Sail Oman becomes 10th team to enter the Extreme 40 iShares Cup

[Source: iShares Cup] This brand new Extreme 40 team is backed by the Sultanate of Oman as part of a larger project to promote the country as a world-class sailing destination. The crew will begin the series made up of international pro sailors, but with an increasing presence of Omani nationals as the campaign progresses.

The Oman Sail Team should get off to a flying start in the 2008 iShares Cup, with a talented crew of professional British sailors opening the series. The Extreme 40 will be skippered by Pete Cumming, who relished the chance to take over the reins of fellow iShares Cup entry Holmatro for a couple of races at the recent training regatta in Valencia. Pete and his crew jumped into the catamaran and made a great early impression, getting the best start of the fleet in their first ever Extreme 40 race.

Pete Cummings said afterwards, "We were well pleased to get a couple of races in before we join the Oman Sail Team. We've still got our 'learner' plates on, but plan to give the other entrants a run for their money."

The new Sail Oman team becomes the 10th entry to the iShares Cup. Photo copyright Mark Lloyd/Sail Oman

British Olympic bronze medalist Chris Draper will helm the Extreme 40, having moved into the fleet from the high performance 49er skiff class. "It's exactly the kind or racing that I love, real crash and burn stuff," he said, "I'm massively excited about the quality of sailors we're going to be racing against, but we've got a good team."

The rest of the initial crew also packs in plenty of experience. Mark Bulkeley, who represented Britain in the Tornado catamaran at the 2004 Olympic Games, will be mainsheet trimmer and tactician with David 'Freddie' Carr - a familiar face on last year's iShares Cup circuit and former America's Cup crew - on the bow.

The new Sail Oman team becomes the 10th entry to the iShares Cup. Photo copyright Mark Lloyd/Sail Oman

Over the course of the iShares Cup Sailing Series the Brits will be joined by members of the Oman Sail Team crew, selected after an arduous land and sea assessment and comprising members of The Royal Army of Oman; The Royal Air Force of Oman; The Royal Navy of Oman; The Royal Omani Police Force and The Sultan's Special Forces. They have been undergoing intensive sail training since February 2008 with the hope of becoming a competitive force in the iShares Cup over the coming year.

Event Director Gilles Chiorri welcomed the entry, which brings the first Arab team to the iShares Cup. “This very innovative entry from the Sultanate of Oman is driving an exciting sailing project; it will attract a lot of attention on the water with a multicultural crew and eye-catching branding."

Oman Sail will be one of 10 teams contesting this year's iShares Cup Sailing Series, with the first event kicking off in Lugano, Switzerland, in just two days time.

The new Sail Oman team becomes the 10th entry to the iShares Cup. Photo copyright Mark Lloyd/Sail Oman