Cowes, Isle of Wight: 5th August 2017
Australian skipper Ludde Ingvall has selected his crew to sail CQS in the Rolex Fastnet race, which starts from Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, on Sunday 6thAugust.
The team on CQS will be 22 strong, and deep in ocean racing experience and talent for the 650 nautical mile dash from Cowes, down the English Channel, around the Fastnet Rock off the south west of Ireland, and back to finish in Plymouth.
Leading the helming team will be New Zealand legend Chris Dickson, the winner of many world championships, and skipper of America’s Cup challenges and round the world races.
Alongside him is watch-leeder Rodney Keenan, who designed the rig and sails for the boat, and has extensive round the world sailing experience. Also very long on offshore experience is Sweden’s Ola Astradsson, who has sailed many thousands of miles with Ludde.
Half the multi national crew are New Zealanders, with British adding four more to the total. There are three Americans, including the only female, Genny Tulloch, two Australians a Swede and an Irishman.
For sponsor Sir Michael Hintze, CEO of CQS, this will be his first Rolex Fastnet race, though he has previously done the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race.
Weather forecast for the race would indicate that the fleet will have a hard slog to windward to get to the Fastnet Rock, but it could be a fast ride back to Plymouth.
CREW LIST
Ludde Ingvall AUS
Sir Michael Hintze UK
Rodney Keenan NZL
Chris Dickson NZL
Tony Long NZL
Brian Clarke NZL/UK
Malcolm Paine NZL
Philip Maxwell NZL
James Gale NZL
Alan Turner NZL
David Wood NZL
Ant Crossan NZL
Michael Beasley NZL
Charlie Egerton-Warburton UK
Michael Rummel UK
James Oxenham UK
Dirk Kruger USA
Scott Stearns USA
Genevieve Tulloch USA
David Ward AUS
James Espey IRL
Ola Astradsson SWE