Previous winner New Zealand professonal sailor Robbie Naismith, 44, has been called up by Puma Ocean Racing for the upcoming leg of this year's Volvo round-the-world ocean Cape Town to India.
Sail trimmer Naismith and Shannon Falcone, 27, from Antigua will replace American crewmen Jerry Kirby and Jonathan McKee for the 4450-nautical mile trip to Cochin which starts on November 15.
Puma is lying only one point behind race leader Ericsson 4 .
"Instead of carrying the same guys around, we are bringing in fresh blood," the team's general manager Kimo Worthington, said.
Naismith won the Whitbread 60 class of the 1994 race onboard Yamaha and has since raced for Team New Zealand and BMW Oracle in the America's Cup.
NZPA
source: newshub archive
