Volvo Ocean Race - SCA's first seven sailors named

by Volvo Ocean Race on 16 May 2013 Team SCA have have named seven sailors to their all-female team for the Volvo Ocean Race. Here, we profile the women so far confirmed for the 12th edition of the world's premier round-the-world adventure.Team SCA crew announcement on April 04, 2013 in Lanzarote, Spain. Team SCA, are an all female crew to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race in 2014/15.

Rick Tomlinson/SCA Team SCA Ocean Racing logo Abby Ehler (GBR) and Stacy Jackson (AUS) join Team SCA Rick Tomlinson/Team SCA.

Sophie Ciszek (Australia/United States)
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Born: Mornington, Victoria, Australia, 28.06.1985
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Status: Single
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Languages: English
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Biography: Sophie Ciszek was until 2012 a full-time crew member for the Open 60 Hugo Boss. Prior to that she has had a varied career on some of the world’s most renowned racing yachts, including the Maxis Wildthing, Brindabella and Shockwave. She has sailed more than 60,000 nautical miles - mostly as bowman - and has competed in four Sydney Hobart races.
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Quote: 'This is an incredible once in a lifetime opportunity and I am really excited about the next couple of years. In effect we are competing on the same platform as an all male team so will be good to challenge them on the race course.'

Carolijn Brouwer (Netherlands)
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Born: Leiden, Netherlands, 25.07.1973
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Status: Partner Darren Bundock. One son, Kyle Nico (born 25.02.2011)
Languages: Dutch, England, Portuguese, French, Spanish, German
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Biography: As well as being an accomplished multihull and Olympic sailor, having competed in the Sydney, Athens and Beijing Games, Carolijn Brouwer has Volvo Ocean Race experience. Brouwer was at the helm on Amer Sports Too in the 2001-02 edition. She won the International Sailing Federation's highest award in 1998 the ISAF World Sailor of the Year Awards.
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Quote: 'Team SCA is not a ‘second hand’ project, it is a first class professional project with great potential. I know what it is like to spend weeks on a boat with 10 other people and, of course, there will be challenges, but equally this is an incredible opportunity for women’s racing, and I am thrilled to be able to be part of it.'

Sam Davies (Britain)
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Born: Portsmouth, England, 23.08.1974
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Status: Partner Romain Attanasio, one son, Ruben (04.09.2011)
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Languages: English, French
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Biography: Sam Davies is an accomplished single-handed sailor. She has competed in two Vendee Globe races and has sailed in the challenging Open 60 class for the past 10 years. In 2008 she finished the Vendee Globe in fourth place. She was part of the all-female Jules Vernes Trophy attempt in 1998 sailing with Tracy Edwards.
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Quote: 'This is a great opportunity for women’s sailing and it is the right time to do it with the change in the Volvo Ocean Race Rule. With the top-level coaching structure and technical team that is in place, this will help to fast-track our steep learning curve and I really believe we have the opportunity to achieve some amazing results in the next race.'

Liz Wardley (Australia)
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Born: Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, 06.12.1979
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Status: Engaged
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Languages: English, French
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Biography: Liz Wardley is renowned for her numerous titles gained in the Hobie Cat 16 and for her ocean racing skills. In 1999 she became the first woman to win the Sydney-Hobart Race. The year before she was skipper in the same event at the age of just 19. She is another of the SCA team with Volvo Ocean Race experience from 2001-02 with Amer Sports Too.
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Quote: 'I am really excited to be joining probably the first 100% professional woman’s team to enter the Volvo Ocean Race. We have done everything to succeed and I am looking forward to getting stuck into it.'

Annie Lush (Britain)
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Born: Poole, England, 11.04.1980
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Status: Single
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Languages: English
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Biography: World Match Race Tour, as well as racing on professional circuits. She is an Olympic match racer who competed at the London Games in the Elliott 6m class. She has been Women’s Match Race champion three times (2004, 2005, 2010) and topped the ISAF World Ranking in 2010.
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Quote: 'It is an amazing opportunity with fantastic support from coaches, shore crew and sponsor. It is up to us now to go and do it. It has been a very exciting and, at times, demanding process, but I am absolutely thrilled at being selected to be part of the team. This is the first time in 10 years that we have had an all-female team in this race, and it is probably the first time in the race’s history that there has been a team that is being put together in the same way as an all-male team.'

Abby Ehler (Britain)
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Born: Plymouth, England, 05.08.1976
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Status: Married, one child
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Languages: English, French
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Biography: Ehler is another sailor with direct experience of the Volvo Ocean Race, having been boat captain and bowman on Amer Sports Too team in 2001-02, under her maiden name of Seager. Most recently, she has been working with America's Cup on shoreside logistics, while still staying active as a sailor, and her know-how and experience will be vital for the campaign.
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Quote: 'The huge difference with this campaign is that it is about making the team competitive. The platform that is in place and SCA's commitment towards creating a successful female team is really impressive. There are no excuses: we have all the tools and support (necessary) to achieve.'

Stacey Jackson (Australia)
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Born: Mooloolaba, Australia, 02.06.1983
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Status: Single
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Languages: English
World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Biography: Jackson brings over 15 years' sailing experience, both inshore and offshore including nine Sydney Hobart Yacht Races (including line honours onboard the Maxi yacht Wild Oats), TP52, Mumm 30 World Championships and and one Fastnet.
Quote: 'I joined Team SCA for the initial delivery sail of the Volvo Open 70 training boat to Lanzarote, Spain. It was a really interesting experience and gave me a taste of the potential for the team. We were a group of girls from different disciplines and nationalities, so much of the first week was just getting to know everyone. But it was a really great session and I am thrilled to be asked to join the team as a confirmed crew.'

Visit the Team SCA Ocean Racing website