AC45 crew lists

The lucky line-ups for the America's Cup World Series opener

The crew lists for the AC45s have been announced for the first day of racing at the America's Cup World Series event in Cascais.

With Green Comm, the Italian team masquerading as a Spanish entry, Luca Devoti is taking more of a squad approach than the other teams with crew rotating day to day.

"For the first day we will have two-time Olympic medalist Vasilij Žbogar at the helm. Four-time European Tornado champion, Kostas Trigonis, will be the wing trimmer. Anthony Nossiter, Olympic, America’s Cup and Volvo Ocean Race sailor, will be at the runners. Former 49er World Champion and Volvo Ocean Race sailor, Javier de la Plaza will be on the halyards and daggerboards and Pete Cumming, Extreme Sailing Series champion, will be at the sheets," says Devoti, Green Comm's Sports Team Manager. "This is just the start of a long journey and so far we have only sailed twice on our AC45. We feel privileged to be here in this first event that marks the beginning of a new era where our green philosophy can show the path to a better future.”

Javier de la Plaza was a last minute replacement today for Finn World Champion Ed Wright. The eagle-eyed will notice that another British Finn sailor, Andrew Mills, is bowman with Mitch Booth aboard China Team.

Meanwhile on Russell Coutts' Oracle Racing, four-time America's Cup winner Simon Daubney will miss out due to a broken bone in his left hand sustained during yesterday practice session. He is replaced by the rigging/wing expert Andrew Henderson from the shore team and one of Oracle Racing's reserves. 'Hendo' has a formidable sailing CV, including a Jules Verne multihull round the world record attempt as well as 10 transatlantic races and 15 Sydney-Hobarts.

“I’m disappointed, of course,” said Daubney who will sit out the rest of the regatta. “It was one of those accidents, nothing more than a stumble on the trampoline as I was going across to the other side, but I caught the side of my hand on the wing and it got a nasty twist.”