We'll be back!

Olympic gold medallists Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson were in Amsterdam to support their British teammates. This year’s competition has attracted some of the world’s best multihull sailors, and has proven to be a fantastic success for TEAMORIGIN in their preparation for the next edition of the America’s Cup.

Skipper Rob Greenhalgh, who won the 2007 iShares Cup on Basilica commented: “I am naturally disappointed not to win the series but equally really proud of my team for getting second place. Alinghi has been a really great competitor and we look forward to competing again next year.”

Sir Keith Mills, TEAMORIGIN Team Principle, commented: “I am really proud of my team. We got involved in the series because of delays in the America's Cup programme but actually it has been really useful for us in terms of our brand profile, hospitality and training. This has been an important circuit as part of TEAMORIGIN preparation for our next big challenge and we look forward to competing again in 2009. We are hopeful for some clarity for the America’s Cup programme in the coming months.”

Ben Ainslie, TEAMORIGIN helmsman commented: “It has been really good to come for the last event of the series to support TEAMORIGIN. Hopefully we will get some clarity in the America’s Cup programme and we will be able to find a way to include the Extreme 40 racing in the future.”

"Such an awesome series" - BT
I have just returned home from Amsterdam, the host city of the final round of the iShares Cup series for 2008. We went into the event holding 3rd place overall and needed a great regatta to maintain that podium position behind the two America's Cup teams Alinghi and TEAMORIGIN. Under a lot of pressure, and feeling like we had everything to lose, the team rose to post our best individual event score of the season to finish second for the regatta and securing that final place on the season podium…awesome! I am just ‘stoked’.

In reflection the year was a little rocky at points but we always maintained contact with our objective. I said at the beginning of the year that our team’s aim would, once again, be to finish on the podium for the year having finished in 3rd place last year (2007). This was a big call considering we had a complete team re-build commencing in May with our fist event just a few weeks after.

The strength of any of these teams and results is in the people and we were very fortunate to secure some great ones... many, many thanks to all the gang — through thick and thin we maintained composure, humour and great technical sailing ability… great stuff.

Now we look ahead to the 2009 season and it’s a big call to even return to the class having now achieved two top three placing’s in my two years in the class… as a guy who lives by goals and objectives I guess it's time to ‘raise the bar’ again. Next year our aim will be two things that have eluded us so far… an individual event win and a real shot at overall victory in the 2009 iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series.

It's strange to wind up a season in a particular class but also great to look towards the future with excitement… next week I am off to the UK for some corporate sailing with our principal sponsor BT and a photo shoot with clothing partner Musto, before heading to Spain to lend a hand to a new and exciting X40 project that will be bursting at the seams next year. We will be supporting the race atmosphere at the start of the Volvo Ocean Race in Alicante. From there it's Cannes for BT corporate before waving off the Vendée Globe fleet for this next edition of that amazing race.

Congratulations Alinghi and TEAMORIGIN for sailing such an awesome series and to the rest of the gang who pushed us right to the wire for the finish we sought, and the finish that makes the years competition worthwhile from a sporting point of view.

Great sailing
Nick

'An extreme year' - Team Aqua
Between the 18th and 21st September, the 10 teams competing on the 2008 iShares Cup did battle on the waters of Amsterdam. The racing area was on the IJ-Haven Canal, a narrow strip of water just minutes away from the City Centre. Conditions were light and shifty and being so close to the tall buildings of the City Centre made for some pretty strange breezes.

After an overall third position in Kiel just two weeks before, TEAM AQUA were upbeat and looking forward to finishing out the season on a high.Unfortunately the team struggled with the conditions and the small race course to come home in 8th position. All of the teams were having trouble with consistency and TEAM AQUA were no different posting race scores from 2nd to 10th.

The Alinghi team did an impressive job by winning this final event and with it the 2008 iShares circuit.
TEAM AQUA ended the season in 7th overall in its first year sailing the Extreme 40.

When looking back on the season there has been the high point of taking race wins and 3rd overall in Kiel, and there has also been the low point of cartwheeling the boat in Cowes and breaking the rig. The boats are called Extreme and that certainly sums up the year for TEAM AQUA!

So the boat has now been serviced and packed away in its container for the winter months. Now the attention moves to searching for commercial partners to continue the journey into 2009.
Onwards and upwards!

All the best from the Extreme 40 team.

Team Aqua Extreme 40 Squad in 2008:
Cameron Appleton – Hyeres, Round the Island Race & Amsterdam (Skipper/tactician)
Alister Richardson – Lugano, Hyeres, Round the Island Race, Cowes, Kiel & Amsterdam (Helmsman)
Andrew Estcourt – Hyeres & Round the Island Race (Bowman), Cowes, Kiel & Amsterdam (Mainsheet)
Jim Turner – Lugano, Hyeres, Round the Island Race & Kiel (trimmer/grinder)
Jeff Brock – Kiel (Bowman)
Chris Bake – Round the Island Race (All rounder)
Jonathon Taylor – Lugano & Amsterdam (Bowman)
Dan Johnson – Lugano (Mainsheet) & Cowes (Trimmer/Grinder)
Simon Wheeler – Cowes (Bowman)
Tim Corney – Lugano, Hyeres, Round the Island Race, Cowes, Kiel & Amsterdam (Support Crew)
Alec Richardson - Lugano, Hyeres, Cowes, Kiel & Amsterdam (Support Crew)