The penultimate round of the Extreme Sailing Series 2016, which will take place 6-9 October in Lisbon, Portugal, will feature an all-women team from Thalassa Magenta Racing.
The team is partnered by the Magenta Project, founded by Team SCA, the first all-female team to participate in the Volvo Ocean Race. The goal of the organization is to promote sailing among women. The organization is also a platform for interaction between female yachtswomen around the world.
The skipper of the Canadian-flagged team will be New Zealand athlete Sharon Ferris.
Also on the team are ocean racers Dee Caffari, Elodie Mettraux and Abby Ehler, Olympic athletes Sally B arkow, Annie Lush and Gemma Jones, Olympic silver medallist Annemieke Bes, world championship silver medallist in Nacra 17 Hannah Diamond, world and European 420 class champion Annabel Vose.
The others have only recently begun training but have shown good progress during the week of training.
«"Being part of the Extreme Sailing Series has been my goal for the past ten years," said Sharon Ferris. - This is the Formula 1 of sailing. Our aim is to build a competitive team for the 2017 season. Lisbon will be the first milestone on this journey».
Thalassa Magenta Racing will not be the only new team in the Lisbon leg of the Extreme Sailing Series. Another newcomer is France's NORAUTO, supported by Groupama Team France with New Zealand matchday star Adam Minoprio at the helm. Together with American Vega Racing (skipper Brad Frank) who joined the Extreme Sailing Series fleet in Madeira on September 22-25, a total of 9 teams will be competing in Lisbon.
