There are currently 6 full Series teams confirmed and event organisers OC Sport have every intention to confirm a seventh team to race in Qingdao. The 34 sailors from six teams represent 9 nations, boasting between them: 4 gold medals from 10 Olympic campaigns, 18 America’s Cup campaigns, 8 Atlantic crossings, 21 world championship titles, 25 European championship titles and 96 National championship titles. (Please note that there could be some last minute crew changes in the teams line up)

    Alinghi (SUI)

    Co-skipper/helm: Arnaud Psarofaghis (SUI)

    Tactician: Nicolas Charbonnier (FRA)

    Headsail trimmer: Nils Frei (SUI)

    Bowman: Yves Detrey (SUI)

    Foil trimmer: Timothé Lapauw (FRA)

    Boat Nationality: Switzerland

    Current 2017 Series ranking: 2nd

    Alinghi return to the fleet in 2017 having won the Series in 2008, 2014 and 2016, making them the team to beat. The team have multiple Bol d’Or and D35 trophies to their name, and set the top speed in the GC32 in 2015 at 39.21knots. The two-time America’s Cup winning team, (2003 & 2007) is headed up by one of Switzerland’s top sailors, a highly successful Moth class sailor, Arnaud Psarofaghis. Psarofaghis takes turns at the helm with Team Principal, Ernesto Bertarelli, who established the professional Swiss team in 2000.

    Having found a winning line-up, the crew remains the same in what is the team’s seventh year competing in the Extreme Sailing Series, with Olympic bronze medallist in the 470 class Nicolas Charbonnier as tactician and Nils Frei, who first competed onboard Alinghi in 2001, continuing his role as headsail trimmer. The crew also includes Timothé Lapauw, the youngest member of the team, a highly skilled match racer, and no stranger to the Series, having helped Alinghi toward their 2016 title success.

    Official website: www.alinghi.com

    Facebook: Alinghi

    Twitter: @alinghiteam

    Instagram: @alinghi

    Land Rover BAR Academy (GBR)

    Skipper/bowman: Rob Bunce (GBR)

    Helm: Owen Bowerman (GBR)/Chris Taylor (GBR)

    Mainsail trimmer: Will Alloway (GBR)/Elliot Hanson (GBR)

    Headsail trimmer/Floater: Oli Greber (GBR)/Adam Kay (GBR)/Sam Batten (GBR)

    Strategist: Annabel Vose (GBR)

    Boat Nationality: Great Britain

    Current 2017 Series ranking: 6th

    One of the youngest teams, and the only British outfit in the fleet, the 2017 Series provides the perfect platform for the Land Rover BAR Academy to develop some of the UK’s hottest sailing talent. The team consists of a selection of Academy triallists who take turns on board throughout the season, allowing them to gain valuable experience that is vital to their development. Following his part as the youngest skipper in the 2016 Series, Neil Hunter has been promoted to join Sir Ben Ainslie’s senior America’s Cup team in Bermuda and taken a step back from the Academy team, handing over the reins to 22-year-old skipper, Rob Bunce.

    Annabel Vose, who competed with wildcard entry Thalassa Magenta Racing in Act 7 last season, will be on board as strategist. The rest of the crew, all of whom competed on board Land Rover BAR Academy last season, will rotate their roles throughout the year; Oli Greber, Adam Kay and Sam Batten rotating as trimmers and floaters; Chris Taylor and Owen Bowerman rotating on the helm, and Elliot Hanson and Will Alloway rotating on mainsail trim.

    Official website: www.landroverbar.com/en/home.html

    Facebook: Land Rover Ben Ainslie Racing

    Twitter: @LandRoverBAR

    Instagram: @landroverbar

    Oman Air (OMA)

    Skipper/helm: Phil Robertson (NZL)

    Mainsail trimmer: Pete Greenhalgh (GBR)

    Headsail trimmer: Ed Smyth (NZL/AUS)

    Bowman: Nasser Al Mashari (OMA)

    Bowman: James Wierzbowski (AUS)

    Boat Nationality: Oman

    Current 2017 Series ranking: 3rd

    Following a season long lead in 2016, the Omani team were pipped to the post in the final Act of the season by Swiss team Alinghi. This season Kiwi match racing ace Phil Robertson leads the campaign, replacing Morgan Larson as skipper and helm. Robertson is no stranger to the Extreme Sailing Series circuit, having skippered Gazprom Team Russia in 2014 and 2015 and as a wildcard in 2016.

    Mainsail trimmer for the team is Pete Greenhalgh, an Extreme Sailing Series veteran who has competed on the circuit since 2007, including a total of four Series wins. Ed Smyth, a three-times America’s Cup and five-time Sydney-Hobart sailor, takes the headsail. Smyth was on board The Wave, Muscat for all three of its Series victories. Nasser Al Mashari, who also sailed on board the 2015 winning team, The Wave, Muscat, returns on the bow alongside Aussie sailor James Wierzbowski, who returns to the Series for his fourth campaign.

    Official website: www.omansail.com

    Facebook: Oman Sail

    Twitter: @OmanSail #TeamOmanAir

    Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT)

    Skipper/helm: Roman Hagara (AUT)

    Tactician: Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT)

    Mainsail trimmer: Stewart Dodson (NZL)

    Headsail trimmer: Adam Piggott (GBR)

    Bowman: Will Tiller (NZL)

    Boat Nationality: Austria

    Current 2017 Series ranking: 4th

    Spearheaded by the double Olympic gold medal-winning Austrian duo Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher, Red Bull Sailing Team compete in their eighth season in 2017. Skipper Hagara is Austria’s most successful summer sports star having competed in the Olympics six times, securing two gold medals for his country in the Tornado class. Steinacher has competed in the Olympics an impressive three times and also secured two gold medals for his country. Led by two of the Series most experienced sailors, the team enters 2017 in a strong position as they campaign to claim the Extreme Sailing Series title for the first time.

    Stewart Dodson, holds multiple National titles and was on the winning team of the 2016 World Match Racing Tour, he returns having sailed for the team in 2016. Will Tiller, returns to the Extreme Sailing Series having competed with wildcard team, Gazprom Team Russia last year and skippering GAC Pindar in the 2013 season. He brings with him some extremely valuable Stadium Racing experience. Rounding off the team is British multihull sailor Adam Piggott, who sailed with the team in 2016 and on board ARMIN STROM Sailing Team in the GC32 Racing Tour in 2015.

    Official website: www.redbullextremesailing.com

    SAP Extreme Sailing Team (DEN)

    Co-skipper/tactician/mainsheet trimmer: Rasmus Køstner (DEN)

    Co-skipper/helm: Jes Gram-Hansen (DEN)

    Headsail trimmer: Pierluigi de Felice (ITA)

    Bowman: Richard Mason (GBR)

    Trim assist/grinder: Mads Emil Stephensen (DEN)

    Boat Nationality: Denmark

    Current 2017 Series ranking: 1st

    The only Danish-flagged team in the circuit, SAP Extreme Sailing Team, is backed by world-leading software and software-services provider SAP who is also the Series’ official Technical Partner. Co-skippers Gram-Hansen and Køstner both boast titles on the World Match Racing Tour as well as stints in the America’s Cup and are both old hands in the Extreme Sailing Series.

    A new addition to the team for this season is British sailor Richard Mason, an experienced 470 and F18 sailor who also competed in the 2014 Solitaire du Figaro. Three-time America’s Cup sailor Pierluigi de Felice returns as headsail trimmer while Mads Emil Stephensen, the youngest sailor in the team and silver medallist in the youth 49er World Championships, returns to the team for 2017.

    Official website: www.sapextremesailing.com

    Facebook: SAP Extreme Sailing Team

    Twitter: @SAPExtremeSail

    Instagram: @sapextremesail

    Tawera Racing (NZL)

    Co-Skipper/helm: Chris Steele (NZL)

    Co-Skipper/mainsail trimmer: Graeme Sutherland (NZL)

    Headsail trimmer: Shane Diviney (IRL)

    Foil Trimmer: Leonard Takahashi (NZL/JPN)

    Bowman: Josh Salthouse (NZL)/George Anyon (NZL)

    Current 2017 Series ranking: 5th

    The team has been formed to give New Zealand’s elite youth sailors a launch pad into the cutting-edge world of foiling multihull racing, and mixes previous Extreme Sailing Series competitors from the GC32 era and New Zealand’s finest fresh-faced youth sailors. Co-skipper and helm Chris Steele comes with valuable experience in the Series, having competed last season on board CHINA One and as skipper and helm of Act 8 wildcard team RNZYS Performance Programme on Sydney Harbour. Joining Steele as co-skipper and mainsail trimmer is New Zealander Graeme Sutherland, tactician on board Steele’s match racing team, 36 Below Racing.

    Irishman Shane Diviney returns to the Series as headsail trimmer, having made his debut last season. The youngest member of the crew is 18-year-old foil trimmer Leonard Takahashi, an accomplished New Zealand/Japanese 49er, Optimist and match racing sailor. Taking turns to work the bow will be Kiwi sailors Josh Salthouse, who crewed on board Steele’s winning 2016 New Zealand Match Racing Championship team, and George Anyon, 2016 Nespresso Youth International Match Racing champion.

    Facebook: Tawera Racing Team