Natalie Pinkham, Ewan McGregor & Zara Phillips © Lloyd Images

Hollywood A-lister Ewan McGregor, who joined the HUGO BOSS sailing team led by British round-the-world skipper Alex Thomson, said: “"It was an amazing experience - it was my first time yacht racing and to be part of the HUGO BOSS team was a fantastic introduction to a really adventurous sport.  Although the prize fund will not be awarded to UNICEF, I was pleased to be able to represent such a great cause on the water today and we hopefully helped to raise awareness of UNICEF'S crucial work for children in East Africa.  And of course we can all still share a little of what we have with these children who so desperately need our help by texting SHARE to 78866.”

Zara Phillips, former world champion equestrienne, racing in her third Artemis Challenge was on Artemis Ocean Racing, skippered by record-breaking yachtswoman Dee Caffari.  They were also joined by TV and radio presenter Natalie Pinkham said.  Zara Phillips said: “It was a great day on the water today on Artemis Ocean Racing. I really enjoyed sailing with Dee and Natalie, and although we didn’t claim the prize for Toe in the Water it was great to be back at Cowes and go round the island so quickly.”

The Artemis Challenge started in a moderate southerly breeze at 1000 BST as PRB stayed close to the island shore out of the foul tide and gained an advantage that the French team managed to hold right through to the finish.  By the time the four-boat IMOCA 60 fleet of PRB, Cheminees Poujoulat, Artemis Ocean Racing and Hugo Boss rounded Bembridge Ledge at the eastern end of the island and headed upwind round the back of the island, the wind was increasing in strength reaching up to 25 knots, with stronger gusts, which provided spectacular downwind ‘surfing’ conditions on the home run from The Needles to the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line off Cowes. Bernard Stamm’s team on Cheminees Poujoulat challenged PRB throughout whilst Artemis Ocean Racing and Hugo Boss engaged in a great battle for third place. 
 

The prizegiving with all the 2011 teams © Lloyd Images

“The conditions were fantastic,” said Dee Caffari, the only female skipper to have circumnavigated the globe solo in both directions.  “We led Hugo Boss all the way around to The Needles but we were gutted in the end, as we ripped our spinnaker which meant they overtook us.  But we had a really great day.”

PRB’s nominated charity is Foundation Movement for Children's Village Foundation (MVE) and will receive a cheque for £10,000.

The Artemis Challenge, sponsored by Artemis investment Management, one of the UK’s leading investment companies and the largest British sponsor in offshore sailing, is recognised as one of the key events of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week and is a magnificent spectacle, showcasing the best of offshore racing within easy reach of spectators.

Results of the Artemis Challenge 2011:
1st PRB (Vincent Riou) finish time 14:14:01 BST
2nd Cheminees Poujoulat (Bernard Stamm) finish time 14:20:05 BST
3rd Hugo Boss (Alex Thomson) finish time 14:26:36
4th Artemis Ocean Racing (Dee Caffari) 14:38:32

Winning charity: Foundation MVE

The Foundation Movement for Children's Village Foundation (MVE) is a major player in child protection in France. It protects children at risk by hosting in his Children's Villages and Households, children and adolescents entrusted by the courts. Foundation Movement for Children's Villages was founded in 1958 by Suzanne Masson. It was state-approved in 2006.
www.lesvillagesdenfants.com

Artemis Ocean Racing © Lloyd Images

Natalie Pinkham will be racing onboard with Zara Phillips and Dee Caffari on IMOCA 60 Artemis Ocean Racing. Natalie will also be writing an article for Hello magazine and they have donated £3,000 to Toe in the Water the nominated charity for Artemis Ocean Racing. If the team are victorious in the race a further £10,000 will be donated to the charity as well. Toe in the water are a local Cowes based charity who aim to inspire the servicemen and women who have sustained injuries, including loss of limbs, to move beyond their disability and be re-inspired by life, using the platform of competitive sailing.

“We’re looking forward to showing Ewan around the HUGO BOSS and giving him a real taste of what an IMOCA 60 is capable of” explained Alex Thomson skipper of Hugo Boss.  “If the conditions are in our favour tomorrow it should be a great introduction to racing and sailing in general.’

Tomorrows start for Artemis Ocean Racing, PRB, Hugo Boss and Cheminees Poujoulat will be off the Royal Yacht Squadron where spectators will be treated to watching the powerful racing machines in action. The IMOCA 60 are the state of the art offshore racing yachts that most famously are used to compete in the legendary Vendee Globe. Unfortunately Banque Populaire were forced to pull out of the Artemis Challenge due to damage sustained to their boat during training.

The course this year will take the teams east around the Isle of Wight past Bembridge, St Katherine’s Point and then to the Needles before finishing back in Cowes. In the forecasted conditions of 16-18 knots of south westerly breeze building through the day we can expect the IMOCA 60s to finish around 3pm.

A galaxy of stars take to the water for the Artemis Challenge on August 10th

The fifth edition of the Artemis Challenge is set to continue the tradition of attracting big name stars as Ewan McGregor, Zara Phillips and Natalie Pinkham take to the water in 2011. The Artemis Challenge, a high adrenaline 50 mile race around the Isle of Wight to claim a £10,000 charity prize fund, will take place on Wednesday August 10th in the middle of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week, the world’s largest sailing regatta and one of the UK’s biggest sporting events.

Hollywood A-lister Ewan McGregor, who will join British round-the-world skipper Alex Thomson onboard Hugo Boss, said, “I'm excited to experience the thrill of yacht racing from the very deck of the boat and I'll be doing my best to help Alex win so that we can donate the prize money to UNICEF's East Africa Appeal. There's never been a more important time to support the children of the region who so desperately need our help.” Zara Phillips, former world champion equestrienne, will be racing her third Artemis Challenge on Artemis Ocean Racing, skippered this year by record-breaking yachtswoman Dee Caffari.

TV and radio presenter Natalie Pinkham will sail with Zara and Dee, racing to support Toe in the Water, a non-profit organisation which uses sailing as a vehicle to re-inspire injured servicemen and women, all of whom have been profoundly wounded, some sustaining loss of limb/s and who are currently being treated at Headley Court, the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre. Dee Caffari said, “It is great to be back on the helm of Artemis Ocean Racing to try to win £10,000 for Toe in the Water.

The Artemis Challenge is a great spectacle for the IMOCA 60 yachts and with Zara and Natalie onboard I’m sure we will make a great team.” The Artemis Challenge, sponsored by Artemis investment Management, one of the UK’s leading investment companies and the largest British sponsor in offshore sailing, is recognised as one of the key events of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week and is a magnificent spectacle, showcasing the best of offshore racing within easy reach of spectators.

The start line this year already features a world class line up of five latest generation IMOCA 60s, the same racing machines that compete in the legendary non-stop round the world Vendée Globe solo race, and the Artemis Challenge is the only UK-based IMOCA event. The race follows the classic America’s Cup route around the Isle of Wight, starting at 10 AM on the Royal Yacht Squadron Line. The winner will be the IMOCA 60 that takes line honours after completing the 50 mile sprint back to the Royal Yacht Squadron Line (weather permitting), winning £10,000 for the charity of choice of the skipper.

Artemis Ocean Racing © Lloyd Images

The Artemis Challenge, sponsored by Artemis investment Management, one of the UK’s leading investment companies and the largest British sponsor in offshore sailing, is recognised as one of the key events of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week and is a magnificent spectacle, showcasing the best of offshore racing within easy reach of spectators.

The start line this year already features a world class line up of five IMOCA 60s, the same racing machines that compete in the legendary non-stop round the world Vendée Globe solo race, and the Artemis Challenge is the only UK-based IMOCA event. Artemis Ocean Racing will be skippered by record-breaking yachtswoman Dee Caffari, who will be competing against fellow British offshore racer Alex Thomson on Hugo Boss. They will be joined by some of France’s top sailors including Armel Le Cleac’h on Banque Populaire, Vincent Riou on PRB and Bernard Stamm on Cheminées Poujoulat. Further entries will be announced in the coming weeks. Between them, the fleet of skippers have completed 11 circumnavigations of the planet and features two former winners of solo round the world yacht races.

2009 Artemis Challenge Fleet © Lloyd Images

The Artemis Challenge at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week has long attracted a strong list of celebrity guests. Teams competing in the race in the past have included sports stars Zara Phillips, Amy Williams, Will Greenwood, Mike Tindall and James Haskell, as well as other stars from the world of entertainment, including Davina McCall, Bryan Adams and James and Oliver Phelps, the Weasley Twins from the Harry Potter movies. Celebrity guests for the Artemis Challenge 2011 will be announced in the coming weeks including unique spots on board available to the media.

The race follows the classic America’s Cup route around the Isle of Wight, starting at 10 AM on the Royal Yacht Squadron Line. The winner will be the IMOCA 60 that takes line honours after completing the 50 mile sprint back to the Royal Yacht Squadron Line (weather permitting), winning £10,000 for the charity of choice of the skipper.

Mike Golding © Lloyd Images

Zara Phillips, racing onboard Artemis Ocean Racing, that finished 3rd overall said at the finish: “There was a really good atmosphere on board, we had a good team and we all worked really well together - it was easy for us as the crew know the boat so well. It’s great to finish on the podium but we thought that because it’s the Artemis Challenge and we’re on Artemis Ocean Racing so we thought let the others get in front!”

The boats set out on the 55-mile course round the Isle of Wight in a light south-westerly breeze and made good headway until coming to a standstill at the eastern point of the island before picking up the sea breeze which built steadily through the afternoon. The IMOCA 60s had a great reach from St Catherine’s to The Needles before hoisting their spinnakers for a high-speed dash to the finish line at the Royal Yacht Squadron. Mike Golding narrowly beat Roland Jourdain on Veolia Environnement by 10 minutes to finish in just under six and a half hours.

The sporting stars were not on board just for a joy ride and the skippers had them working hard. “Zara and I were a good team on the grinder, we thought we were way better than the boys! It was so tiring though and big respect to all the sailors – to think they sail these boats all on their own around the world is absolutely amazing. It was a great team effort but I still feel like I’m floating around!” said Amy Williams.  Martin Bayfield who crewed for Dee Caffari, the only yachtswoman to have sailed solo around the world in both directions, was also put to work on the grinder although Dee let him steer for a while: “Dee was very gentle and very kind, and very polite about my steering!”

The £10,000 charitable donation by Artemis Investment Management will be made to the RNLI.

The Artemis Challenge has become a popular fixture at the UK’s biggest yachting regatta offers a great mix of sporting competition and celebrity glamour. Mark Tyndall, Chief Executive, Artemis Investment Management commented: “It couldn’t have been better Artemis Challenge. After a few years where the wind has been a bit light, we had a proper breeze, almost had a restart halfway through the race when the breeze collapsed, then we had good breeze and a great romp home.”



Position / Entries / skippers / charities:

1st Mike Golding Yacht Racing / Mike Golding / RNLI
2nd Veolia Environnement / Roland Jourdain / Plan
3rd Artemis Ocean Racing / helmsman Simon Hiscocks / Kids Company
4th Gaes Centros Auditivos / Dee Caffari / Toe in the Water
5th VE1 / Ryan Breymaier & Boris Herrman / Chemo Outreach Project
6th Toe in the Water / Steve White / RNLI


News, photos and videos all at www.artemischallenge.com

Sam Davies, Zara Phillips, Dame Ellen MacArthur and Dee Caffari © Lloyd Images

The famous couple sailed against eight other high speed offshore racing yachts, skippered by some of the world’s leading ocean sailors and featuring celebrity guests such as Canadian rocker Bryan Adams, James Phelps who plays Fred Weasley in the Harry Potter Films and his twin brother Oliver Phelps who plays George Weasley in the Harry Potter Films, and television actress, Denise Black.

Light winds for the 10 AM start off Cowes meant that instead of sprinting around the Isle of Wight as in previous years, the fleet took a route East out past the Solent forts before rounding the Nab Tower. As the wind strengthened through the morning, the race became a close battle between five of the leading yachts, including Artemis Ocean Racing, skippered by British yachtswoman Sam Davies, and BT IMOCA 60, skippered by Frenchman Seb Josse, who had pulled in the help of Dame Ellen MacArthur as crew.

Artemis The Profit Hunter, skippered by Simon Clay and assisted by Bryan Adams, put in a strong performance amongst the newer, faster generation IMOCA 60s, which also included well known yachtswoman Dee Caffari on Aviva and Volvo Ocean Race winner Mike Sanderson at the helm of Pindar.

The 2009 Artemis Challenge fleet © Lloyd Images
 

However, by mid-afternoon, the wind had died again and the course was shortened to finish at ‘No Man’s Fort’ which meant that Seb Josse and BT IMOCA 60 took first place, ahead of Pindar in second and Artemis The Profit Hunter in third. The win for BT means that they have scooped £10,000 for their nominated charity, the Ellen MacArthur Trust. The Ellen MacArthur Trust takes young people aged between 8-18 sailing to help them regain their confidence, on their way to recovery from cancer, leukaemia and other serious illness.

Zara phillips at the helmZara Phillips commented: “It was great to take part in the Artemis Challenge at Cowes Week today and I’m very happy to have joined Sam Davies and the Artemis Ocean Racing team - seeing how everyone works together as a team is impressive. Sam and Sidney seem so cool and did an amazing job in hard weather conditions - at the end the wind went completely.  They got us all involved in what was going on and we had a really good day.”

The Artemis Challenge welcomed the largest fleet of IMOCA 60s since the race’s inception in 2007. Commenting on the race, Artemis Investment Management CEO Mark Tyndall, who sailed onboard Artemis Ocean Racing, concluded, “The light winds and shortened course made for a very tactical and interesting race, which resulted in a precise game of cat and mouse and delivered a wonderful spectacle; the Artemis Challenge has gone from strength to strength each year.

We had a great bunch of really talented sailors in British waters today with a fantastic fleet of IMOCA 60s charging up the Solent. We were delighted to host such guests as Zara Phillips, Mike Tindall, Bryan Adams and Dame Ellen MacArthur to name but a few, and I would like to congratulate BT on a great win in testing circumstances, which will see the Ellen MacArthur Trust benefit from the £10,000 prizefund.”

Artemis Challenge 2009 Results:

1. BT IMOCA 60
2. Pindar
3. Artemis The Profit Hunter
4. Artemis Ocean Racing
5. Aviva
6. Akena Verandas
7. Grey Power
8. Toe in the Water
9. Pakea Bizkaia

Despite some challenging conditions during the race, including gusts of up to 20 knots, Team Pindar lead from the outset and completed the race in 4 hours, 13 mins, 48 secs. Skippered by Vendée Globe entrant, Brian Thompson, the Pindar Open 60 won the race comfortably, finishing five minutes ahead of second placed BT and almost 10 minutes ahead of Ecover in third place.

The Artemis Challenge fleet © Lloyd Images
 

The Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed Pindar once again proved she's got pace, especially in the experienced hands of Brian Thompson. With a 'celebrity' crewing on each of the boats though, there's no doubt that having Mike Sanderson (Team Director for TEAMORIGIN) on board, won't have hampered Thompson's performance! Dee Caffari came in fifth, 16 minutes after Pindar, with the two Artemis Ocean Racing boats (Simon Clay pipped Jonny Malbon's new boat by five minutes) and Spirit of Weymouth bringing up the tail.

Sailors and celebrities on the podium © Lloyd Images

An elated Brian Thompson said, ‘It is an amazing feeling to have won our first race and vindicates all the hard work over the last year. The crew worked brilliantly together and I think they all enjoyed seeing what the boat is capable of. We got off to a great start and knew once we passed The Needles we'd be in with a good chance of lifting the trophy. Winning this race will be a huge confidence boost for the whole team as we continue to prepare for the Vendée.'

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)