David Neil Witt (born 5 March 1971) is an Australian sailor who has competed in multiple Volvo Ocean Races.
Witt attended Newington College from 1984 until 1989. [1]
Born in Sydney, Witt sailed on Innovation Kvaerner during the 1997–98 Whitbread Round the World Race.
Winner of Multiple (unspecified) World Sailing Titles [2]
He has appeared in over 20 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races. [3] He is the skipper of Scallywag , a 100 ft super maxi which he helped to design. [4]
He is the skipper of Team Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag in the 2017–18 Volvo Ocean Race. [5] [6]
The Ocean Race is a yacht race around the world, held every three or four years since 1973. Originally named the Whitbread Round the World Race after its initiating sponsor, British brewing company Whitbread, in 2001 it became the Volvo Ocean Race after Swedish automobile manufacturer Volvo took up the sponsorship, and in 2019 it was renamed The Ocean Race.
Mike Sanderson is a New Zealand sailor. Perhaps best known for being awarded the prestigious ISAF World Sailor of the Year Award for winning the 2005–06 Volvo Ocean Race as skipper of ABN Amro I. At the age of 35, he became the youngest skipper to ever win a Volvo Ocean Race in the 2005–2006 edition of the race..
Ian James Walker is one of Britain's most successful sailors, with two Olympic silver medals to his name. He is a member of Northampton Sailing Club and Warsash Sailing Club.
Kenneth Read is an American yachtsman who is considered one of the world's most accomplished and celebrated sailors. He was named United States Rolex Yachtsman of the Year twice, and has won more than 50 world, North American, and national championships in a variety of classes, with eleven of those being World Championships titles in the J/24, Etchells 22 and yacht classes.
The 2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race was the 11th edition of the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race, yacht race which started with an in-port race in Alicante, Spain on 29 October 2011 with six Volvo Open 70 yachts at the start line and ended with an in-port race in Galway, Ireland on 7 July 2012. The 39,270 NM route involved stopovers and in-port races in Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland, Itajaí, Miami, Lisbon, Lorient, and finally Galway. The race consisted of nine ocean races and ten in-port races.
The 2014–15 Volvo Ocean Race was the 12th edition of the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race. It started on 19 October 2014 in Alicante, Spain, and concluded in June 2015 in Gothenburg, Sweden. After 38,739 nautical miles of ocean racing, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing led by skipper Ian Walker claimed the overall trophy.
The Volvo Ocean 65 class yacht Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing was built for the 2014–15 Volvo Ocean Race. Following this, the boat was refitted and renamed for the 2017–18 Volvo Ocean Race where it competed as Sun Hung Kai/Scallywag. For the 2023 The Ocean Race she was renamed again to Viva México.
The 2017–18 Volvo Ocean Race was the 13th edition of the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race. It started in Alicante, Spain, and concluded in The Hague, Netherlands. GAC Pindar provides logistic support for the race. At the stopovers, teams had premium bases for better fan interaction.
Team Brunel is a Volvo Ocean 65 yacht. She finished 3rd in the 2017–18 Volvo Ocean Race skippered by Bouwe Bekking and navigated by Andrew Cape.
MAPFRE is a Volvo Ocean 65 yacht. She finished fourth in the 2014–15 Volvo Ocean Race skippered by Iker Martínez and by Xabi Fernández in the 2017–18 Volvo Ocean Race.
Mirpuri Foundation Racing Team is a Volvo Ocean 65 yacht. Under Chinese sponsorship she finished third in the 2014–15 Volvo Ocean Race skippered by Charles Caudrelier and then went on to win the 2017-2018 edition, which started in Alicante, Spain, and ended in The Hague, in the Netherlands.
Vestas 11th Hour Racing was a Volvo Ocean 65 class yacht team competing in the 2017–2018 Volvo Ocean Race. It was named after 11th Hour Racing, a program of The Schmidt Family Foundation and its then title sponsors: a wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems A/S. After the COVID-19 pandemic disruption the team changed yacht class to IMOCA 60 and no longer had Vestas as a sponsor. It now competes in the 2023 The Ocean Race as 11th Hour Racing.
Turn the Tide on Plastic is a Volvo Ocean 65 yacht. As Team Vestas Wind, she finished seventh in the 2014–15 Volvo Ocean Race skippered by Chris Nicholson.
Simeon Tienpont is a Dutch sailor who has competed in multiple Volvo Ocean Races and America's Cups.
Christopher John "Chris" Nicholson is an Australian sailor who has competed in multiple Summer Olympics and Volvo Ocean Races and has won six World championships.
Neal McDonald is a British sailor who has competed in seven Volvo Ocean Races.
Juan Vila is a Spanish sailor who has competed in multiple America's Cups and Whitbread Round the World Races.
Kyle Langford is an Australian sailor who has competed in multiple America's Cups
Charles Caudrelier is a French sailor who has sailed in multiple Volvo Ocean Races.
team AkzoNobel is a Volvo Ocean 65 yacht. She was the only new yacht built for the 2017–18 Volvo Ocean Race.