Royalty, Rugby and Rock 'n' Roll in the 2014 Artemis Challenge

by Artemis Challenge 4 Aug 2014 16:43 BST 7 August 2014

Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall to take on Yasmin and Simon Le Bon

The Artemis Challenge has a history of big names battling it out to scoop a cash prize for charity and this year is no different, welcoming back Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall as they race against experienced sailors Yasmin and Simon Le Bon in the 50 mile round-the-Island dash on August 7th.

The race forms part of Ladies Day at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week, the world's largest sailing regatta, and features a fleet of some of the fastest offshore racing yachts, ranging from 60 to 70 feet, both monohulls and multihulls, with each crewed by up to 12 sailors.

Each crew is racing for a share of the £10,000 prize fund which will be donated to a charity of their choice. Phillips and Tindall are on-board Artemis Ocean Racing II, skippered by the solo sailing big gun, Brian Thompson.

The Le Bons are on Azzam with the crew of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, one of the six current challengers for the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15. Azzam is skippered by one of Britain's most successful sailors, double Olympic silver medallist Ian Walker. They will be joined by the inspirational Keith Burhans, a 58-year-old Paralympic sailor from the USA, who became a double lower leg amputee in 1995 after a boating accident in which he saved the lives of his two daughters. The determined sailor fought his way back to the sport he loved and represented the USA at the Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games. Keith earned the chance to race with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing through a Facebook competition voted for by fans of the team.

Within the fleet, two ocean-pedigree trimarans will be hoping to break the record for racing around the Isle of Wight, last set during the Artemis Challenge in 2012. Musandam-Oman Sail and Prince de Bretagne will be hoping the conditions will deliver fast and furious sailing as they lead out the fleet of five monohulls from the Royal Yacht Squadron start line at 10 AM.

Other high-profile boats in the fleet include Team SCA, an all-female crew set to compete in the Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15. Skippered by Brit Sam Davies, Team SCA is entering the race with the world's best women offshore-racing sailors, and will be racing for the first time against another Volvo Ocean Race contender, Dongfeng Race Team, which is aiming to create a competitive team with a backbone of Chinese sailors.

The final entry list for the Artemis Challenge is:
Team Name/Yacht/Skipper (Nationality)

• Team SCA/Volvo Ocean 65, Monohull/Sam Davies (GBR)
• Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing/Volvo Ocean 65, Monohull/Ian Walker (GBR)
• Dongfeng Race Team/Volvo Ocean 65, Monohull/Charles Caudrelier (FRA)
• Artemis Ocean Racing II/IMOCA 60, Monohull/Brian Thompson (GBR)
• Rosalba/IMOCA 60, Monohull/Andy Greenwood (GBR)
• Musandam-Oman Sail/MOD70, Multihull/Damian Foxall (IRL)
• Prince de Bretagne/MAXI 80, Multihull/Lionel Lemonchois (FRA)

The race follows the classic America's Cup route around the Isle of Wight (weather permitting), starting at 10am on the Royal Yacht Squadron Line. The boats will be divided into teams, and the winning team at the end of the 50 mile sprint will win the £10,000 charity prize. The large ocean yachts will also be joined on the start line by the fleet of Artemis Bénéteau Figaro IIs, skippered by some of the brightest future stars of British sailing currently racing as part of the Artemis Offshore Academy, a UK training programme of excellence for British short-handed sailors.

Be sure to look to the skies at the race start, as the classic biplane Spirit of Artemis will be buzzing the start line. The 1940s Boeing Stearman is piloted by pioneering British Aviatrix Tracey Curtis-Taylor, who solo navigated across Africa from Cape Town to Goodwood in 2013, and Tracey will give the racing fleet on the water a stunning send off.

www.artemischallenge.com