BT Extreme 40 In Amsterdam (Photo by Thierry Martinez /Sea & Co/BT Team Ellen)
Both BT boats and crews are in the final stages of preparation for the biggest events of their season… There is just a week to go before the final event of the iShares Cup in Almeria, Spain and Nick Moloney and the BT Extreme 40 crew will have to put in a strong performance to secure their current overall 5th place. For the BT IMOCA 60 team, the countdown has started for Sébastien Josse and Jean François Cuzon who will start the double handed Transat Jacques Vabre, the pinnacle race of the IMOCA season, in just over one month…
After five events across Europe in the 2009 iShares Cup, BT is currently in 5th place just behind the world’s best multihull skippers – Loick Peyron (Oman Sail Renaisance), Franck Cammas (Groupama 40) , Yann Guichard (Gitana Extreme – Groupe LCF Rothschild). Not a bad place to be perhaps, but the BT team, who have finished third on the podium at the last two annual iShares Cup series, are disappointed that the podium this time is beyond their reach. BT skipper, Nick Moloney, remains positive and knows they must put in a good performance to fend off the other teams vying for position:
“Almeria is the last event and the sailing conditions should be completely different to Kiel and Amsterdam, where we had our worst results. In Spain we will have an open race course and more wind, and we clearly are better in those conditions. We are still 5th on the overall leaderbord, we are determined and we will fight until the end of the last race!”
This Wednesday (30.9.09) BT skippers Sébastien Josse and Jean-François Cuzon took a break in their training and headed to Paris for the official press conference of the Transat Jacques Vabre. The gathering of the 14 IMOCA duos who will compete in the Transat Jacques Vabre starting on 8th November, put the race under scrutiny and an intriguing tactical option that could divide this very competitive fleet of latest generation IMOCA 60s. For Sébastien and Jean-Francois a victory in the IMOCA class of the Fastnet race was a reassuring win, but they know the competition in this year’s Transat Jacques Vabre will be intense. Racing against the likes of Michel Desjoyeaux’s Foncia, Kito de Pavant’s Groupe Bel and Roland Jourdain’s Veolia Environnement all who have recently been sharpening their racing skills by competed in the Istanbul Europe Race.
BT Open 60 Sébastien Josse and Jean François Cuzon (Photo by Thierry Martinez/Sea & Co/BT Team Ellen)
Sam Davies, Zara Phillips, Dame Ellen MacArthur and Dee Caffari At Artemis Challenge (Photo by Rick Tomlinson))
- Seb Josse and IMOCA 60 BT (Photo Courtesy of Offshore Challenges Sailiing Team)
Seb Josse and his all-star team, including celebrity guests Dame Ellen MacArthur and Radio 1 DJ, Rob Da Bank have won the Artemis Challenge at Cowes Week. On an east-bound course, the fleet set off at 10:00 from the Royal Yacht Squadron line on a downwind leg flying their huge code zero gennakers. Mike Sanderson and team, including celebrity guest Paul Rose (TV presenter and adventurer), led off the startline but complicated winds soon started to affect proceedings and within 10 minutes, fleet positions had turned inside out.
Team Pindar today finished second in the Artemis Challenge at Cowes Week, skippered by Former ISAF World Sailor of the Year and TEAMORIGIN Team Director, Mike Sanderson.
Light winds this morning forced organisers to modify the normal ‘round-the-island’ course, to a shortened 35-mile route through the Forts and around Nab Tower off the Isle of Wight. 8 miles from the official line, as the wind dropped further, the race was called to an early finish, sealing victory for Frenchman Seb Josse and his crew on board BT IMOCA 60.
Now in its third year, this year’s Artemis Challenge attracted a total of eight Open 60’s many of which had not competed since the end of the non-stop solo round the world yacht race, the Vendée Globe earlier this year. Each yacht played host to a celebrity sailor which included names from the world of entertainment and sport: Zara Phillips, Bryan Adams and Rugby World Cup winners Will Greenwood and Mike Tindall. Sailing on board Team Pindar was BBC TV presenter, adventurer and Earthwatch ambassador, Paul Rose.
Mike Sanderson commented: “Obviously it was disappointing not to have more breeze, but we had a good time and definitely made the most of the day. Considering how well the boat has been performing in the strong winds over the last few days, I was really encouraged to see how well she handled the light breeze too.”
Earthwatch Ambassador, Paul Rose commented: “I’ve been sailing all my life but it’s not everyday you get to be out on the water on an Open 60 and with some of the best sailors in the world. It’s been a tremendous event and a great opportunity to raise awareness for Earthwatch and its Oceans Appeal.”
Team Pindar is now preparing for the 2009 Rolex Fastnet Race, which starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron
Team Pindar Open 60 Second Place Winner in Artemis Challenge (Photo by Lloyd Images)
A further five hours later the fleet made its way back up the Solent from No Man’s Land Fort after the course was shortened for the first time but the wind totally disappeared between Portsmouth and Ryde creating a concertina effect on the fleet.
Making zero headway against a now adverse tide, the race officers made a decision to put the self-shortening course procedure into action. It was agreed this morning that all competitors were to time themselves round each mark of the course, and take the times of the boat ahead and behind should this particular scenario happen.
The race office confirmed that the results would be based on the timings at Bembridge Ledge which meant that BT who was leading at the time was deemed the overall winner, and Pindar was second. Simon Clay on Artemis The Profit Hunter with celebrity guest Bryan Adams, were third. Stable mates – Artemis Ocean Racing – with Sam Davies and special guest Zara Phillips finished 4th.
Ellen MacArthur (Photo by George Bekris)
2007
• June 2007: Took line honours in JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island in new high-tech Extreme 40 catamaran. Crossed the line just after 0818 hours, completing the course in 4 hours 6 minutes 3 seconds.
2005
• Feb 2005 – Sets a new solo non-stop round the world record of 71 Days, 14 hours, 18 minutes, 33 seconds (on board 75ft Trimaran B&Q)
• New SNSM (St Nazaire to St Malo) crewed maxi record set on board B&Q. New record stands 1 Day, 3 hours. 23 minutes, 29 seconds.
• 2nd Transat Jacques Vabre 2005 with Roland Jourdain (aka Bilou) on board Open 60 Sill et Veolia
2004
* January – Launch of new 75-foot B&Q trimaran on 8.1.04 in Sydney, Australia.
* March-April – Delivery trip of new trimaran from New Zealand via Australia and the Falklands Islands. Leaving the delivery crew at the Falklands, Ellen sailed B&Q solo to New York.
* June – Solo transatlantic record attempt on board B&Q missing the record by just 75 minutes in a time of 7 days, 3 hours, 49 minutes, 57 seconds.
• November – Departs 28.11.04 at 0810GMT on solo round the world record attempt onboard the 75ft trimaran B&Q. Finishes at 22:29:17GMTT on 7.2.05 setting a new record of 71 days, 14 hours, 18 mins and 33 secs taking 8 hours, 35 mins and 49 secs off the previous record time of Francis Joyon. B&Q sailed 27,354 miles at an average speed of 15.9 knots.
2002
* January – Ellen MacArthur and Kingfisher plc announce five year plan to include Jules Verne record attempt and culminating in the solo Route du Rhum race in November 2006.
* 9-23 November – Route du Rhum solo transatlantic race from St Malo to Guadeloupe on board ‘Kingfisher’. Result: 1st in Open 60 class (13 days, 13 hours, 31 mins, 47 secs) setting a new monohull record.
2001
* May – Challenge Mondial Assistance on board 60ft trimaran ‘Foncia-Kingfisher’ with co-skipper Alain Gautier.
* 3 July-25 August – EDS Atlantic Challenge crewed five leg race from St Malo with stops at Hamburg, Portsmouth, Baltimore, Boston on board ‘Kingfisher’ with co-skipper Nick Moloney. Result: 1st place overall.
Also on 60ft trimaran KINGFISHER-FONCIA during 2001 season:
* 30 April-5 May – Trophee Coralia at Fecamp. Result: 2nd19-24 June – Sardinia Grand Prix.
* 30 Aug-2 September – Fecamp Grand Prix. Result: 1st.
* 11-16 September – Zebrugge Grand Prix. Result: 2nd.
* 4th November – Transat Jacques Vabre two-handed transatlantic race from Le Havre to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil with co-skipper Alain Gautier. Result: 2nd in the ORMA 60 class.
1998
* February – Teamed up with Mark Turner at Offshore Challenges.
* November – Route du Rhum solo transatlantic race from St Malo to Guadeloupe on board Open 50ft monohull ‘Kingfisher’. Result: 1st in Open 50 class (20 days, 11 hours, 44 mins, 49 secs).
1997
* Mini Transat single-handed transatlantic race in 26-foot boats. Result: 17th overall.
1996
* First transatlantic passage leaving Newport, Rhode Island (USA) on Ellen’s 20th birthday.
* First transatlantic race in the Quebec-St Malo. Result: 3rd in class.
1995
* BT/YJA Young Sailor of Year award.
* Sailed ‘Iduna’ single-handed around Great Britain.
1994
* Debut into full-time yachting, working on an Open 60ft yacht and teaching sailing to adults at the David King Nautical School in Hull.
* Achieved RYA Yachtmaster and Instructor’s ticket, aged 18 (exceptionally young).
Pre-1994
*Aged four, began sailing with aunt on ‘Cabaret’, all spare time reading sailing books.
* Started saving school dinner money at the age of eight to buy her first boat.
* First boat at 13 (‘Threpenny Bit’, dinghy), second at 15 (‘Kestrel’, small keelboat), then third at 17 (‘Iduna’, 21-foot Corribee).
Accolades
. BT/YJA Young Sailor of the Year January 1995
. ISAF World Champion election of Woman Sailor of the Year by 113 sailing Federations throughout the world. Awarded 14.11.01
. “The Cup of the Chief of Staff of the French Navy” awarded 30.11.01
. FICO World Champion ranked by number of points obtained in the year’s ocean races awarded 7.12.01
. BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards overall runner-up (2nd place to David Beckham) plus ‘Helen Rollason Award’ awarded 9.12.01
. ‘Sunday Times Woman of the Year’ awarded 11.12.01
. MBE awarded 12.12.01 at Buckingham Palace by Queen
. Nomination for the title of “Femme en Or” (“Golden Woman”) sport-adventure in France election on 15.12.01
. YJA Yachtsman of the Year January 2002
. Listed in Time magazine 100 Heroes & Icons 2005
. DBE awarded 24.04.05 at Buckingham Palace by Queen
. Alternative Sportsperson of the Year 2005 – Laureus Sports Awards, May 2005
. ISAF Female Sailor of the Year 2005
. BBC South Yachtsperson of the Year 2005
. BBC East Midlands Sportswoman and Sports Personality of the Year 2005
. BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards overall runner-up (2nd place to Andrew Flintoff) December 2005
