Estrella Damm Wins the inaugural Artemis Challenge (2007)14th Jul 2011

Lady Gabriella Windsor and Will Greenwood MBE  were on the guest list for the inaugural Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week on 8 August 2007. The charity race has attracted a blend of Royalty and Rugby for the 50 mile sprint aboard Open 60s around the Isle of Wight. The winning team will receive £10,000 from Artemis to donate to a charity of its choice.

The 2007 Artemis Challenge fleet © Lloyd Images

Lady Gabriella Windsor, the only daughter of Prince Michael of Kent and 32nd in the line of succession to the British Throne will be sailing onboard Artemis Ocean Racing with the young British skipper, Jonny Malbon. After studying Comparative Literature at Brown University, USA, Lady Gabriella, known affectionately as Ella Windsor, now works as a freelance journalist, a job which has taken her to all corners of the globe and which has seen her published in leading titles such as The Mail on Sunday and The Spectator.

Will Greenwood MBE will be joining the crew of the brand new Estrella DammOpen 60 with her new skipper Guillermo Altadill. With a Rugby World Cup winner’s medal to his name, Will recently retired from a dazzling career in which he won 55 caps for England (scoring 31 tries), went on three tours with the British & Irish Lions and had stints at both Harlequins and Leicester Tigers. His five tries in the World Cup in 2003 earned him the joint Top Try Scorer award and his influence has been sorely missed since his departure.

Mirabaud is probably the most capped Open 60 in existence at the time, being Christophe Auguin's original Groupe Finot designed 1990-91 BOC Challenge winner, Groupe Sceta, before going on to have a highly successful career as Cacolac d'Aquitaine in the hands of Yves Parlier (1st OSTAR 1992, 1st Route du Cafe 1992, 1st Trans BOC 1994, 1st Route du Rhum 1994, etc) and then Marc Thiercelin as Credit Immoblier de France (2nd 1996-7 Vendee Globe, 2nd Route du Cafe). The boat underwent a full refit in 2005 and has recently been in Valencia for the duration of the America’s Cup. Skipper, Xavier Lecoeur, is the current 747 one design European Champion and has competed in several Trans-Atlantic races

2007 Results
1. Estrella Damm / Guillermo Altadill / Africa Viva
2. Roxy / Sam Davies / The Bright Side Trust
3. Akena Verandas / Arnaud Boissières / A chacun son Everest’
4. Artemis Ocean Racing / Johnny Malbon / The Ocean youth Trust
5. Mirabaud / Xavier Lecoeur / Anthony Nolan Trust
6. Spirit of Weymouth / Steve White / Royal National Lifeboat Institution
7. Pindar / Mike Sanderson (dimasted)

Countdown