Mike Sanderson (born 29 May 1971) 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 35 years old, he became the youngest skipper to ever win a
Volvo Ocean Race in the
2005–2006 edition of the race. (Lionel Péan had previously won the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1986, aged 29).
From 2007 to 2010 he was Team Director of
Team Origin, a potential British challenger for the
2013 America's Cup
The 34th America's Cup was a series of yacht races held in San Francisco Bay on September 2013. The series was contested between the defender Oracle Team USA representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club, and the challenger Emirates Team New Zealand r ...
.
He returned to
skipper Team Sanya (the Irish-Chinese entry in the race) in the
2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race. The boat, formerly known as ''Telefónica Blue'' in the
2008–09 Volvo Ocean Race, has been plagued with instrument and hull failures. As of 30 March 2012 the boat is currently being shipped to
Miami to be repaired so it can rejoin the race in Leg 7.
Personal life
In 2006 he married
British round-the-world yachtswoman
Emma Richards in
Cowes
Cowes () is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina, facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east bank. The two towns are linked by the Cowes Floa ...
,
UK.
He also is the current CEO of Doyle Sails NZ
References
ISAF World Sailor of the Year (male)
1971 births
1995 America's Cup sailors
Living people
New Zealand male sailors (sport)
Volvo Ocean Race sailors
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