

"The organisation alone carries 25 to 30 tons of kit around Europe during the season with a total of three containers full of our equipment: VIP hospitality furniture, signs, tools but also crockery - we’re rather self-sufficient and can set up our race village virtually anywhere! We create a kitchen in each case, completely

boat and gear back to the base between those two competitions. So we have to find secure places that we can use between events to store everything, and the host cities are of great help in that domain - you don’t find a long-term parking lot for 10 carbon high-tech catamarans just by looking in the yellow pages!”

autonomous, where our own Chef operates.

A typical iShares Cup event…

On top of all that, each team brings about

• Sees 100 tons of boats and gear land in each city

8 tons of equipment, so the whole iShares Cup 'circus' weighs about 100 tons. For some venues, the access is a bit tricky so we plan everything ahead and hand out roadbooks to

• Will serve 100 bottles of G.H. Mumm champagne per regatta • Welcomes 100 corporate guests per day

OFFICIAL CLOTHING

Official Technical Clothing Partner Henri Lloyd is widely regarded as one of the market leaders in technical sailing and lifestyle apparel, and has pioneered the development of fabrics, garment design and product development for over 45 years. Founded in Manchester, England in 1963, Henri Lloyd began as a manufacturer of foul weather clothing for sailing and outdoor activities and quickly became a world leader in specialist marine clothing. In 1984 Henri Lloyd moved into the fashion arena, after the Henri Lloyd sailing jacket, the Consort Original was adopted by The Milan Scooter Society, the Panninari, as their ‘uniform’. Every product in the Henri Lloyd 2009 marine range has been meticulously crafted and rigorously tested from concept stage to final design, which results in a range of technical clothing that contains some of the most important breakthroughs in marine product development and shall be worn by the iShares and Oman Sail Extreme 40 teams as well as the iShares race officials and event team at the 2009 iShares Extreme 40 Circuit. The Extreme 40 sailors shall be wearing the award winning TP2 Shadow 2G Range, a selection of the Atmosphere 360 range and Henri Lloyd footwear collection including the revolutionary Octogrip trainer, all of which has been designed not only to protect them against the elements but to ensure they can perform at the highest level in the energy sapping high octane racing that is the iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series. “We are thrilled to announce our official partnership with OC Events and the iShares Extreme Cup, and we look forward to seeing some exciting racing throughout the 2009 circuit." Paul Strzelecki; Henri Lloyd Joint Chief Executive www.henrilloyd.com

ABOUT . . .

About iSHARES What we do iShares is the world’s No. 1 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF)* provider in terms of Assets under Management (AUM), product range and multiple listings on the world’s leading stock exchanges. iShares provides clients with the essential building blocks for more efficient investment portfolios, and has over 360 core products available Worldwide to investors. These are engineered for purity, precision, and complete transparency. AUM at the end of 2008 stood at USD $298 billion. Our philosophy iShares are champions for a better way of investing - one that puts the interests of the investor above all others. For that to happen, we believe every financial institution and fund provider should live up to higher standards of truth, clarity and responsibility. Every institutional

About the organisers

investor and wealth advisor should build portfolios on a foundation that’s transparent, cost-efficient, diversified and flexible in design.

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 began with The Transat in 2004, the oldest transatlantic solo race in history, first won by Sir Francis Chichester in 1960 — and as the Artemis Transat in 2008. In 2005 OC Events launched a new concept in offshore racing — the Barcelona World Race. This double-handed, non-stop, round the world race started on 11 November 2007 and saw nine IMOCA Open 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

Why we are involved in the iShares Cup? iShares has chosen to break the traditional mould of sponsoring established Sailing events, instead choosing a groundbreaking, competitive sailing property - the iShares Cup. Featuring the latest breed of high-performance sailing boats – the Extreme 40s – the series has established itself as the ‘grand prix’ of sailing with ‘crash and burn’ racing that has revolutionized the sport in the same way that iShares is revolutionizing the world of investment. For more information on all iShares’ ETFs, their performance and fund holdings please visit: www.iShares.com *Source: BGI ETF Landscape Report 2008

TornadoSport TornadoSport originated the concept of the Extreme 40 and supply the boats. Since the class launched in 2005 the fleet has expanded, and TornadoSport have now built 18 Extreme 40 catamarans. info@tornadosport.com

ETFs are open-ended index funds that are listed and traded on exchanges like stocks. They allow investors to gain broad exposure to stock markets of different countries, emerging markets, sectors and styles as well as fixed income and commodities indices with relative ease on a real-time basis and at a local cost than many other forms of investing. Please note that there are risks associated with investing in ETFs. The price of the investments may go up or down and the investor may not get back the amount invested. The income is not fixed and may fluctuate. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Before investing in ETFs, investors should read the prospectus and relevant supplement. ‘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. © 2009 Barclays Global Investors Limited. Registered Company No. 00796793. All rights reserved.

EXTREME ONLINE Follow the iShares Cup Follow all the action, learn more about your favourite teams, get upto-the minute news and results, and watch fantastic footage from the racing at the event website. You can also sign up for email updates and view the website via your mobile phone. To find out more go to: www.iSharesCup.com Media Press and media users can sign up for updates, download highresolution photographs and read the latest press releases by accrediting at: media.isharescup.com

PR Emily Caroe emily@ocevents.org

Events Manager Louise Close louise@ocevents.org