BT TEAM ELLEN UPDATE - JULY 2008
July 6, 2008 by www.btteamellen.com | 0 comments
In Brief: - BT IMOCA 60 skipper Seb Josse qualifies for the solo Vendée Globe. - BT Team Ellen preparing for the annual Skandia Cowes Week that will see Nick Moloney competing in the 3rd round of the European iShares Cup, Seb and Ellen competing in The Artemis Challenge, and Ellen gets the chance to drive the Extreme 40 in the class racing.
In Brief:
- BT IMOCA 60 skipper Seb Josse qualifies for the solo Vendée Globe.
- BT Team Ellen preparing for the annual Skandia Cowes Week that will see Nick Moloney competing in the 3rd round of the European iShares Cup, Seb and Ellen competing in The Artemis Challenge, and Ellen gets the chance to drive the Extreme 40 in the class racing.
In Detail:
Seb Josse qualifies for the solo Vendée Globe:
Just over two months ago the BT IMOCA Open 60 was launched on the River Thames to the sounds of the ‘Sugababes’ and then not long after BT skipper, Seb Josse, was racing in The Artemis Transat – the oldest solo race race history from Plymouth to Boston. Seb was leading the 2,800 mile race when he was forced to retire following damage at the top of the mast that sent the mainsail crashing to the deck.
A disappointment for Seb but he was extremely happy with the boat’s performance, in particular with the Vendée Globe in mind, as at the time he had been leading the Vendée Globe pre-race favourites. Seb turned the boat around and headed back to Lorient in France and completed enough solo miles onboard the new BT IMOCA Open 60 to meet the qualification regulations for the Vendée Globe. Seb, who automatically qualified following his participation in the 2004 Vendée Globe, still had to qualify the new BT boat. This has now been officially confirmed by the Vendée Globe race organisers and BT becomes the 23rd official entry in the race, although the final entry numbers are expected to be close to 30.
BT IMOCA 60
© Thierry Martinez / Sea&Co / BT Team Ellen
Skandia Cowes Week and the iShares Cup:
The annual Skandia Cowes Week, the UK’s biggest sailing regatta, is always a high point of the year for BT Team Ellen who are also based in Cowes, home to Skandia Cowes Week. It is an opportunity to mix some great racing out on the water with entertaining BT Team Ellen partners and guests. And, for sure, it is one busy week for the team!
Nick Moloney skipper of the BT Extreme 40 will be competing in the third round of the iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series – a high-adrenalin mix of professional sailing on high-speed catamarans at five venues across Europe. The BT Extreme 40 crew enjoyed a podium finish at the first event in Switzerland and a hair-raising regatta in Hyères, France. BT are now 4th overall as they prepare for third round that will take place at the start of Skandia Cowes Week over 2nd – 4th August. A week of training with a coach should prepare them well for this regatta that will also see the America’s Cup teams of Alinghi and BMW Oracle Racing meeting on the water for the first time since the last America’s Cup in 2007.
Ellen MacArthur then gets to take the helm from Tuesday, 3rd August as she will race the BT Extreme 40 in the daily race organised by the Skandia Cowes Week event organisers, Cowes Combined Clubs. In addition, Ellen will join Seb onboard the BT Open 60 in The Artemis Challenge race around the Isle of Wight. This 50-mile sprint around the island will see BT line up against the UK Open 60 contenders including Mike Golding (Ecover), Jonny Malbon (Artemis Ocean Racing), and Dee Caffari (Aviva). It is also for a great cause – the winning boat can donate £10,000 to a charity of their choice. Seb has nominated the Ellen MacArthur Trust and the French charity A chacun son Everest.
BT EXTREME 40
© Thierry Martinez / Sea&Co / BT Team Ellen
BT TEAM ELLEN: Nick Moloney, BT Extreme 40 skipper, Ellen MacArthur, Sebastien Josse, BT IMOCA 60 skipper
© Thierry Martinez / Sea&Co / BT Team Ellen
