Swedish Victory Challenge sign up more GBR Challenge sailors for Malmö-Skåne Louis Vuitton Acts 6 & 7

 Victory Challenge’s recruitment of former GBR Challenge sailors continues.
The latest arrival is Ian Weighell, 29, the third former GBR Challenge sailor to join the team.

He has joined for the Malmö-Skåne Louis Vuitton Acts 6 & 7, which begin on tomorrow. The two other GBR Challenge sailors in the Swedish team are Richard Sydenham, 29, and Jonathan Taylor, 31.

Magnus Holmberg(left), skipper and helmsman for Victory Challenge commented on the British additions to the team: “There a many proficient English sailors who also have America’s Cup experience. It’s just a pity that there is not a new GBR Challenge this time. We are, however, more than pleased to be able to have some of them in our team. Both Ian Weighell and Jonathan Taylor are new for Malmö; Richard Sydenham was with us in Valencia in June. Ian Weighell has competed in top-class rowing and is a solid grinder. He provides a necessary strengthening on the grinder side.”

He test sailed with Victory Challenge for a week during the summer in Valencia and arrived in Malmö in Sunday after spending his honeymoon in Morocco. The newly wed Ian Weighell went straight onboard Orm on Monday for the training races against Team New Zealand.

Weighell added: “There’s a good team spirit in Victory Challenge, as there was also in GBR Challenge. To come here and take part in Malmö is great and it’s wonderful to see all the yachts lined up side by side in their bases without all the secrecy and hush-hush that prevailed in New Zeeland.”

When Ian Weighell arrived in Auckland with GBR Challenge for America’s Cup 2002/2003, he had just represented Oxford University in the 2001 annual and classic University Boat Race against Cambridge.