Team Origin VX40 News
TEAMORIGIN finishes second in the 2008 iShares Cup Series
TEAMORIGIN, the British America’s Cup Challenger founded by Sir Keith Mills, has today taken second place on the podium at the 2008 iShares Cup. With the points level going into the final round of the five event Extreme 40 series in Amsterdam, the TEAMORIGIN crew, skippered by Rob Greenhalgh missed out on the top spot to America’s Cup holder Alinghi. Olympic gold medallists Ben Ainslie, Ian Percy and Andrew Simpson were in Amsterdam to support their British teammates. This year’s competition has attracted some of the world’s best multihull sailors, and has proven to be a fantastic success for TEAMORIGIN in their preparation for the next edition of the America’s Cup.
Skipper Rob Greenhalgh, who won the 2007 iShares Cup on Basilica commented:
“I am naturally disappointed not to win the series but equally really proud of my team for getting second place. Alinghi has been a really great competitor and we look forward to competing again next year.”
Sir Keith Mills, TEAMORIGIN Team Principle, commented:
“I am really proud of my team. We got involved in the series because of delays in the Americas cup programme but actually it has been really useful for us in terms of our brand profile, hospitality and training. This has been an important circuit as part of TEAMORIGIN preparation for our next big challenge and we look forward to competing again in 2009. We are hopeful for some clarity for the America’s Cup programme in the coming months.”
Ben Ainslie, TEAMORIGIN helmsman commented:
“It has been really good to come for the last event of the series to support TEAMORIGIN. Hopefully we will get some clarity in the America’s Cup programme and we will be able to find a way to include the Extreme 40 racing in the future.”
The next major challenge for TEAMORIGIN will be the west to east transatlantic record on the newly named 30m maxi yacht Virgin Money. The TEAMORIGIN crew will be joined onboard for the record attempt by Sir Richard Branson and his children Sam and Holly Branson. The crew are currently on standby in New York, awaiting a suitable weather window to begin the record attempt.