Artemis Racing secures first of designers for AC35

© Sander van der Borch

ALAMEDA (23 January 2014) – Artemis Racing has signed designers Michel Kermarec  and  Thiha ‘Winnie’ Win, with Adam May and Nico Rousselon rejoining the team as it prepares for a possible bid for the 35th America’s Cup. The design team will work in close coordination with the sailing team on the development of a winning boat.

“The America’s Cup is not just about innovative design or sailing talent, but about how they work together successfully,” said Artemis Racing owner Torbjörn Törnqvist. “We’re pleased to have Michel and Winnie join our team and help exemplify Artemis Racing’s collaborative spirit as we move toward the next Cup.”

Michel brings a wealth of experience to Artemis Racing, having served as a key member of Oracle Team USA’s design team during their AC33 and AC34 victories. He specializes in performance prediction and appendage design, and holds a PhD in hydrodynamics. Michel has campaigned grand-prix yachts of all sizes and has competed in the Olympics, representing France in the Soling class at the 1988 Olympic Regatta in Pusan, South Korea.

Winnie has been involved in many high-profile advanced engineering projects all over the world in both marine and non-marine industries. After a very successful period in motor sport in the early 2000s, he turned his attention to America’s Cup yacht design in AC32, with Luna Rossa Challenge. Winnie was a key member of BMW Oracle Racing’s design team during their victorious 33rd America’s Cup campaign, and was part of Emirates Team New Zealand’s successful AC34, winning the Louis Vuitton Cup before narrowly losing out to Oracle Team USA in the finals in San Francisco last summer.

On joining the team Winnie commented “we hope that this next America’s Cup will be racing on foiling catamarans and continue to excite sailors, designers and general public a like. I’m extremely excited to be joining such a talented group of sailors and designers, and look forward to pushing myself to the limits to find success with Artemis Racing.”

Adam and Nico rejoin Artemis Racing from the AC34 campaign.

Adam competed for Great Britain in the Sydney 2000 Olympics in the Tornado class, and is an aeronautical engineer by trade, having worked for Airbus UK in their wind tunnel and design office. He was a technical coach for TeamOrigin’s TP52 program in 2010, and worked closely with Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson during their successful 2008 and 2012 Olympic campaigns. Adam was part of the Victory Challenge team during AC32, and AC35 will be his third America’s Cup.

Adam commented “It is great to be back with Artemis Racing, and roll straight into things. We are very fortunate to have attracted top guys like Michel and Winnie to join our team and share in our vision. I’m looking forward to working with Nico again as well, a young talent who I was fortunate to work alongside a lot last time around. With further impressive people also to be announced in the near future we are looking forward to an exciting future for Artemis Racing.”

Nico, a  specialist in aerodynamics,  graduate from Southampton Institute in 2004 with a BEng in Yacht and Powercraft Design, before specializing in Computational Fluid Dynamics with an MSc at Southampton University. In 2007 he integrated the Cape Horn Engineering (then CFD branch of Juan Yacht Design) to start the aero side of the company. This was further developed through two Volvo Ocean Race wins (Ericsson4 and Groupama) before joining Artemis Racing for the 34th America’s Cup. Artemis Racing continues to assess the criteria for the next America’s Cup, and is in the meantime building a winning team based on experience, talent and collaboration.