Introducing PUMA's Complete Sailing Team

PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG Propulsion announced today that Kelvin Harrap and Rome Kirby have been added as the final members to complete PUMA's sailing crew roster for 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race Team.  After careful selection, Skipper Ken Read has amassed 10 of the most elite offshore sailors from across the globe to compete in the "Mount Everest of sailing." a 39,000 nautical mile ocean race stopping in ten ports of call over the course of nine months.

The team is currently training aboard George David’s and Alex Jackson’s 100’ Maxi Rambler100, which most recently broke the Caribbean 600 course record.  The new PUMA Volvo Open 70 racing boat comes out of the shed in early spring.  Once the new boat is launched, the crew will bring the boat to Miami for on and offshore training.  In July, Read and his crew will participate in the Transatlantic Race beginning in Newport, Rhode Island and finishing in Plymouth, England.  The training program will finish when the boat is brought to Alicante, Spain in October for the race start.

 “The decisions we make now are the ones that will create success or failure in this race, and having this team of veterans involved early certainly increases our chances to make proper decisions,” said Read of the team assembled so far.  “Not only do we have a team that can sail a boat fast, but we have a team that understands what it takes to compete in a race like the Volvo.  Great attitudes, great skills, which hopefully leads to good things down the road.”

Cumulatively, the management and sailing team for PUMA Ocean Racing shares a level of success difficult to match with 22 Volvo Ocean Race entries and 20 America’s Cup editions.  Collectively, the core team holds seven 24-hour mono hull speed records and has won the Around the World Race seven times.


Kelvin Harrap, 41 (Napier, New Zealand)
Driver & Trimmer
With two previous Whitbread and Volvo Ocean Races in the 90’s under his belt, Harrap returns to the Volvo Ocean Race with PUMA.  Kelvin’s inshore experience with an Olympic and various America’s Cup campaigns will prove valuable, as he’ll transition to tactician for the PUMA team during in-port racing as well as be a critical trimmer and driver offshore.

Rome Kirby, 21 (Newport Rhode Island, United States)
Trimmer & Driver
Kirby joins PUMA as the youngest team member for his first Volvo Ocean Race.  Having grown up sailing since the age of three, Rome honed his skills on the US and international junior sailing circuits.  Since the age of 14, Kirby has logged thousands of offshore miles and gained valuable experience inshore.

Check out the crew section for more in-depth profiles on all of PUMA's sailors.