The Team
One wanted to be an astronaut, one an explorer. Between them they have sailed around the World multiple times, won multiple world titles and one made a daring rescue of a fellow competitor from the clutches of the Southern Ocean. The Ecover Extreme 40 Sailing Team is made up of four of the world’s top sailors from the UK, Belgium and New Zealand. They cover all aspects of the professional sailing world from single handed Ocean Racing to the Olympics to holders of the much coverted Jules Verne Trophy. The next event will kick off in Hyeres, France this weekend 3rd - 5th July. The Ecover Sailing Team onboard the Ecover Extreme 40 will line up against nine of the worlds best multihull teams for the second round of the iShares Cup. The team is made up of skipper Mike Golding (GBR), Bruno Dubois (BEL), Will Howden (GBR) and Fraser Brown (NZL).
| Mike GoldingThe world is more used to relating Ecover Sailing Team skipper Mike Golding with offshore single-handed racing. His CV detailing his success in this field speaks for itself: Mike was FICO world champion 2005/6 and IMOCA world champion for two successive years 2004/5 and 2005/6; the first and only British sailor to hold this coveted title. He was also the first person ever to race single-handed and non-stop around the world in both directions and is one of just two British sailors to ever have stood on the podium in the Vendee Globe. |
| Fraser BrownOn the mainsheet will be Fraser Brown (NZL), one of the most experienced Extreme 40 sailors on the circuit having raced in the class from the outset. In 2008 he raced with double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson, and the team won the first event in Lugano, Switzerland. |
| Will HowdenRunning the front of the boat will be Will Howden (GBR), he is no stranger to these boats having been on the circuit since 2005. Will has also competed at two Olympic Games from Great Britain in the Tornado Catamaran. |
| Trimming will be Sebbe Godefroid is a world-renowned dinghy and multihull sailor; he has represented Belgium at four Olympic games, most recently in Beijing where he sailed in the Tornado class, competing against his new Ecover team mate Will Howden. Sebbe has posted top ten results at all three Olympics he has attended and he also has previous experience of the Extreme 40 class. Sebbe sailed onboard ‘Holmatro’ during the first season, when the class was originally conceived in 2004. |
