AC V5 racing resumes

Prior to today's CNEV Annual Regatta, Team Origin and Desafio Espanol reveal their teams

The second annual regatta of the Club Nautico Español de Vela (CNEV) was presented yesterday in Valencia.

Over Friday until Sunday this week four teams will compete on board ACC yachts alongside more than 70 RN cruisers and Platu 25 at the Trofeo Desafío Español off Valencia this weekend. In addition to Alinghi, Desafio Espanol and Team Origin, the fourth team to officially enter the ACC class in this regatta is Luna Rossa.

The press conference was attended by Manuel Chirivella, President of the CNEV, Challenger of Record of the 33rd America’s Cup; Laureano Wizner of Desafío Español; Murray Jones, strategist and helmsman of Alinghi for this event; Ben Ainslie, skipper of TeamOrigin and interestingly Ainslie old Laser sparring partner, Robert Scheidt, strategist of Luna Rossa.

Laureano Wizner said: “We are looking forward to go back racing on the ACC. I may helm the boat but probably Paul Cayard will steer ESP 97 most of the time”.

Murray Jones, strategist of Alinghi and helmsman of SUI 100 for this event, added: “Our crew work is a bit rusty at the moment but we hope SUI 100 is still as fast as last year!”

Robert Scheidt, strategist of Luna Rossa, shared the same feelings: “it is very positive to be able to race on the ACCs is a great opportunitty to go back to work”.

Ben Ainslie started thanking Desafío Español for lending ESP 88 to TeamOrigin for the races and hoped that “we can go on with the racing”. This will be the first regatta for TeamOrigin on an ACC boat.

Yesterday the four ACC boat competed in a training fleet race. The first race is scheduled for today at 1pm. There will be races also on Saturday and Sunday.

Going into battle as a team for the first time today Team Origin have announced their crew list for this three day event:

Ben Ainslie - skipper and helmsman
Iain Percy - tactician
Stan Honey - navigator
Mike Sanderson - runner
Andrew Simpson - strategist
Chris Salterhouse - mainsail trim
Rob Greenhalgh - traveller/strategist
Anthony Nossiter - pit assist
David Carr/Mike Bottle - main grind
Christian Kamp - downwind trim
Robbie Naismith - upwind trim
Chris Brittle - starboard grind
Pawel Bielecki - port grind
Nick Bice - pit
George Skuodas - mast
Julien Cressant - mid-bow
Matt Cornwell - bow

The Trofeo Desafío Español crew line-up is:
- Bowman: Pedro Mas (Palma de Mallorca)
- Mid Bowman: Miguel Jáuregui (Bilbao)
- Mastman: Enrique Cameselle (Vigo)
- Pit: Pablo Rosano (Cdiz)
- Pit 2: Diego Guigou (Santa Cruz de Tenerife)
- Trimmer Spi: Marcos Iglesias (Vigo)
- Trimmer Genoa: Mikkel Rosberg (Denmark)
- Trimmer Mainsail: Nacho Braquehais (Valencia)
- Grinder 1: Iñigo Etxaniz (San Sebastián)
- Grinder 2: Carlo Castellano (Italy)
- Grinder 3: Federico Giovanelli (Italy)
- Grinder 4: Jorge Ondo (Valencia)
- Helmsman: Paul Cayard (USA)
- Tactician: John Cutler (New Zealand)
- Strategist: Santiago López-Vázquez (Santander)
- Navigator: Bruno Zirilli (Italy)
- Traveller: Laureano Wizner (Málaga)
- Traveller 2: Iñaki Martínez (Barcelona)