America's Cup vet Outteridge to lead SailGP's Japanese team

Published Nov. 21, 2018 5:21 p.m. ET

TOKYO (AP) — Double Olympic medalist and former America's Cup skipper Nathan Outteridge has been named CEO and helmsman of Japan's entry in the new SailGP sailing league.

The Japanese team is the last of six crews to be announced for the series, which will open its five-regatta 2019 schedule in mid-February in Sydney.

Outteridge of Australia is one of the world's most experienced high-performance foiling sailors. He recently skippered Sweden's Artemis Racing in the America's Cup, and has won Olympic gold and silver medals in the 49er Class.

The Japanese trio of Yugo Yoshida, Yuki Kasatani and Leo Takahashi, will serve as grinders. The other crew members are Australians Iain Jensen, who was Outteridge's Olympic and America's Cup teammate, and Luke Parkinson, who has won a Volvo Ocean Race.