Mike Sanderson – Challenge and Adventure

George Bekris, Emma Richards Sanderson, Mike Sanderson (Photo by Donna Erichsen)

Mike Sanderson, Team Director for TEAMORIGIN™, is one of the world’s leading sailors and professional sportsmen in today’s sailing world, with vast all-round experience.

Sanderson, who was recently awarded the prestigious accolade of ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year for 2006 by the International Sailing Federation, has performed at the highest level in almost all forms of sailing. He has been involved in three America’s Cup campaigns, including the victorious Team New Zealand in 2000, and most recently as mainsheet trimmer with Oracle BMW in the 2003 America’s Cup, where his team reached the Louis Vuitton Cup Finals.

His record in offshore sailing is even more impressive. He has won the Volvo Ocean Race on two occasions, and last year led TEAM ABN AMRO to one of the most emphatic victories in the history of the race, winning six out of the nine off-shore legs and five of seven in-port races. He has also broken a number of world records, including the 24 hour speed record as Skipper of ABN AMRO ONE, and was Skipper of Mari Cha IV, which captured the historic transatlantic monohull world speed record in October 2003.

Mike also has always been involved extensively in the technical aspects of his sailing programmes having been an integral part of the design and build teams working on the development of Mari Cha IV, both ABN AMRO boats, Open 60s, as well as his role in the performance/design team for Oracle BMW – this will be of enormous benefit to TEAMORIGIN™ in progressing forward their technical programme and building the right Technical team.

Sanderson, 35, from Whangarei in New Zealand, is married to the British yachtswoman Emma Richards MBE. Mike and Emma were married in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, in May 2006.

Biography

In 1993 – 1994 Mike was trimmer on New Zealand Endeavour which was skippered by Grant Dalton and won the Whitbread Round-The-World Race (now known as the Volvo Ocean Race).

In 1997 – 1998 Mike began the latest Whitbread onboard Merit Cup with Grant Dalton as skipper. They sailed over the line in 1998 in a creditable second place.

In October 1999 Mike, who was watch captain on Robert Miller’s Mari-Cha III, was onboard as the team broke the Transatlantic record.

In December 1999 as watch captain once again, Mike and the team shattered the Sydney – Hobart passage record by over 19 hours.

Mike is racing skipper on the 140 foot schooner Mari-Cha IV. Mari-Cha IV took the world of sailing by storm in October 2004 when, on its maiden ocean voyage, it crossed the Atlantic in only six days. The 50 tonne super-maxi completed the 2,925 mile transatlantic crossing from New York to the UK in 6 days, 17 hours, 52 minutes and 39 seconds, demolishing the previous record by more than two days.

Owned by Robert Miller, the all carbon fibre 140 foot super-maxi, Mari-Cha IV, was built with one aim in mind – to become the fastest offshore racing monohull ever. The Mari-Cha team also made sailing history during the transatlantic voyage when they smashed the 24 hour distance record, sailing 525.7 nautical miles in a 24 hour period.

The passage is from Ambrose lighthouse (just off NY) to Lizard point (off the south west coast of England) and covers a distance of 2925 nm.

The Mari-Cha IV team have since gone on to shatter the Antigua – Guadeloupe race record, compete in a very successful Antigua Race Week and take the West coast – Hawaii Pacific Ocean record.

Mari-Cha IV continues to race in some of the world’s most prestigious regattas.

In 2005 – 2006 Mike won his first Volvo Ocean Race as a skipper, leading ABN AMRO’s two boat campaign to victory in the brand new Volvo 70 boats. See ABN AMRO ONE wins the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006 for more details.

On 22nd July Mike Sanderson joined TEAM ABN AMRO to become skipper of ABN AMRO ONE for the 2005-2006 Volvo Ocean Race.

Having competed in the Volvo Ocean Race on two previous occasions coming first and second, his focus on total boat performance and development in addtion to his extensive experience was instrumental in this winning two-boat campaign.

Mike’s ultimate aim was to skipper a winning Volvo Ocean Race campaign and on 17th June, 2006, as the skipper of ABN AMRO ONE, after a gruelling eight months he lifted the ‘Fighting Finish’ trophy in Gothenburg, at the end of the Volvo Ocean Race 2005-2006.

In addition to his role as skipper of ABN AMRO ONE, Mike, along with sailing director Roy Heiner, helped to select the crews for both of the teams two boats, and throughout the campaign continued to work closely with ABN AMRO TWO, beyond the build-up to the race.