Team Australia joins line-up at Extreme Sailing Series Sydney showdown

by Extreme Sailing Series on 30 Nov 2016 Team Australia will throw down the gauntlet on home waters as they make their debut at the final Act of the 2016 Extreme Sailing Series™, 8-11 December.

The Australian-flagged entry, made up of some of the country's biggest names in sailing, will join the fleet of experienced pros as the first foiling season for the global tour comes to a conclusion on the waters of Sydney Harbour.

Headed up by Sean Langman, a highly successful Aussie sailor who has been competitive in a wide range of classes, from the 49er dinghy to the ORMA 60 trimaran, the Australian team is ready to rise to the challenge of Stadium Racing.

'It's an honour to represent Australia for the Sydney leg of the Extreme Sailing Series,' said skipper Langman. 'We are looking forward to the challenge and steep learning curve the event poses.

'Racing against the world's best sailors in your home country comes with some pressure. However, with nothing to lose, our team will come to the event as underdogs, a position Aussies thrive in,' added the talented multihull sailor, who also has 23 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races to his name.

18ft skiff ace Seve Jarvin will join Langman as mainsail trimmer onboard Team Australia's GC32. Jarvin is no stranger to the unique challenges of Stadium Racing, having skippered GAC Pindar's Extreme 40 in the 2014 and 2015 Extreme Sailing Series.

On headsail trim is fellow skiff star Marcus Ashley-Jones. Ashley-Jones also boasts previous Extreme Sailing Series experience having raced with Jarvin onboard GAC Pindar at several of the 2015 Acts. It will, however, be the pair's first time racing the hydro-foiling GC32s that replaced the Extreme 40s at the start of this season.

Rounding off the fully Australian roster are bowman Gerard Smith, another 18ft skiff sailor, and floater Rhys Mara, who competed in the 2016 World Match Racing Tour onboard KA Match / CYCA.

Hosted by the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, over four days the event will combine a mix of Stadium Racing on Sydney Harbour with open water racing. The full list of crews competing in Act eight, Sydney, will be announced tomorrow.

Team Australia (AUS)
Skipper/Helm: Sean Langman (AUS)
Mainsail Trimmer: Seve Jarvin (AUS)
Headsail Trimmer: Marcus Ashley-Jones (AUS)
Bowman: Gerard Smith (AUS)
Floater: Rhys Mara (AUS)