Yachting: Cup veterans join ocean race

Chris Nicholson. Photo / Steven McNicholl

A couple of America's Cup veterans have put their weight behind Team New Zealand's Volvo Ocean Race campaign.

Chris Nicholson, skipper of the Camper boat for the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race, confirmed his sailing team in a press conference in Spain overnight.

Collectively the Camper team, which is being managed by Emirates Team New Zealand, brings a wealth of experience to the race. Between them they boast experience in three Olympic campaigns, 17 America's Cups, 22 Volvo/Whitbread races and numerous world championship titles.

Alongside the initial crew announcements the team features America's Cup and Volvo/Whitbread Race veterans Tony Rae and Rob Salthouse, who both have a long association with Team New Zealand.

Rae has been a core member of Team New Zealand since 1987, and has been involved with the Med Cup and Louis Vuitton series for the past two years.

But his decision to join the round-the-world race suggests he does not see an on-board role for himself if Team New Zealand decide to enter the next America's Cup, which will be raced in multihulls with smaller crews.

Among the crew of mainly Kiwi sailors is Australian Will Oxley, a world renowned offshore navigator, and South Africa's Mike Pammenter.

Nicholson also announced two key shore team roles: Neil Cox as shore manager and respected meteorologist Roger Badham as the team's weather consultant.

Construction of the VOR70 yacht is well under way at Cookson Boatyard in Auckland, with the hull now complete.

The team plan to have the boat in the water by late April when it will undergo sea trials before being shipped to Spain.

Camper sailing team

Skipper: Chris Nicholson (AUS)
Navigator: Will Oxley (AUS)
Watch captain: Stuart Bannatyne (NZL)
Driver/trimmer: Roberto Bermudez de Castro (ESP)
Driver/trimmer: Adam Minoprio (NZL)
Driver/trimmer: Rob Salthouse (NZL)
Driver/trimmer: Tony Rae (NZL)
Bow/boat captain: Mike Pammenter (RSA)
Bow/sailmaker: Daryl Wislang (NZL)
Pit/trimmer: Andrew McLean (NZL)
Media crew member: Hamish Hooper (NZL)