First outing for the new Pindar

Seven Open 60s will now compete in the Artemis Challenge round the island race tomorrow at Skandia Cowes Week

Artemis Investment Management Ltd is pleased to announce that the brand new Pindar will race in tomorrow's Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week. The race will see seven Open 60s battle each other in what is hoped to be a high speed sprint around the Isle of Wight for the right to donate £10,000 from Artemis to the charity of their choice (in fact given the light winds forecast, 'sprint' might be a little hopeful).

The brand new Pindar, Open 60 built in New Zealand by Cooksons and the first Open 60 to be designed by Juan Kouyoumdjian, will be skippered by ISAF World Sailor of the Year, Mike Sanderson for who Juan K designed the Volvo Ocean Race winning ABN AMRO One. Delivered by ship to Europe for the Rolex Fastnet Race, Pindar arrived in the UK a week early and is therefore able to make a last minute entry into the Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week.

Sanderson will be joined onboard Pindar by one of his winning crew members from ABN AMRO One, fellow Kiwi Brad Jackson. They will be joined on board by Moose's heavily pregnant wife Emma Sanderson (née Richards), and Jo Royle, Pindar’s Volvo 60 skipper, along with Andrew Pindar and a representative of thedailysail... This will be the first competitive outing for the boat up against a strong field including British skipper Jonny Malbon (Artemis) and Spain's Guillermo Altadill (Estrella Damm). Sam Davies hopes to be skippering Roxy, despite recovering from an appendectomy only a week ago - as a result Roxy will no longer be competing in the Rolex Fastnet Race this weekend.

Pindar will join the fleet on the start line off the Royal Yacht Squadron at 10:00, as Dame Ellen MacArthur fires the cannon to set the yachts on their way as part of the Class Zero racing during Skandia Cowes Week. Pindar will be racing on behalf of the charity ‘Earthwatch’ , a non-profit organization that seeks to raise awareness about the sustainability of our planet.

The Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week should prove an exciting and enthralling warm up for the Rolex Fastnet Race, that starts this Sunday 12 August. As an extension of their newly formed partnership with IMOCA, the governing body for the Open 60 class, Artemis Investment Management Limited will be hosting the Artemis Trophy, an extra award within the Rolex Fastnet Race for the Open 60 fleet. This trophy, together with £10,000 of prize money, will be awarded to the winning Open 60 across the line. With an entry list currently standing at eighteen Open 60 boats, it is set to be a hard-fought competition as each boat pushes for the line.

BOAT	SKIPPER	CELEBRITY
Artemis Ocean Racing	Jonny Malbon	Lady Gabriella Windsor
Estrella Damm	Guillermo Altadil	Will Greenwood MBE
Roxy	Samantha Davies	Georgie Thompson
Pindar	Mike Sanderson
Spirit of Weymouth	Steve White	Johnny Ball
Mirabaud	Xavier Lecoeur
Akena Verandas	Arnaud Boissieres