Mike Sanderson - Skipper
34. New Zealand. Married during the race. Since he began sailing at the tender age of five Mike has been fairly merciless in his assaults on sailing’s records and titles. His roll of honour includes victory in the 1993-94 Whitbread Race and he holds the transatlantic speed record onboard Mari Cha IV. Mike, also an America’s Cup sailor, is taking part in the event for the third time.
Stan Honey - Navigator
50. USA. Married with one child. Stan has never navigated his way around this course but any concerns his crewmates may have that he will lead them wrong way around the globe can be dispelled by his winner’s pedigree. Nine Trans Pacific victories and success in the Admiral’s Cup distinguish a fine career.
Brad Jackson - Watch Captain
37. New Zealand. Married with three children. Having broken the Trans Atlantic Speed Record and 24-hour speed record aboard Mari Chai IV in 2003, Brad is no stranger to travelling fast, but even the know-how of three previous Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race campaigns, including a first-placed finish in 1994 aboard New Zealand Endeavour, could not get him home from a race in time for the birth of his third son.
David Endean - Trimmer / Pitman
26. New Zealand. Engaged. David learned the trade in dinghy and match racing and will be attempting his second assault on the Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race after finishing fourth with Tyco last time round. He was part of the One World Challenge Team which made the semi-finals of the 2003 Louis Vuitton Cup.
Jan Dekker - Bowman
37. South Africa. Single. Jan is embarking on his third Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race and brings to the fleet experience of two America’s Cup campaigns and victory on the record-breaking 34m ultra-cat Club Med which won The Race in 2001. While sailing he uses a tooth from a Great White shark he once caught as a makeshift knife.
Robert Greenhalgh - Helmsman / Trimmer
28. Great Britain. Girlfriend. Robert is taking part in his first Volvo Ocean Race. In fact it is his first endurance race to go beyond two weeks, but he brings with him a winner’s record including two world titles, four European titles and five national championships across various categories.
Tony Mutter - Helmsman / Trimmer
36. New Zealand. Married with one child. A National Champion three times over the last three decades in his native New Zealand, Tony is taking part in his third Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race having previously sailed aboard Swedish Match eight years ago and then SEB in the 01-02 race, which was dismasted en route to Rio de Janeiro.
Justin Slattery - Bowman
31. Ireland. Married. Since choosing sailing instead of university at 17 Justin’s racing CV boasts a round-the-world record aboard Steve Fossett’s 38 metre catamaran Cheyenne, a class victory in the 2001 Fastnet Race and a Trans Atlantic record in 1997 among other accolades. As one of the team’s medics Justin was once called upon to stitch-up a wounded team-mate’s scalp.
Sidney Gavignet - Helmsman / Trimmer
36. France. Married with two children. Sidney first got to grips with sailing at 14 when he spent a year living aboard an old wooden fishing boat and over the last decade has collected a host of winner’s medals and records. A passionate sailor and competitor who has completed the race twice before and believes “nothing is important except performance”.
Mark Christensen - Watch Captain
35. New Zealand. Married with two children. A winner of the two previous versions of this event, Mark is competing in his fourth Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race. An adrenaline-junkie who has competed in, and won, a host of major events, he can also be found running marathons, kayaking and jogging in the mountains when not watching sport on the television.
