PUMA Ocean Racing Team announced

by Robert Penner on 9 May 2008 Ken Read, skipper of PUMA Ocean Racing, officially announced his crew and management for the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009, as the team gathered for official training in Newport, Rhode Island and prepared for the christening of its new boat on May 12 in Boston Harbor. Among the crew, PUMA Ocean Racing represents six countries and has 21 past Volvo Ocean Race participations to its credit.

The sailing team members are: Andrew Cape, Navigator; Rick Deppe, Media Specialist; Justin Ferris, Trimmer/Driver; Sidney Gavignet, Watch Captain; Jerry Kirby, Bowman; Jonathan McKee, Trimmer/Driver; Michael Mueller, Bowman/Trimmer; Chris Nicholson, Watch Captain; Rob Salthouse, Trimmer/Driver and Casey Smith, Bowman.

On the shore-team key management includes: Kimo Worthington, General Manager, and Neil Cox, Shore Team Manager.

Cumulatively, the management and sailing team for PUMA Ocean Racing shares a level of success difficult to match with five Volvo Ocean Race/Whitbread Race wins, 20 America’s Cup editions and five wins, along with four Olympic Games entries and two medals.

'A top program is only as good as the people that manage it and drive it, and we are extremely fortunate to have such a diverse group of the world’s best sailors signed on to help sail PUMA’s Volvo 70 around the world as fast as possible,' said Ken Read. 'On the shore side, we have two first-class Volvo Ocean Race veterans managing the intricate logistics and support structure necessary for this race. All of these individuals combined with PUMA’s commitment to the race and the strength of the brand are powerful elements that shape this team and will hopefully lead it to victory.'

'Ken Read has assembled an impressive list of experienced and talented sailors, who will not only give PUMA Ocean Racing its best chance to win, but will represent PUMA and the sport of sailing in a special way as they travel 37,000 miles across the ocean,' said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman and CEO of PUMA AG.

The race will begin October 2008 in Alicante, Spain and will end in June 2009 in St. Petersburg. By joining the race, PUMA has entered a new premium category and is the first Sportslifestyle company to participate in a venture of this kind. PUMA Ocean Racing and the PUMA Sailing collection will be featured at www.PUMAOceanRacing.com starting next week with video profiles on PUMA sailors updated throughout the summer.

PUMA Ocean Racing

Ken Read, 46 (Newport, RI, United States)- Skipper

Read has racked up nearly 50 World, National and North American championships, helmed two America’s Cup campaigns (2000 & 2003) and been named twice the Rolex Yachtsman of the Year. Now he is preparing for the ultimate challenge as Skipper of PUMA Ocean Racing. After a full test program completed last summer on both Avanti, the PUMA Ocean Racing training boat, as well as the 90-foot Rambler, where he smashed records race after race, Read and his Newport-based crew are gearing up to be the fastest team to make it around the globe.

Andrew Cape, 43 (Lymington, Hampshire, Great Britain)- Navigator

Australian by birth, but living in England, 'Capey' was the navigator aboard MoviStar in the 2005-2006 Volvo Ocean Race, and finished the race aboard Ericsson following the abandonment of MoviStar during the Transatlantic leg. He brings with him America’s Cup experience from his work with winning Swiss team Alinghi in 2003. This is Capey’s fourth Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race, having sailed previously on Tokio in 1993-94,Toshiba in 1997-98 and MoviStar/Ericsson in 2005-2006. Capey recently finished second in the Barcelona World Race aboard 'Hugo Boss.'

Michael 'Michi' Müller, 24 (Kiel, Germany)- Bow/Trimmer/Driver

Michael Müller (Michi) was the youngest member of Team Germany in the last edition of the America’s Cup in Valencia. Since Michi started sailing, he has competed in numerous World, European and National championships, while collecting thousands of offshore miles. Michi has an engineering background and brings an added element to the team with his understanding of technical systems.

Rob Salthouse, 41 (Auckland, New Zealand)- Trimmer/Driver

Rob Salthouse (Salty) has been sailing professionally for over 20 years. His passion for off-shore sailing has seen him compete in most of the world's off-shore classics more than once, and he is keen to add another to the list. Rob's last Volvo was on board Tyco in 2000-01. He has competed in three America's Cups and comes straight from Team New Zealand's recent challenge for the Cup in Valencia. Being a sail maker by trade, Rob brings with him a wide knowledge and understanding of sails and trim to the team.

Casey Smith, 29 (Brisbane, Australia)- Bowman

Casey grew up on the Sunshine Coast of Australia, with state titles in 14-foot skiffs. He graduated quickly to big boats running several of Grant Warrington's 'Scandia Wild Thing' maxi's. He landed on the bow of PUMA Ocean Racing after a hiatus with Pegasus Racing, training in the Olympic Star and Finn Class on the West Coast of the US. Casey became a integral part of 'Ramblers' winning 2007 season, as a bowman/trimmer and driver and showed fantastic versatility necessary on any Volvo racing team.

Jerry Kirby, 51 (Newport, RI, United States)- Bowman

Kirby, a veteran offshore sailor and Read’s longtime friend and trusted bowman, sailed aboard second-place finisher Pirates of the Caribbean in the last Volvo Ocean Race. That was his second around the world sailing adventure, after sailing with Chessie Racing in the 1997 Whitbread Around the World Race. Kirby has been a bowman on America’s Cup champions, Maxi World Champions and hundred of other premier rides. As a trained medic and mechanic, Kirby always brings more to the table than meets the eye. He is also known to be able to tell a pretty good story.

Jonathan McKee, 47 (Seattle, WA, United States)- Trimmer/Driver

McKee’s sailing career is as expansive as his talent. He was most recently on the Luna Rossa Challenge in the latest America’s Cup, prior to that on OneWorld in the 2003 AC. In 2006 he was a Melges 24 World Champion and prior to that a 49er World Champ. He is a two-time Olympian with a Bronze Medal in the 2000 49er class and a Gold medal in the FD Class in the 1984 edition of the games. His career success started with the accomplishment of a 3-time All American classification at Yale University.

Justin Ferris, 32 (KeriKeri, New Zealand)- Trimmer/Driver

Justin Ferris was the youngest member of the Pirates of the Caribbean crew in the 2005-2006 Volvo Ocean Race and is considered one of world’s best young sailors and sail makers. Justin will serve as the sail coordinator for the program, and will serve on board as a trimmer, driver and sail repair specialist. With offshore experience all over the globe, Ferris is a true 'all rounder' on board, with bow, trim and driving experience – a quality that Volvo 70’s demand.

Sidney Gavignet, 39 (Paris, France)- Watch Captain

Straight from a Volvo Ocean Race victory aboard ABN 1 in the 2005-2006 VOR, Sidney brings a host of knowledge and distance speed sailing experience to PUMA Ocean Racing. Sidney first got to grips with sailing at 14 when he spent a year living aboard an old wooden fishing boat and over the last decade has collected a host of winner’s medals and records. A passionate sailor and competitor who has completed the race three times before, he says nothing is more important then 'performance.'

Chris Nicholson, 37 (Belmont, NSW, Australia) - Watch Captain

Nicholson is a two-time Olympian for Australia in the 49er Class—and a certified electrician. With six World Championships under his belt, he would be a sought after sailor for any Volvo team. He has sailed the last two Volvo Races, (Amer Sports 1 and MoviStar, as watch c