Carolijn Brouwer joins Volvo Extreme 40

by Volvo Media on 19 Oct 2005 The number of Olympians among the ranks of the Volvo Extreme 40 class was bolstered today with the announcement that a boat skippered by Carolijn Brouwer, former Volvo Ocean Race yachtswoman, has joined the entry list.

TornadoSport, the class management, has provided the boat for Holland's Brouwer, who will compete under the Volvo Ocean Race banner.

Brouwer sailed in the last Volvo Ocean Race onboard the all-woman entry Amer Sports Too and since then has competed at the Olympic Games in Athens before teaming up with Olympic silver medallist Sebastien Godefroid from Belgium to embark on an Olympic Tornado campaign.

Brouwer, the first female Volvo Extreme 40 skipper, is now joined by Sebastien Godefroid, as well as Emma Westmacott, fellow former Volvo Ocean Race yachtswoman, who will be a guest crew member as well as part of the project management team. Westmacott was also on board Amer Sports Too in 2001-02.

Completing the team will be 18-foot skiff and multihull sailor Greg Homann (AUS) and fellow Olympic class sailor Jeroen van Leeuwen (NED).

Each of the three boats that have been announced so far will have Olympic sailors competing onboard. Sailing on Conrad Humphreys' Motorola-CHR is Leigh McMillan from Great Britain, who competed in the Tornado class in Athens, along with fellow countryman and Olympic Tornado sailor Will Howden. Lining up against them on Team Holmatro, will be double Olympic medallist Mitch Booth, who will be competing with his Olympic team mate and triple world champion Herbert Dercksen.

Brouwer commented: 'The concept of the Volvo Extreme 40 is terrific. The challenge is tailor made for me and I look forward to doing battle with so many highly experienced and successful sailors. It will also be great to catch up with some familiar faces in the Volvo Ocean Race village.'

The Volvo Extreme 40 class will race in five stopover ports; Sanxenxo (ESP), Rio de Janeiro (BRA), Baltimore/Annapolis (US), Portsmouth (UK) and Rotterdam (NED), and have been introduced to the Volvo Ocean Race to add spectacle to the entertainment package for stopover crowds.

Five Volvo Extreme 40's will be due in Sanxenxo from the 4 November with racing taking place in the bay from the 6-10 November. To date there are entries from Team Holmatro, Motorola-CHR and Team Volvo Ocean Race. The announcement of two further boats will be made shortly.

Full details can be found at www.volvoextreme40.org

Volvo Ocean Race 2005 / 06, Melbourne Stopover is scheduled from 17+ January - 12 February 2006 at Waterfront City, Docklands.

Key dates are Leg #2 Finish from 17+ Jan, In-Port Race on Sat 4 Feb and Leg #3 Start on Sun 12 Feb 2006 - www.melbournestopover.com.au.