Matt Humphries to Skipper new Swedish Volvo Ocean Race boat

by Lizzie Green 9 Jun 2000 08:27 BST

A new Swedish team, the Lighthouse Project, is today announcing its entry in next year's Volvo Ocean Race (formerly The Whitbread), the world's premier ocean race.

Matthew Humphries, 28, living in Sweden and already a three time Whitbread veteran, will be the skipper in this new Swedish Volvo Ocean Race challenge. "We have a young team that can challenge the older guys, and a business oriented project, so our ultimate goal is to win the 2001 Volvo Ocean Race", says Matthew Humphries, who was watch captain and helmsman on Swedish Match in the last race, and the youngest skipper ever in the 1993 Whitbread.

The Lighthouse Project, based at the island Fjäderholmarna in Stockholm, is now in the process of capitalizing and creating the organisation for its Volvo Ocean Race project.

"The market in Sweden is strong and we know there are companies who see rich opportunities in using a Volvo Ocean Race project in its corporate brand development and communication. We believe we have a strong entry and therefore we have sent in our application and registration fee for The Volvo Ocean Race 2001-2002", says Matthew Humphries.

This summer, The Lighthouse Project and Matthew Humphries will sail a V.O.60 Mark II boat, named Kaffeknappen after the main sponsor for the 2000 racing season, in Swedish waters. The boat, sailing as Dennis Conner's Toshiba, was one of the top competitors in the last Whitbread, and the new team will sail her in the Gotland Runt, Tjörn Runt and a number other races this summer.

The crew, two of which are Swedes, are already testing new sails. "Our project will stay in Sweden and recruit the rest of its crew among the top 100 sailors around the world", concluded Matthew Humphries.

More Information: www.VolvoOceanRace.org