Team AkzoNobel skipper Simeon Tienpont has selected four former Volvo Ocean Race winners as part of a strong, multinational crew for the 2017-18 campaign.
Tienpont named a total of eight sailors from seven nations to the team – just under five months before the race starts from Alicante on 22 October.
New Zealand’s Brad Jackson, Roberto Bermúdez de Castro (Chuny) from Spain, the Brazilian Joca Signorini and Britain’s Jules Salter have all lifted the coveted Volvo Ocean Race trophy in the past.
The crew I have chosen blends maturity and experience with youth and vigour
Simeon Tienpont
They are joined by Dutch Olympic silver medallist Annemieke Bes, Australia’s Luke Molloy, Danish match racing skipper Nicolai Sehested and New Zealander Brad Farrand.
© Thierry Martinez / Team AkzoNobe
“The crew I have chosen blends maturity and experience with youth and vigour,” said Tienpont, a two-time America’s Cup winner who also has two Volvo Ocean Races under his belt as part of ABN AMRO TWO in 2005-06 and Team Vestas Wind in 2014-15.
“We have an incredible depth of experience in this team, with 24 Volvo Ocean Races and five Olympic campaigns between us,” added Simeon.
“In addition, we have the instinctive high performance skills of our two under-30 sailors, Brad Farrand and Nicolai Sehested, to call on.”
Annemieke Bes is the latest female sailor to be named to a Volvo Ocean Race team following a rule change last year that incentivises mixed crews.
© Thierry Martinez / Team AkzoNobe
Helmsman/Trimmer Bes has represented the Netherlands at three Olympics and won silver in the Yngling at the 2008 Beijing Games.
While Bes is one of two debutants – the other being Bowman Brad Farrand – Brad Jackson will be taking on his seventh campaign in a glittering Volvo Ocean Race career.
The 49-year-old Watch Leader has three victories under his belt already – with New Zealand Endeavour back in 1993-94, ABN AMRO ONE in 2005-06 and Ericsson 4 in 2008-09 – and he has never finished lower than fourth.
Watch Leader Joca Signorini and Navigator Jules Salter are also veterans of that winning Ericsson campaign in 2008-09, while Helmsman/Trimmer Chuny Bermúdez comes direct from his success on Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in the last edition.
Signorini also sailed with Brasil 1 in 2005-06 and Telefónica in 2011-12, while Salter made his debut with Pirates of the Caribbean in 2005-06. Chuny has competed in six previous editions of the Volvo Ocean Race, dating back to Galicia ’93 Pescanova in 1993-94.
© Thierry Martinez / Team AkzoNobe
Luke Molloy and Nicolai Sehested have taken part in one Volvo Ocean Race apiece and both have previous experience sailing with skipper Simeon Tienpont.
The Volvo Ocean Race is incomparable with any other sporting event and we are all proud to be flying the flag for the Netherlands
Simeon Tienpont
Molloy sailed on the ABN AMRO TWO campaign in 2005-06 while Sehested was on Team Vestas Wind. Both will have the role of Helmsman/Trimmer in 2017-18, with Sehested also named as Boat Captain.
And While the team has an international flavour, Tienpont spoke of his huge pride at leading a campaign carrying the Dutch flag of his homeland.
“To lead a Dutch team in the Volvo Ocean Race is a real privilege because this race has such a huge legacy in the Netherlands,” said Tienpont. “The Volvo Ocean Race is incomparable with any other sporting event and we are all proud to be flying the flag for the Netherlands.”
© Thierry Martinez / Team AkzoNobe
“The Volvo Ocean Race is a wonderful showcase for the unrivalled quality and high performance of our products, so it’s important this is reflected in the team itself,” said AkzoNobel CEO Ton Büchner. “Simeon has assembled an outstanding crew of real pedigree which is fully committed to winning together and we are proud to have them on board.”
AkzoNobel’s brand new Volvo Ocean 65 is scheduled to sail for the first time in early June, with an official christening ceremony planned to take place soon after at the team’s base in The Hague, the Netherlands. The team AkzoNobel crew will then begin four months of intense on-the-water training, including a number of transatlantic crossings.
A total of four teams have so far been confirmed for the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18, with more to come in the next few weeks.
