TEAMORIGIN, the British America’s Cup Team, finally get to race in version 5 America’s Cup boats today in Valencia, where they are competing in the CNEV (Club Nautico Espanol de Vela) regatta. They are not racing in their own boat, GBR 75, but in a boat lent to them by the Spanish team, Desafio Espanol. They will race in a series of fleet races over the next few days against three other America’s Cup teams – Alinghi (SUI), the America’s Cup Defender, Luna Rossa (ITA) and Desafio Espanol (ESP).

The team’s impressive crew line-up includes Olympic Gold medallists Ben Ainslie as Skipper and Helmsman and Iain Percy as Tactician, with the experience of Mike Sanderson and Stan Honey amongst the other crew onboard. This is an ideal way to get the team back together in preparation for their next regatta, the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series, which will take place in Auckland in Jan/Feb 2009.

At yesterday’s press conference, Ben Ainslie thanked the Spanish team for lending their boat and being so helpful and looked forward to “getting on with the racing”.

Sir Keith Mills, meanwhile arrives in Les Sables D’Olonne, France, today to support Alex Thomson and Hugo Boss ahead of Sunday’s start to the Vendée Globe. He therefore cannot join TEAMORIGIN in Valencia this weekend, but commented: “Despite it being a last minute opportunity and decision to compete, we are really pleased to be able to get our team together for this CNEV regatta in Valencia and get out on the water. This is our first official regatta as TEAMORIGIN so it’s a key milestone for us!”

Racing starts today at 13:00 Spanish time today with two fleet races scheduled for the day.

Race report and photos to follow after racing. Visit www.teamorigin.com

TEAMORIGIN CREW LINE-UP FOR CNEV REGATTA:  

BEN AINSLIE : SKIPPER & HELMSMAN

IAIN PERCY : TACTICIAN

STAN HONEY : NAVIGATOR

MIKE SANDERSON : RUNNER

ANDREW SIMPSON : STRATEGIST

CHRIS SALTHOUSE : MAINSAIL TRIM

ROBERT GREENHALGH : TRAVELLER/STRATEGIST

ANTHONY NOSSITER : PIT ASSIST

DAVID CARR/MIKE MOTTLE : MAIN GRIND

CHRISTIAN KAMP : DOWNWIND TRIM

ROBBIE NAISMITH : UPWIND TRIM

CHRIS BRITTLE : STARBOARD GRIND

PAWEL BIELECKI : PORT GRIND

NICK BICE : PIT

GEORGE SKUODAS : MAST

JULIEN CRESSANT : MID BOW

MATT CORNWELL : BOW