Yet more new recruits

More Volvo Ocean Race hands go to join Victory Challenge

A further three sailors that took part in the Volvo Ocean Race have joined Victory Challenge:

- Andy Meiklejohn from Brasil 1.
- Richard Mason from Ericsson Racing Team.
- Anthony Merrington, who was a member of Victory Challenge during the pre-regattas in 2005, has returned after sailing with Pirates of the Caribbean.

“All three well fulfil the criteria we have had for the continued team recruitment," says Magnus Holmberg, skipper and helmsman. "They are solid sailors who also contribute specialist knowledge to the development of rigging, sails or the boat. Andy is a mast specialist, Richard was boat captain with Ericsson – which he will also be with us. It’s also great that Anthony is back, that the Volvo Ocean Race was a parenthesis which means that he can bring further experience to the team,.”
 
For all three Volvo Ocean Race sailors it was the second time they participated in round the world sailing.

New Zealander Andy Meiklejohn, 30, has been recruited as midbowman and rigger. He sailed with Brasil 1 in the last Volvo Ocean Race, and was rigger on shore with Team News Corp in the one prior to that. He was part of the team that won the round the world race, Oryx Quest 2005.

Australian Richard Mason, 32, who grew up in New Zealand but lives in Sweden, is one of the most experienced off-shore sailors in the world for his age. He sailed with Ericsson Racing Team in the last Volvo Ocean Race, and with Assa Abloy in the one prior to that. He will be a floater with Victory Challenge and captain of one of the two America’s Cup boats in the two-boat training which will soon begin.

Australian Anthony Merrington, 33, will also be a floater. He is, just like Richard Mason, one of the most experienced off-shore sailors. He last sailed with Pirates of the Caribbean and, prior to that, with Team SEB in the Volvo Ocean Race. For him it is a return to Victory Challenge; he was in every pre-regatta in the 32nd America’s Cup during 2005.
 
In total, this means that eight of those who have recently completed the Volvo Ocean Race have reinforced Victory Challenge’s sailing team ahead of the two-boat training. The other five are the ABN AMRO sailors, David Endean, Tony Mutter, Andrew Lewis, Simon Fisher and Luke Molloy.
  
Victory Challenge’s main partners for the 32nd America’s Cup are Tele2, MTG and Red Bull. Metro, Viasat and Bet24 are media partners. Sail Racing, LIROS Yacht Ropes, Sebago and OM Pimespo Ibercarretillas are official suppliers.