Ben Ainslie has finally revealed his full GB SailGP team line-up ahead of the Season 2 opener in Sydney on 28-29 February.
The Great Britain SailGP Team, presented by INEOS (image above L to R) is: Iain Jensen, Richard Mason, Ben Ainslie, Luke Parkinson, Neil Hunter and Matt Gotrel.
The new look race crew includes five of the six members currently sailing together as part of INEOS Team UK’s America’s Cup challenge.
Ainslie, will helm the F50 while fellow Olympic gold medallist Iain Jensen joins as wing trimmer and the flight controller role is filled by Luke Parkinson.
Both Jensen and Parkinson have moved over to the Great Britain SailGP Team to join their teammates after competing with Japan in SailGP Season 1.
Completing the line-up in the grinder roles are Matt Gotrel, an Olympic gold medal winning rower, and Neil Hunter – both of whom sailed together with the British SailGP Team last year and are also part of the British America’s Cup challenge.
They are joined by fellow returning teammate Richard Mason.
In fact Ben Ainslie will be the “novice” on board the British SailGP F50, the others having all taken part in the 2019 SailGP season.
As expected team CEO Chris Draper steps off the F50 to focus on running the team from dry land, and Dylan Fletcher and Stu Bithell step down to concentrate on their 49er Tokyo 2020 campaign.
Great Britain SailGP Team Presented by INEOS in Season 2:
Ben Ainslie | Helmsman | GBR | 42
Luke Parkinson | Flight Controller | GBR/AUS | 28
Iain Jensen | Wing Trimmer | AUS | 31
Matt Gotrel | Grinder | GBR | 30
Neil Hunter | Grinder | GBR | 24
Richard Mason | Grinder | GBR | 31
Great Britain SailGP will take on six other nations including reigning champions Australia, Denmark, France, Japan, Spain and the United States when the season gets underway in Sydney on the 28 February.
The team will compete in front of a home crowd in Cowes, Isle of Wight, 14-15 August, following events in Sydney, San Francisco and New York.
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