There is strong representation from SSL Gold Cup team sailors in The Ocean Race, set to depart Alicante, Spain on January 15. Nations represented are Lithuania, Mexico, Spain, The Netherlands and Portugal.
SSL Team Portugal have four sailors, Mariana Lobato, Hugo Rocha, Diogo Cayolla and Bernardo Freitas racing on the Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team VO65, which will compete in The Ocean Race VO65 Sprint Cup, a new trophy over three legs: Alicante, Spain to Cabo Verde; Aarhus, Denmark to The Hague, the Netherlands; and The Hague to Genova, Italy (legs 1, 6 & 7 of the full course).
SSL Team Spain also have four sailors, with Roberto 'Chuny' Bermúdez, Juan Varela and Jaime Arbones on the Viva México VO65 and Támara Echegoyen on the GUYOT environnement - Team Europe IMOCA, which is set to complete the full course of seven legs.
Two members of SSL Team Mexico, Erik Brockmann and Juan Luis Medina, are also represented on the Viva México VO65, with Brockmann skipper of the team.
SSL Team Lithuania also feature strongly with three members, Rokas Milevičius (skipper), Domantas Juškevičiuss and Deimantė Jarmalavičiūtė, aboard the Ambersail 2 VO65.
The Netherlands also have a trio of sailors, Jelmer van Beek (skipper), Rutger Vos and Jorden van Rooijen, competing on the Team JAJO VO65.
First up in The Ocean Race is the Alicante In Port Race scheduled for Sunday 8 January. The VO65 race will be first at 1400 CET followed by the IMOCA race at 1600 CET. Leg 1 from Alicante to Cabo Verde starts on January 15.
Mark has been managing sailing websites since 1996, always being at the forefront of technology, and now manages the combined Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com network. He has covered events such as the International Moth World Championship and Cowes Week, focusing on the sailors' thoughts and words. Mark has been European Champion in the Farr 30 & J/24 class and has won numerous UK titles, and competes regularly in local and national events in dinghies and sportsboats.