| TEAMORIGIN |
| Thursday, 21 February 2008 |
Mike Sanderson, the record-breaking ISAF World Sailor of the Year and winning skipper of the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race, has been appointed Team Director for TEAMORIGIN™, the new British America’s Cup campaign, it was announced today.
TEAMORIGIN™ is aiming to make sailing history by becoming the first British challenger ever to win the America’s Cup, the oldest sporting trophy in the world.
The British challenger was launched earlier this year by Sir Keith Mills, the British businessman who ran London’s victorious bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.
The team has committed to participate in at least two America’s Cup campaigns – the 33rd and 34th editions of the event, likely to take place in 2009 and 2011.
Sanderson will have overall responsibility for the teams performance operations, reporting directly into Sir Keith Mills.
Sanderson will work with Mills to select and appoint key team members for these areas of the campaign over the coming months, so that the core performance team is in place by the end of July.
Mike Sanderson said:
'This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I have been exploring a number of interesting roles since the Volvo Ocean Race, but the chance to play a part in creating sporting history by leading the first British team to win the America’s Cup is extremely appealing. I believe we are in an enviable position in that we have a clean sheet - we have a fresh opportunity to create the team in the way that we believe is best.
I have met with Sir Keith Mills a number of times over the past few months and have been hugely impressed with both him as an individual and his vision for TEAMORIGIN™. The work that has already gone on by the team behind the scenes in preparing the foundations for success is well advanced. I firmly believe TEAMORIGIN™ can win the America’s Cup and I am greatly looking forward to playing my part in it.'
Sanderson, who was recently awarded the prestigious accolade of ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year for 2006 by the International Sailing Federation, has performed at the highest level in almost all forms of sailing. He has been involved in three America’s Cup campaigns, most recently as mainsheet trimmer for Oracle BMW in 2003, where his team reached the Louis Vuitton Cup Challenger Series Finals.
His record in offshore sailing is even more impressive. He has won the Volvo Ocean Race on two occasions, and last year led TEAM ABN AMRO to one of the most emphatic victories in the history of the race, winning six out of the nine off-shore legs and five of seven in-port races. He has also broken a number of world records, including the 24 hour speed record as skipper of ABN AMRO ONE, and was skipper of Robert Miller’s Mari Cha IV, which captured the historic transatlantic monohull world speed record in October 2003.
Mike has also always been involved extensively in the technical aspects of his sailing programmes having been an integral part of the design and build teams working on the development of Mari Cha IV, both ABN AMRO boats, Pindar’s Open 60s, as well as his role in the performance/design team for Oracle BMW – this will be of enormous benefit to TEAMORIGIN™ in progressing forward their technical programme and building the right Technical team.
Sanderson, 35, from Whangarei in New Zealand, is married to the British yachtswoman Emma Richards MBE. Mike and Emma were married in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, in May 2006.
written by Pitch PR
Credit to www.sail-world.com
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