A new extreme adventure, fresh challenges and a new contender in the Volvo Ocean Race: Mean Machine gets on board the Round the World Race par excellence.

20 years of sailing, numerous racing achievements to their name and a solid commitment from a team that has evolved and grown with Peter de Ridder at the helm of his Mean Machine.

Mean Machine is more than just a team; it is a full sailing platform for racing. For the second consecutive time Spain will play host to the start of the Volvo Ocean Race. This time, the chosen port is Alicante, where Mean Machine will gear up for a brand new challenge: to win the 2008/2009 Volvo Ocean Race.

The beautiful Balearic port of Ibiza has been chosen by the team as the location for the important announcement: Their participation in the 2008/2009 edition of the Volvo Ocean Race.
The message is clear: "We know how to win".

New Challenges ahead
Peter de Ridder is no stranger to impressive challenges. Yet again, the goal will be a victory, and this time it's to win the Volvo Ocean Race with Mean Machine.

This will be a brand new challenge for the compact yet highly experienced Mean Machine crew led by Peter de Ridder. The offshore regatta par excellence, the toughest ocean challenge which pushes sailors to the very limits of their abilities, will now see a new team fighting for victory. Mean Machine is in the race.

Peter de Ridder has very clear ideas about the role of these challenges in his life:
"Life without challenges would definitely be dull and would finish us off very quickly. Sailing in a highly competitive environment is my passion. The combination of these two factors, competition and sailing, gives me the energy to enjoy life with a more demanding and exciting dynamic. It enables me to bring together my passions and my experience as a businessman. I'm certain that my experience and the combination of all these factors will help our boat to do well."

Peter de Ridder really can look back on his ample experience in his field and feel confident about taking the team, yet again, to victory. His experience speaks for itself:

Current leader in TP52 Breitling MedCup
Winner of the Breitling Regatta and Athens Trophy (2006)
2 times Mumm30 European Champion (2004, 2005)
3 times winner of SORC in Farr40 and Mumm30 classes (2004, 2005, 2006)
Winner Key West Race (2004)
Winner Coupe de France (2004)
Winner Admiral's Cup with Dutch team (1999)
World Champion ILC40 (1997)

Mean Machine as a sailing platform for racing
Mean Machine has always been known as a team with a solid platform for racing, with a formula that has always yielded results.

The concept of a platform is based on 20 years of experience for the Mean Machine team. This has involved the global development of projects with attention to the latest design trends, sail and rigging research, boat construction, and the formation of an experienced professional crew, to successfully sail and race each boat.

"As for Mean Machine as a sailing platform, well I can say that it means much more than just a well known boat name," comments Peter de Ridder, " for me it is about the continuity of a crew and our key players. It is about the continuity of a campaign for our boats, the design, the construction, the preparation before each event. It has to do with our style on each individual course, and the creation of a solid culture among the group of people we are sailing with. Over the years that group has evolved, yet we have stayed true to the ethos of Mean Machine and the way we approach racing."

The Mean Machine team boasts a long history in the world of sailing, which has spanned 20 years and seen successes in the highly prized Mumm30 and Farr40 classes as well as the demanding challenges of the latest TP52 competitions, not to mention the individual achievements that each of the crew members will bring to the team.

Experience that complements
Another of the characteristics of the crew led by Peter de Ridder is the loyalty and complicity of a crew that have sailed together in many different classes over the years.

The Mean Machine crew have a diverse and varied background in sailing competitions that ranges from one-design to the Volvo Ocean Race and the America's Cup.

The diverse experience and knowledge that each crew member brings to the boat makes Mean Machine a fierce contender for victory in this edition of the Volvo Ocean Race.
The main part of the team will continue to sail together until the VOR project hits the water.

One of the key figures behind the Mean Machine VOR project is Dirk de Ridder, who finished second in the last edition of the race. He comments: "Having taken part in previous RTW races, with a truly talented group of people, it is the perfect time for us to build on what we have learned and to improve on that."

The slogan is loud and clear: "We know how to win"

Key players:

Peter de Ridder
Born in Den Haag (Netherlands), Peter has been at the heart and soul of Mean Machine since the team was founded 20 years ago.

A successful businessman, Peter started sailing on a family boat when he was just a child, and pretty soon his passion for racing was awakened. Peter's sporting history is awash with great victories, and reveals a weakness for real time racing and big challenges.

Currently residing in Monaco, this Dutchman has made enviable progress during recent years in sailing terms: 6 entries in the prestigious Admiral's Cup (1985, 87, 89, 95, 97 and 99) where he also won in 1999 with the Dutch team and 6 Sardinia Cup entries, where he gained two impressive second places in the 1990 and 1998 editions.

In 1986 and 1996 he was winner of the Dutch IMS Championship, and went on to win the 1997 European IMS Championship. That same year he also became World Champion at the ILC 40 World Championship.

In 2003 Peter de Ridder and his Mean Machine team concentrated on a strong entry into the Farr40 Class. The rewards for their hard work were reaped in the European Farr40 Championships where the team finished in second place. 2004 and 2005 saw a highly active team within various one -design classes. In both editions of the European Mumm30 Championships the team was unbeatable, taking two European titles in two consecutive years.

Ray Davies
A New Zealander, born towards the end of 1971, Ray Davies's CV reveals a well rounded and multi skilled sailor. With victories in the Whitbread/ Volvo Ocean Race he was one of the helmsmen with the victorious Illbruck and came second in the 1997/98 edition with Merit Cup. Ray is a highly sought after helmsman and tactician on the international sailing circuit.
He was a member of the Team New Zealand weather team in 2003 and returns for 2007 as a member of the afterguard. Ray sailed with America One in the 2000 Louis Vuitton Cup. Among his other achievements are two excellent wins in another extreme regatta, the Sydney-Hobart (2000 and 2004).
The Fastnet Race has also seen this Kiwi step up to the podium no less than three times: 1999 with Skandia, 2001 with Illbruck, and in 1997 with Merit Cup.

In 2004 and 2005 Ray took home two European titles in the Mumm30 class, whilst in 2006 he has already seen victories in two of the prestigious events in the Breitling Medcup Circuit (which Mean Machine currently leads), the Breitling Regatta and the Athens Trophy.

09/18/06