Bouwe Bekking - Skipper
42. Netherlands. Married with one child. Having never finished higher than second in his four previous sorties around this course, Bouwe has his sights firmly set on winning the Volvo Ocean Race. He skippered this crew on route to achieving the 24 hour speed record and can list victories in the Newport – Bermuda race and the Sardinia Cup as more recent successes in an impressive career.
Andrew Cape - Navigator
43. Great Britain. Married with one child. Another member of the crew to break the 24 hour speed record, Andrew also brings with him America’s Cup experience from his work with winning Swiss team Alinghi. This will be Andrew’s third Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race, having sailed previously on Tokio in 1993-94 and Toshiba in 1997-98.
Mike Joubert - Bowman
33. South Africa. Married with two children. Mike started sailing at seven. His long record as a professional crewman includes two Round the World Races in 2001-02 aboard ASSA ABLOY, and 1997-98 with BrunelSunergy. His history in racing records three Fastnet Races, several seasons with the maxi Alexia and a member of the movistar crew which broke the 24 hour record earlier this year. Skipper Bouwe Bekking rates him among the finest bowmen in the world.
Pepe Ribes - Bowman
34. Spain. Girlfriend. Pepe will be one of the two bowmen on the boat. His experience in ocean races includes the 2001-02 Volvo Ocean Race onboard Amer Sports One, with Grant Dalton and Bouwe Bekking, while his duties this time round will also include being in charge of onboard media communications. Pepe, who has been sailing since he was seven, became a professional in 1992 and has been a member of the best crews in the national IMS circuit and has extensive experience in international races including the America’s Cup.
Chris Nicholson - Watch Captain
36. Australia. Girlfriend and has two dogs. Chris, a qualified electrician, was goaded into sailing by his older brother who wanted someone to hit the seas with. Chris, an Olympic veteran, has not looked back. His impressive résumé includes winning a hat-trick of 49er World Championships, three 505 World titles, and being named the Australian Yachtsman of the Year on two occasions. During the Volvo Ocean Race 2001-02 he sailed on Amer Sports One alongside Bekking and Ribes.
Stuart Bannatyne - Watch Captain
34. New Zealand. Married and expecting his third child. Stuart has been involved in this project from the start and will be seeking his third victory in four attempts having triumphed aboard illbruck last time and with Grant Dalton’s New Zealand Endeavour team in the 1993-94 race. Also has held records for Trans Atlantic, Trans Pacific crossings. Considered by many to be one of the leading experts on The Volvo Ocean Race.
Peter Doriean - Trimmer
34. Australia. Married with one child. Described by his Skipper as typically Australian for his appetite for a challenge. Peter can always be relied on to go to extremes to win and his résumé supports his reputation. He has done the legendary Sydney-Hobart race no less than 17 times and holds several IMS, Mumm 36 and Maxi world titles. This is the second time he has competed in the event.
Xavier Fernández - Trimmer
28. Spain. Single. Xavier burst onto the sailing scene with victory at the Vaurien World Championship in the youth class in 1992, and has gone on to bigger and better things. In 2002 he dominated the 49er class alongside movistar crewmate Iker Mártinez by taking a clean sweep of world and European titles and heading the world rankings, but it wasn’t until last year’s Olympic gold medal that his collection was complete.
Pedro Campos - Inshore Helmsman
55. Spain. Married with two children. Pedro, having learnt to sail with his father, won his first national title in the Snipe. He got used to winning and has gone on to claim 11 world titles, 22 victories in the America’s Cup races, two Sardinia Cups and numerous regatta triumphs in a highly successful career. He is also the team’s general manager.
Iker Mártinez - Race Crew
28. Spain. Olympic gold medallist in Athens 2004 in the 49er class. Twice World 49er Champion.
Jonathan Swain - Driver/Trimmer
39. South Africa. Married. This is Jonathan's third Volvo / Whitbread campaign, having competed previously on Tyco in 2001-2 and on Chessie Racing in 1997-98. A professional sailor and rigger, Jono regularly competes in major yachting regattas worldwide and lives in the US with his wife and two children.
Noel Drennan - Helmsman/Trimmer
44. Ireland. Married. Nitro is back for a second Volvo campaign after winning on illbruck in 2001-2 and is also a past Etchells World Series Champion.
Fernando Echávarri - Crew
33. Spain. Tornado World Champion 2005 and Tornado European Champion 2005. ISAF World Sailor of the Year 2005. 1st in Tornado World Ranking List
