Geronimo Confirms Final Crew Members in Oryx Quest

Oryx Quest crews all ready to take on the challenge    

The three remaining crew members of Geronimo were confirmed today as the teams make final preparations for the Oryx Quest 2005 race start on Saturday. Completing the line-up and embarking on their first round-the-world event aboard the all-French trimaran will be Lucas Zammcnik, Jean Charles Corre and Arnaud Boissière.

The fastest and most advanced sailing vessels in the world require top-class crews and Geronimo's skipper, Olivier de Kersauson, believes he now has just that. His 11-man ensemble are all very experienced sailors and, apart from the three new additions, have all circumnavigated the globe at least once on Geronimo and together sailed from Brest, France, to Qatar.

"Getting here was a bit of a trial," said de Kersauson. "No wind and no poetry – just hard and laborious work. [But] we can't wait to measure ourselves against these crews under the same conditions. These [competing crews] are serious customers with real experience, sailing boats that have risen to some of the greatest challenges in the world."

Continuity and loyalty are the trademarks of Olivier de Kersauson and both come through clearly in the composition of his crew. Yves Pouillaude, his right-hand man for over 20 years, has decided to stay ashore this time, and it's Pierre Corriveaud who steps up to take his place as Watch Captain, after twice circling the globe on Geronimo. And for good measure, Franck Ferey, another two-time circumnavigator on board the Capgemini and Schneider Electric-sponsored trimaran, takes over the same duties for the second watch. Olivier de Kersauson and Didier Ragot, perhaps the most faithful of all the faithful, will work outside the watch system.

The Geronimo crew:
Olivier de Kersauson, Skipper
Didier Ragot, Mate and tactician
Pierre Corriveaud, Watch Captain
Franck Ferey, Watch Captain
Xavier Briault
Armand Coursodon
Philippe Laot
Rodolphe Jacq
Antoine Deru
Jean Charles Corre
Arnaud Boissière
Lucas Zamecknick

Embarking on their first round-the-world event with Geronimo:
- Lucas Zamecnik, 29, was born in Paris – this is his first circumnavigation
- Jean Charles Corre, 32, was born in Lorient, lives in Tahiti, and has arrived via an unusual route, since he’s also a merchant navy officer
- Arnaud Boissière, 32, comes from Bordeaux, is a geography graduate and has competed in many events, including two mini-Transats and three Figaros, and helped prepare Aquitaine Innovation.