Main Content
Teams
Team Sanya
Chinese entry Team Sanya will be looking to stamp their mark on the race, with Volvo Ocean Race veteran and two-time winner Mike Sanderson as skipper and a mixture of experienced sailors and raw Chinese members.
Visit the team website www.teamsanya.com/
-
22 Feb 2012
Telefónica is new leader as fleet leaves Luzon Strait
CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand led the fleet through the Luzon Strait, passing within a mile of the lighthouse marking the southern tip of Taiwan at 1830 UTC tonight. Groupama 4) and Telefónica…

-
22 Feb 2012
Smiles for Sanya after southerly option pays
Team Sanya were revelling in the action at the front of the fleet today after seeing the tweaks they made during their home stopover pay off.

-
22 Feb 2012
Waypoint change elevates Sanya and Abu Dhabi to top three
Team Sanya's bold southerly track on the second stage of Leg 4 is paying dividends and when race control switched the waypoint used in the distance to finish (DTF) calculation from the north east tip…

-
21 Feb 2012
Critical times ahead
After a long starboard leg towards the southern tip of Taiwan, there has been something of a tacking frenzy between 1600 and 2200 GMT, when all but PUMA’s Mar Mostro tacked onto port, followed…

-
21 Feb 2012
Tactical minefield could force radical options
The skippers and navigators are facing a tactical minefield in the South China Sea after moderating breezes left behind a horribly confused sea state on the third day of the second stage of Leg 4.

-
20 Feb 2012
CAMPER become leader of the pack
After tacking north around midday today, at 2200 UTC tonight Chris Nicholson and CAMPER with Emirates Team New Zealand were the leaders of the pack as Volvo fleet bashes upwind across the South China…

-
20 Feb 2012
Sickness and slamming take their toll
Sea sickness and waves as high as five metres are making life difficult for all six teams on the first day of the second stage of Leg 4 from Sanya to Auckland.

-
18 Feb 2012
Telefónica seal victory in Sanya showdown
Team Telefónica continued their domination of the Volvo Ocean Race today as they edged out a victory in the Sanya Haitang In-Port Race, narrowly beating PUMA Ocean Racing to claim a maximum six points.

-
17 Feb 2012
Perfect conditions as Telefónica defend lead
Overall leaders Team Telefónica are relishing the prospect of near-perfect conditions as racing resumes with the Sanya Haitang Bay In-Port Race (starting 0600 UTC).

-
17 Feb 2012
Crews announced for Sanya Haitang Bay In-Port Race
The crews who will compete in Saturday’s Sanya Haitang Bay In-Port Race have been named by the six competing teams. As required by the race rules each team must name their 11 crewmembers in advance…

Secondary Content
Crew
-
Skipper
Mike Sanderson
Onboard
New Zealand Mike Sanderson
SkipperDate of Birth: 29/05/1971- 3 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
Nicknamed Moose, Sanderson is the only skipper in the current race to have led a team to victory before. That success came in 2005-06 with ABN AMRO ONE and it was one of the most emphatic wins in the history of the race, as the Kiwi’s team took six of the nine offshore legs. He also won the race with NZ Endeavour under Grant Dalton in 1993-94 and was named ISAF Sailor of the Year in 2006. He married British yachtswoman Emma Richards during a stopover in the race in 2005-06 and the couple now have two children.
-
Aksel Magdahl
Norway Aksel Magdahl
NavigatorDate of Birth: 06/03/1979- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
The Norwegian navigator gained a reputation for unorthodox brilliance with the bold tactics that took Ericsson 3 to an unlikely victory in the longest leg of the last edition of the race into Rio de Janeiro. Showed his willingness to take tactical risks in Leg 2 of this race too and the decisions taken by the cycling and computer lover will be among the most keenly watched between now and Galway.
-
Andres Soriano
Spain Andres Soriano
Media Crew MemberDate of Birth: 29/03/1986Originally a member of the Sanya shore crew, Soriano stepped into the Media Crew Member role shortly before the start of Leg 1. Has a degree in communications from New York University where he specialised in video editing, web and blog design. He was the media man for 2011 Rolex Giraglia Race and has acted as remote camera operator for a variety of sporting events. As a sailor he has competed in the China Sea Race, Hong Kong to Vietnam Race, Cabo Race, Giraglia Race, and the Fastnet Race.
-
Bert Schandevyl
Belgium Bert Schandevyl
BowmanDate of Birth: 01/05/1983- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
One of the under-30s for this campaign, his first Volvo Ocean Race appearance came last time out as a member of the Delta Lloyd crew. Has also competed in many of sailing’s most high profile events including the Tour de France four times, the Round Britain and Ireland Race twice, the Fastnet Race three times and the Sydney to Hobart Race three times. He is also an accomplished 18-foot skiff sailor and has competed in the double-handed Figaro Transat and singlehanded mini-Fastnet.
-
Cameron Dunn
New Zealand Cameron Dunn
Watch CaptainDate of Birth: 20/09/1972Making his first Volvo Ocean Race appearance, he nevertheless has a wealth of top flight competition experience including Olympic coaching, match racing, one design and offshore keelboat racing. He was also helmsman for the Italian America’s Cup campaigners Mascalzone Latino.
-
David Rolfe
New Zealand David Rolfe
Helmsman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 07/08/1969- 3 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
His three previous Volvo Ocean Races were on Swedish Match in 1997-98 (finished third), SEB in 2001-02 (seventh) and Ericsson in 2005-06 (fifth). He also has extensive experience in the America’s Cup, and other big boat professional campaigns. Nickname is Dingo.
-
David Swete
New Zealand David Swete
Helmsman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 17/11/1983Another of the Sanya under-30 sailors and making his first Volvo Ocean Race appearance. Has competed in most of yachting’s classic races including the Fastnet, Transatlantic Race, Middle Sea Race and Sydney to Hobart. Also won the 2009 World Match Racing Championship as part of the Blackmatch crew headed by CAMPER’s Adam Minoprio.
-
Jared Henderson
New Zealand Jared Henderson
Bowman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 06/04/1972- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
Was bowman on Grant Dalton’s Merit Cup in the 1997-98 race when he finished second. Has many years on the World Match Racing Circuit and has also been a part of several America’s Cup campaigns including current challenger, Artemis. Nickname is Beach.
-
Richard Mason
New Zealand Richard Mason
Helmsman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 28/06/1974- 3 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
Mason has enjoyed a couple of podium finishes in the race and is one of the most entertaining -- and honest -- talkers about what it’s really like to take part in this gruelling event. Finished second in 2001-02 on Assa Abloy, fifth in 2005-06 on Ericsson and fourth in 2008-09 Ericsson 3. He also has extensive inshore experience and was one of the three boat captains for the Victory Challenge America’s Cup campaign.
-
Ryan Houston
New Zealand Ryan Houston
Helmsman / TrimmerDate of Birth: 06/10/1982- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
One of Sanya’s three under-30 sailors, he competed in the last race as part of the Delta Lloyd crew. Has a wide range of successful competitive sailing experience across TP52, RC44, Extreme 40 and 18 foot skiffs.
-
Teng Jiang He
China Teng Jiang He
Trimmer / GrinderDate of Birth: 21/07/1974Making his Volvo Ocean race debut, Tiger is the first Chinese sailor to compete in the race. A hugely successful businessman in the construction industry, he started sailing as recently as 2010 and originally trained to compete in the Clipper Round the World Race. After a five-week trial with Sanya, including taking part in the 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race, skipper Mike Sanderson confirmed his place on the team.
-
Andy Meiklejohn
New Zealand Andy Meiklejohn
Bowman / Boat CaptainDate of Birth: 13/09/1975- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
-
Chris Main
New Zealand Chris Main
Watch LeaderDate of Birth: 02/10/1974- 1 Previous Volvo Ocean Races
An experienced America’s Cup campaigner, Main had his first taste of the Volvo Ocean Race on Leg 5 of the 2008-09 edition with Green Dragon. Was named as a full member of the Sanya team this time but was replaced after the all-too-brief first leg.






