iShares Extreme 40 crew onboard. L-R: Nick Hutton, Jonathan 'Jono' Macbeth, Hugh Styles, Shirley Robertson. Image copyright Mike Cooper.
by Emily Nichols
Shirley Robertson, double Olympic gold medallist and skipper of Team iShares for the 2009 iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series, has confirmed her crew for the season. Robertson will be joined by New Zealand's Jonathan Macbeth and fellow Brits Hugh Styles and Nick Hutton.
iShares Extreme 40. Image copyright Mike Cooper.
Shirley Robertson, iShares Extreme 40 skipper. Image copyright Mike Cooper.
Three-time America's Cup campaigner Macbeth joins the iShares Cup circuit for the first time this year. 'Jono' joined Team New Zealand in 1997 for the team's successful defence of the America's Cup in 2000 and stayed on for two additional campaigns. He is now part of BMW Oracle Racing Team and will gain valuable multi hull experience on an Extreme 40 this summer as trimmer for Team iShares in the iShares Cup.
Jono Macbeth. Image copyright Mike Cooper.
Former British Olympic Tornado sailor Styles and bowman Hutton are no strangers to the Extreme 40 class. Styles sailed in the inaugural iShares Cup in 2007 and went on to skipper Team iShares in 2008, whilst Hutton, the youngest member of the crew at 27, was part of Robertson's Extreme 40 team in last year's iShares Cup.
Hugh Styles. Image copyright Mike Cooper.
Nick Hutton. Image copyright Mike Cooper.
"We have a really strong team for 2009," said Robertson following a two week stint of intensive training in Hyeres, South of France and Cowes, Isle of Wight. "Between them the guys have an impressive range of experience and we worked really well together on the water over the past couple of weeks. It will be interesting to see how we fare against the stiff competition we'll have in the iShares Cup, but so far the signs are good and we're looking forward to a successful season."
The iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series is a six-event European sailing circuit featuring the world's best Olympic, round the world, America's cup and solo s ailors who go head-to-head in crash and burn racing close to the shore, in some of Europe's most stunning locations.
iShares Extreme 40. Image copyright Mike Cooper.
The 2009 venues for the iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series:
Event 1 - Venice, Italy, 15th to 17th May
Event 2 - Hyeres, France, 3rd to 5th July
Event 3 - United Kingdom, 1st to 3rd August
Event 4 - Kiel, Germany, 28th to 30th August
Event 5 - The Netherlands, 25th to 27th September
Event 6 - Almería, Spain, 10th to 12th October
iShares Cup
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