British Olympic Tornado sailor Will Howden will join Ecover Sailing Team onboard the Ecover Extreme 40 for the first round of the iShares Cup 2009 in Venice Italy. Will joins the team as ‘bowman’ alongside skipper Mike Golding (GBR), Bruno Dubois (BEL) and Fraser Brown (NZL). Venice is the first city in the six stop European tour, with racing taking place between 15th -17th May.
Each race day involves up to 8 regatta-style inshore races, held close to the shore and the viewing public. With the iShares Extreme 40 races averaging just 12 minutes each and involving high-speed manoeuvres, sail hoists and drops, this is a punishing physical challenge for the whole team, especially the ‘bow’.
The world is more used to relating Ecover Sailing Team skipper Mike Golding with offshore single-handed racing. His CV detailing his success in this field speaks for itself: Mike was FICO world champion 2005/6 and IMOCA world champion for two successive years 2004/5 and 2005/6; the first and only B ritish sailor to hold this coveted title. He was also the first person ever to race single-handed and non-stop around the world in both directions and is one of just two British sailors to ever have stood on the podium in the Vendee Globe.
Ecover Sailing Team has an experienced crew for their first season competing in the iShares Cup. On the mainsheet will be Fraser Brown (NZL), one of the most experienced Extreme 40 sailors on the circuit having raced in the class from the outset. In 2008 he raced with double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson, and the team won the first event in Lugano, Switzerland.
Trimming will be Bruno Dubois (BEL) who is a familiar face to Ecover and Mike Golding as the pair have sailed together on many races on the IMOCA Open 60 circuit. Bruno is the Managing Director of North Sails in France, has competed in the Whitbread Round the World Race, been crowned World Champion in the Corel 45 class and held a multihull speed record in his career. Bruno was also part of the crew on Kingfisher 2 for the Jules Verne attempt in 2002 and was the sail co-coordinator for Areva Challenge in the last edition of the America’s Cup.
Will Howden
© Running the front of the boat will be Will Howden (GBR), he is no stranger to these boats having been on the circuit since 2005. Will has also competed at two Olympic Games from Great Britain in the Tornado Catamaran.
“It has been great to step onboard with Mike and team,” commented Will. “I love these boats, they really are a thrill ride and we have a huge amount of diversity in our team. We all bring something to the table through our previous experiences and I think we have the potential for some good results on the water”.
The team has been training in Hyères, France as they prepare for the circuit and are now on their way to the first event in Venice, Italy. “It will be a bit of a baptism of fire for me!” said sk ipper Mike Golding. Our decision to join the iShares Cup came less than a month ago, since then we have assembled a great team, done a weeks training with our newly acquired Extreme 40 and put all the elements in place for our first event with the Ecover X40 in Venice. Like the iShares races themselves it’s been a mad dash! But we will be there and raring to get started!
Ecover Sailing Team Extreme 40
Skipper – Mike Golding (GBR)
Main – Fraser Brown (NZL)
Trimmer – Bruno Dubois (BEL)
Bow – Will Howden (GBR)