Volvo Ocean Race - Cammas announces crew for Volvo Ocean Race

by Cammas-Groupama on 11 Dec 2010 Franck Cammas has selected the crew to participate in the Volvo Ocean Race aboard Groupama 4 in the Volvo Ocean Race 2011.

A year ago, just days before Groupama 3 was to set sail on her second attempt to conquer the Jules Verne Trophy, Groupama announced its participation in the next two editions of the Volvo Ocean Race with Franck Cammas.

'Our commitment to the Volvo Ocean Race until 2015 is an expression of our Group's approach to development, which has been strongly internationalised over the past 3 years, explained Jean Azéma, managing director of Groupama. We've chosen this Round the World race to promote our image and thus write a new page in our shared history, for the wider benefit of Franck Cammas and Groupama. Given its longevity on the circuit, its human dimension and its international course, the Volvo Ocean Race is synonymous with Groupama's values as a builder, humanist and something that is lasting.'

Since November 2009, the Groupama Sailing Team has continued to become stronger, to work on the design of the future Groupama 4 as well as sail aboard Groupama 70, winner of the last edition of the crewed Round the World with stopovers, which went by the name of Ericsson 4.

For his part, the Groupama skipper has successively won the Jules Verne Trophy and the Route du Rhum aboard Groupama 3. His has been a packed schedule, but one which didn't prevent him from playing an active role in the selection of the crew, who will participate in the Volvo Ocean Race.

Indeed Franck Cammas retains the determination and sporting ambition which have been his strength for what has already been a long period of time. After winning virtually all the possible races and records in a multihull (barring The Transat), the Groupama skipper explains this switch of direction: 'To participate in the Volvo Ocean Race is a decision we've made together with Groupama, who has supported me for the past thirteen years. Together we've sought an event which can exert its influence over Groupama's image internationally and enable us to progress and confront what I imagine to be the best in crewed ocean racing. We know that there's a lot happening overseas and one way of progressing is to go and do battle with the best. That's why we're taking part.'

The crew selected by Franck Cammas for Groupama 4

Damian Foxall, Philip Harmer, Magnus Woxén, Jean-Luc Nélias, Charles Caudrelier, Sébastien Josse, Yann Riou, Jacques Caraës, Martin Krite, Brad Marsh, Martin Strömberg, Erwan Israël, Sébastien Marsset

The Heads of Department

Luc Gellusseau, Laurent Pagès, Loïc Dorez, Hervé Le Quilliec, Ben Wright, Olivier Mainguy, Pierre Tissier.



Damian Foxall (41), Ireland
Helmsman, trimmer and crew manager
Three editions of the Volvo Ocean Race (2001, 2005, 2008). Winner of the Barcelona World Race.

Phil Harmer (31) Australia
Helmsman, trimmer, pitman and master sailmaker
Third Volvo Ocean Race (2005 and 2008).

Magnus Woxén (39) Sweden
Helmsman, trimmer and mast consultant
Fifth Volvo Ocean Race (1997, 2001, 2005, 2008).

Jean-Luc Nélias (48) France
Navigator
An old acquaintance of Franck, competing together in a double-handed transatlantic aboard a Figaro. Participated on one leg of the last edition of the Volvo Ocean Race on Green Dragon.

Charles Caudrelier (36) France
Helmsman, trimmer, navigator and in charge of performance
Winner of the Solitaire du Figaro and the Transat Jacques Vabre.

Sébastien Josse (35) France
Helmsman, trimmer and head of on-board systems
Another Volvo Ocean Race veteran, the former skipper of ABN AMRO TWO is plunging back into extreme sailing.

Yann Riou (36) France
Media Crew Member
Triple winner of the Mini Fastnet. Under the rules, media crewman Yann won't be allowed to touch a single sail or sheet.

Jacques Caraës (51) France
Media Crew Member
The most senior member of the crew, Jacques holds the Jules Verne Trophy with Groupama, and also competed in the Whitbread with Eric Tabarly in 1993.

A feature of the next edition of the Volvo Ocean Race is that three of the crew must be born on or after 1st September 1980, and the remaining crew fit the bill:

Martin Krite (30) Sweden
Bowman, boat captain
Second Volvo Ocean Race (2008) for this professional navigator who is also a pastor.

Brad Marsh (27) New Zealand
Bowman, rigger
Member of Ericsson's shore crew in 2008-09 and sailed for Team New Zealand during the Louis Vuitton Cup.

Martin Strömberg (28) Sweden
Trimmer, pitman and sailmaker
Second Volvo Ocean Race (2008).

Erwan Israël (30) France
Trimmer, helmsman, In-Port race manœuvres, safety
First Volvo Ocean Race, Erwan is a familiar face on the Figaro circuit.

Sébastien Marsset (25) France
Trimmer, pitman, deck hardware, safety
The youngest crewmember is a Mini specialist and is Groupama 3's technician.

Besides these sailors, the Groupama skipper is relying on the team's heads of department to make their challenge a success.

Luc Gellusseau is in charge of relations with the organisers and keeps an eye on each stage of the project to ensure that the decisions made conform to Volvo Ocean Race rules.

Laurent Pagès is in charge of the sail programme. Watch leader aboard Telefonica during the last edition of the race, he joined the Groupama Sailing Team back in August 2009.

Other key members of the team include Loïc Dorez, heading the design office; Pierre Tissier, head of boat construction; Hervé Le Quilliec, in charge of logistics; Australian Ben Wright, head of the shore crew; Olivier Mainguy, in charge of the rigging; and Stéphane Guilbaud, team manager, who has worked alongside Franck Cammas since 1997, the year when he won the Solitaire du Figaro.

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