Team Origin
Encyclopedia
Team Origin is Great Britain's bid to compete in the 33rd and 34th America's Cups. The syndicate was founded by Sir Keith Mills
, the man behind London's successful 2012 Olympic bid
. Grant Simmer is the CEO and the team competes under the burgee
of the Royal Thames Yacht Club
.
Britain's involvement in the America's Cup
dates back to the very start when the Aurora was second in the original race won by America
in 1851. Britain has unsuccessfully challenged many times since.
Less than a month later, it was announced that Team Origin would be partnering the Royal Thames Yacht Club (of which Sir Keith Mills is a member), supposedly because of its balance between old and new, tradition and technology, and also its central location in Knightsbridge, London.
After its acquisition of SUI-75 in May 2007, an almost identical boat to SUI-64, which was used by the Swiss to win the 31st Americas' Cup match, all that was missing was the crew, the majority of which were announced in September 2007 (See below).
In December 2007 the team announced its intention to scale-back activities in anticipation of legal wrangling causing significant delays to the 33rd Cup's schedule, anticipating that 2009's cup would be delayed by at least 2 years.
Team Origin competed in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
in 2009 and are a participant of the Louis Vuitton Trophy.
In 2010 Team Origin appointed Grant Simmer as the teams new CEO who replaced Mike Sanderson.
In August 2010 The Royal Thames Yacht Club and Team Origin hosted BMW Oracle in Cowes to compete in The 1851 Cup. There were 2 trophies to be won. The Royal Thames Cup for a race clockwise around the Isle of Wight which was a re enactment of the race in 1851 which initiated the Americas Cup which BMW Oracle won. The trophy for the overall 1851 event was The Trafalgar Cup for the match racing series which was successfully won by Team Origin.
In 2010 Ben Ainslie
and Team Origin won a Tour Card for the World Match Racing Tour
, and despite only entering six of the nine events they won in Sweden, Bermuda and the Monsoon Cup
in Malaysia and were crowned ISAF Match Racing World Champions 2010.
Boat Crew:
. It was rebranded GBR-75 during the 32nd America's Cup in Valencia, and sailed in TEAMORIGIN livery for the first time on Saturday 14 July 2007, off Port America, Valencia, Spain.
Keith Mills
Sir Keith Mills DL is an English entrepreneur who was knighted in the 2006 New Year Honours in recognition of his services to sport.-Early life:...
, the man behind London's successful 2012 Olympic bid
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
. Grant Simmer is the CEO and the team competes under the burgee
Burgee
A burgee is a distinguishing flag, regardless of its shape, of a recreational boating organization.-Etiquette:Yacht clubs and their members may fly their club's burgee while underway and at anchor, day or night, but not while racing. Sailing vessels may fly the burgee from the main masthead or from...
of the Royal Thames Yacht Club
Royal Thames Yacht Club
The Royal Thames Yacht Club is the oldest sailing club in the United Kingdom. Its headquarters are located at 60 Knightsbridge, London, England, overlooking Hyde Park....
.
Britain's involvement in the America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
dates back to the very start when the Aurora was second in the original race won by America
America (yacht)
The America was a 19th century racing yacht that was the first to win the eponymous international sailing trophy now known as the America's Cup; in 1851 the trophy was known as the Royal Yacht Squadron's "One Hundred Guinea Cup", but was later renamed after the original winning yacht...
in 1851. Britain has unsuccessfully challenged many times since.
History
Sir Keith Mills initially announced his intention to create a team to challenge for the Americas' Cup on the 4th of January 2007, and announced the decision to appoint Mike Sanderson as Team Director on March 29, 2007. In May of the same year, Team Origin announced it was becoming a partner of the RYA Onboard scheme, which has over 60 centres across the UK. Mike Sanderson commented at the time that he hoped to "raise awareness and participation of the sport.Less than a month later, it was announced that Team Origin would be partnering the Royal Thames Yacht Club (of which Sir Keith Mills is a member), supposedly because of its balance between old and new, tradition and technology, and also its central location in Knightsbridge, London.
After its acquisition of SUI-75 in May 2007, an almost identical boat to SUI-64, which was used by the Swiss to win the 31st Americas' Cup match, all that was missing was the crew, the majority of which were announced in September 2007 (See below).
In December 2007 the team announced its intention to scale-back activities in anticipation of legal wrangling causing significant delays to the 33rd Cup's schedule, anticipating that 2009's cup would be delayed by at least 2 years.
Team Origin competed in the Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
Louis Vuitton Pacific Series
The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series was a match race regatta in America's Cup Class yachts in Auckland, New Zealand during January and February 2009. Racing started on 30 January. The Louis Vuitton Pacific Series was organised in association with the New Zealand Government, Emirates Team New Zealand,...
in 2009 and are a participant of the Louis Vuitton Trophy.
In 2010 Team Origin appointed Grant Simmer as the teams new CEO who replaced Mike Sanderson.
In August 2010 The Royal Thames Yacht Club and Team Origin hosted BMW Oracle in Cowes to compete in The 1851 Cup. There were 2 trophies to be won. The Royal Thames Cup for a race clockwise around the Isle of Wight which was a re enactment of the race in 1851 which initiated the Americas Cup which BMW Oracle won. The trophy for the overall 1851 event was The Trafalgar Cup for the match racing series which was successfully won by Team Origin.
In 2010 Ben Ainslie
Ben Ainslie
Charles Benedict Ainslie, CBE is an English sailor and three-times Olympic gold medalist. He started sailing at the age of 8 and first competed at the age of 10...
and Team Origin won a Tour Card for the World Match Racing Tour
World Match Racing Tour
The World Match Racing Tour is a professional sailing series, featuring 9 World Championship events across the globe, sanctioned by the International Sailing Federation with “Special Event” status...
, and despite only entering six of the nine events they won in Sweden, Bermuda and the Monsoon Cup
Monsoon Cup
The Monsoon Cup is a yacht race in Malaysia, held in the state of Terengganu. The tagline for the race is: "You wouldn't want to miss it".-Overview:...
in Malaysia and were crowned ISAF Match Racing World Champions 2010.
Team Members
Management:| Role | Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Team Principal | Sir Keith Mills Keith Mills Sir Keith Mills DL is an English entrepreneur who was knighted in the 2006 New Year Honours in recognition of his services to sport.-Early life:... |
 GBR |
| Partner and Investor | Charles Dunstone Charles Dunstone Charles Dunstone is the CEO and co-founder, in 1989, of mobile phone retailer The Carphone Warehouse.-Education:... |
GBR |
| Team Director | Grant Simmer |  NZ |
Boat Crew:
| Role | Name | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| Helmsman | Ben Ainslie Ben Ainslie Charles Benedict Ainslie, CBE is an English sailor and three-times Olympic gold medalist. He started sailing at the age of 8 and first competed at the age of 10... |
GBR |
| Tactician | Iain Percy Iain Percy Iain Bryden Percy OBE is a British sailor and double Olympic champion.-Sailing competitions:Percy competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he won a gold medal in the Finn class... |
GBR |
| Strategist and Aft Grinder | Andrew Simpson | GBR |
| Grinder | Chris Brittle | GBR |
| Grinder | David Carr | GBR |
| Grinder | Pawel Bielecki |  POL |
| Mastman | Julien Cressant |  FRA |
| Bowman | Matt Cornwell | GBR |
| Boat Captain | Nick Bice |  AUS |
Boats
In May 2007 TEAMORIGIN announced that they had purchased SUI-75, the training and testing boat used by former America's Cup holders AlinghiAlinghi
Alinghi is the syndicate set up by Ernesto Bertarelli, racing under the colors of the Société Nautique de Genève, to challenge for the America's Cup. Bertarelli had raced several smaller yachts named Alinghi previously, but 2003 was his first attempt at the America's Cup...
. It was rebranded GBR-75 during the 32nd America's Cup in Valencia, and sailed in TEAMORIGIN livery for the first time on Saturday 14 July 2007, off Port America, Valencia, Spain.
External links
- Official Website of TEAMORIGIN
- Images of TEAMORIGIN
- The Afterguard Independent America's Cup blog with specific interest in TEAMORIGIN