OzBoyz announce skipper

News from the Australian America's Cup challenge

"The OzBoyz Challenge is very proud to announce Michael Dunstan as our Skipper to compete in Europe. He is one of Australia's top young yachtsman and he suits the OzBoyz Challenge project well," said OzBoyz Challenge spokesperson Phil Edmiston.

Michael Dunstan, at just 22 years of age is Australia's leading match racer with an ISAF World Ranking of 28. A graduate of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron youth training program, Michael is a two times Australian Match Racing Champion, as well as winner of the Australian Youth Match Racing Championships in the 2001 and 2002 World Series Yachting Super Nines. He was also runner up at the 2000 World Youth Match Racing Championships in New Zealand.

Away from his match racing, Michael is the helmsman of well-known Sydney racing yacht Ragamuffin, and has completed the last two Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races as well as various other ocean racing regattas.

"I am very excited to be associated with the OzBoyz Challenge. It is a great opportunity for my team and myself to mix it up against the worlds best. We know it will be tough but we are prepared and we look forward to the challenge. It will also be fantastic to have an Australian syndicate challenging for the America's Cup in 2007 and we look forward to being a part of it," said Michael Dunstan in embracing the challenge of partnering with OzBoyz Challenge in Europe this summer.

The core team members competing with Michael include Adam Garnaut (WA), Nick Partridge (Vic), Seve Jarvin (NSW) and Paul McKenzie (Vic). Their first event will be the Trentino Garda Cup in Italy at the end of April. It will immediately be followed by the Elba Cup which is part of the Swedish Match Tour. Then the team will compete in Croatia, England, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Portugal, France and other venues yet to be confirmed.

"Michael, through hard work and dedication to success, is establishing himself as one of the rising star's on the sailing circuit. Fitting perfectly with the OzBoyz Challenge project model, we are very pleased to be associated with his future endeavours in sailing. If OzBoyz Challenge and Australia is to be successful in bringing the Cup back home, we need to encourage and support talented youth like Michael and his team. We wish them every success in Europe," concluded OzBoyz Challenge spokesperson Phil Edmiston.