Extreme Sailing Series - J.P. Morgan BAR gear up for home racing

by Sarah Alexander on 22 Aug 2014

J.P. Morgan BAR ready for racing on home waters. Lloyd Images/Extreme Sailing Series

J.P. Morgan BAR are gearing up for a weekend of racing on home waters at Act 5 of the Extreme Sailing Series, Cardiff Bay. It’s been eight weeks since the team last competed together, on the River Neva, St Petersburg and the UK event marks the fifth of the eight part series.

Bleddyn Mon © Lloyd Images

The home debut also brings a new line up. Two times Extreme Sailing Series Champion, Paul Campbell-James, steps into the role of tactician, in Paul Goodison’s absence. Campbell-James is the most recent signing at Ben Ainslie Racing, the British Challenger for the 35th America’s Cup, and brings a great deal of technical ability and extreme racing knowledge to the British entry.

The former helm of Team Russia Gazprom commented, 'I am new to the J.P. Morgan BAR team and also the venue so this is a big event for me and one that I have been looking forward to the most.'

'It’s a really exciting time to be joining the team, they have been improving at every event so far this season and are doing well but, the other teams are also continuing to improve too so the challenge is to keep getting better and put in a good, solid performance in Cardiff.'

Cardiff Bay is a notoriously shifty course, the built up surroundings deliver challenging and tricky winds and the biggest test the sailors will face is predicting, then reacting to the sharp changes in wind direction and speed.

Wales’ Bleddyn Mon, a former Team GB 49er sailor and familiar face on the circuit, will make his third consecutive extreme Cardiff appearance bringing local racing insights as the team’s fifth man.

'I have competed in this Act of the series every year since the Extreme 40s first came to Cardiff in 2012.'

'It’s the home event so a big one for the team and it’s a venue that offers tight and exciting racing, in the heart of the city, and we are looking to put on a good show for the spectators.'

The team head into Act 5 in sixth place overall, with 17 points. They are supported in the UK leg by Simon Daubney, a five times America’s Cup winner who competed with Ainslie and the team’s Sailing Manager, Jono Macbeth, with OTUSA in the 34th Cup.

The racing will be streamed live, with commentary, here from Saturday 23rd to Monday 25th.

Full J.P. Morgan BAR Act 5, Cardiff, Team list:

Skipper – Ben Ainslie
Tactician – Paul Campbell-James
Bowman – Matt Cornwell
Trimmer – Nick Hutton
Fifth Man – Bleddyn Mon
Sailing Team Manager – Jono Macbeth
Shore Team Manager – Richy O’Farrell
Shore Team Boat Builder – Ian Mccabe
Team support – Simon Daubney