Crew

TRIMMER

Skip’s first season as part of Bella Mente Racing was 2015. Aside from sailing since he was eight, Skip has made a career out of racing professionally, and some of his major accolades include winning ten world championships in a number of different classes.

Auckland, New Zealand

MAIN CADDY

Sean Clarkson has been sailing with Bella Mente since 2008. His sailing career spans the full spectrum of the sport. A New Zealander with nine America’s Cup campaigns, 17 World Championships, and a Whitbread victory, he also represented his country at the 1996 Olympics in the Soling Class.

KeriKeri, New Zealand

BOW

Sean “Doogie” Couvreux joined Bella Mente in 2008 after competing in the 2007 Louis Vuitton Challenger Series. He has sailed with several 52 Super Series teams, including Platoon, where he helped capture the 2023 World Championship and overall series title. When he’s not racing, Doogie is an avid mountain biker and wing foiler.

White Salmon, Washington

GRINDER

Julien joined Bella Mente Racing as a grinder in 2019 having sailed the five previous America’s Cup competitions and broken the TransAtlantic record (still standing) with Comanche. He also held the TransAtlantic record with Mari Cha before that and is a Transpac and Sydney Hobart winner, holding current records in both of those races, also with Comanche. To top it all, he sailed on a maxi catamaran to finish second in The Race, a non-stop race around the world, and sailed with Bella Mente’s tactician Terry Hutchinson in 2011/2012 to become the AC 45 World Series Match Racing champion. Julien was born in France.

Nice, France

HEADSAIL TRIMMER

With a long list of world-class regattas and America’s Cup campaigns to his credit, James joined Bella Mente Racing in 2014. He specializes in trimming, and his professional accomplishments include (but are not limited to) winning the 30th America’s Cup with Team New Zealand (2000) and the Audi MedCup in 2009 and 2010 with NZL380.

Auckland, New Zealand

FLOATER

Ollie’s passion for sailing began at 13 when he started racing dinghies at his local sailing club. From there, he moved to big boat racing and started sailing with Bella Mente in 2011. The 2015 campaign with the team was especially exciting for Ollie, as they spent a large portion of the year racing in his home waters of the Solent.

Southampton, U.K.

SHORE CREW / BOAT BUILDER

Kyle has been with Bella Mente Racing for five seasons wearing a number of hats, primarily as team boat builder. He has been part of the shore crew for over eight different campaigns including Disney’s Morning Light, which was the basis for a film documentary about a group of young sailors preparing for and then racing in the Transpac.

San Diego, California

MASTMAN

Cian Guilfoyle began sailing at age 8. and joined Bella Mente in 2024. He brings experience from the 52 Super Series, 44Cup, and numerous offshore campaigns, with podium finishes in races including the Rolex Fastnet, Caribbean 600, Baltic 600, and Sydney to Hobart. When he’s not on the water, Cian can be found surfing or cycling.

Dublin, Ireland

MID BOW

Henderson started racing with Bella Mente in 2019. He is a veteran of two Volvo Races (aboard Merit Cup and Team Sanya), four America’s Cups (three with Team New Zealand, one with Oracle Racing) and two TP52 campaigns (Artemis and Quantum). He learned to sail in Russell, Bay of Islands, New Zealand.

Auckland, New Zealand

BOAT CAPTAIN / RUNNERS

Pirate has been racing with Bella Mente Racing since 2008 and took the role of boat captain in 2009. Peter is a five-time Yngling North American Champion and has won multiple championships and events with a number of different teams. Career highlights onboard Bella Mente include winning three Maxi 72 Rolex World Championships, the Transpac and the Newport Bermuda Race in 2012 and the RORC Caribbean 600 in 2014 and 2015.

Newport, R.I. / Alpena, Mich.

GRINDER

TACTICIAN

Terry joined Bella Mente Racing in 2013. The four-time All American and two-time College Sailor of the Year has been involved with four America’s Cup campaigns. In 2008, after showcasing his talent as tactician for Emirates Team New Zealand, Terry was named Rolex Yachtsman of the Year for his successful transition to fleet racing. In that year, Terry held the title of Melges 24 North American Champion and took home victories in four major TP 52 regattas before winning the TP 52 World Championship. Outside of that, Terry has racked up many major regatta victories in a variety of classes, including five more World Championships, five more North American Championships, six National Championships and six Match Racing Championships.

Annapolis, Maryland

Rigging / Shore Team

Seb officially joined the Bella Mente team in 2022 but has been working on Bella’s ropes since 2013. He began sailing at age 12 as a Navy cadet and went on to race Solings, One Tonners, and IMS yachts in Buenos Aires before moving to Europe to pursue a career as a rigger. Seb has contributed to numerous high-level campaigns, including TP52s, Wallys, and MOD70s, and since 2023 has specialized in designing and splicing running rigging for superyachts such as Meraki, Maximus, and Koru.

Hometown: Newport and Palma

Duncan Maitland joined the Bella Mente Shore Team in 2019 and plays a vital role in maintaining the team’s onboard systems. His expertise ensures every piece of equipment operates at peak performance, supporting the precision and reliability that define Bella Mente’s success. Sailing since 1999, Duncan brings over two decades of experience on the water. With a degree in Paramedic Science, he adds a strong focus on safety, care, and teamwork—values that perfectly align with the Bella Mente program.

Palma, Mallorca

GRINDER

Craig joins Bella Mente Racing fresh off the Artemis Racing team, which marked his fifth America’s Cup campaign. The two-time America’s Cup winner is also a double Olympian and took home the bronze medal in 1992 in the Finn class. When he's not racing himself, he is spending time with his family and teaching his eight-year-old son Finn how to sail.

Auckland, New Zealand

NAVIGATOR

Soapy was on his first boat at a mere six weeks old, and his life has unfolded into a storied sailing career that includes being navigator in the Volvo Ocean Race and as navigator and performance manager for America’s Cup Campaigns. He has been a part of Bella Mente Racing since 2010.

Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK

SAILMAKER

Martin grew up racing Cherub dinghies with his brother and found his passion with the sport in sailmaking, developing sails and testing concepts and ideas. His perfection of the trade has earned him spots with a number of America’s Cup, TP52 and Maxi teams. Martin's first season with Bella Mente Racing was 2015.

Auckland, New Zealand

PROJECT MANAGER / FLOATER

Rob was exposed to boating before he could walk and grew up sailing all over New England. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island where he was captain of his keelboat sailing team in 1998, and he took first place at the Kennedy Cup and third place at the College Sailing World Cup. He has been part of Bella Mente Racing for eight seasons, sharing in the team’s many national and international triumphs.

Marblehead, Mass./Portsmouth, R.I.

GRINDER

GRINDER

Romolo Ranieri is a professional sailor with three America’s Cup campaigns and multiple world titles across several classes. He has spent more than 13 years in the TP52 fleet and has been part of the Bella Mente program since 2008, continuing to race and train actively. Off the water, he enjoys drawing.

Parma, Italy

OFFSHORE HELMSMAN / CREW BOSS

Moose is a two-time winner of the Volvo Ocean Race who has held numerous World Records. Mike has been involved in four America’s Cup campaigns and was ISAF World Sailor of the Year in 2007. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the Bella Mente team.

Auckland, New Zealand

ELECTRONICS ENGINEER

Serrano Pallicer started with Bella Mente Racing in 2018 to design and install the entire electronic system for the new Bella Mente. He also has done the same for many of the TP52 teams and is a Snipe sailor as well as a navigator who has worked with several offshore sailing teams.

Palma Mallorca, Spain

TACTICIAN

Adrian joined Bella Mente Racing in 2015, after winning two Mini Maxi Rolex World Championships as tactician aboard fellow mini maxi Ran. He is an Olympian and a triple world champion in TP52s and Farr 40s. Growing up on the south coast of England, Adrian spent most of his life on the water. When he's not sailing the former accountant spends time with his family and doing property renovations.

Bursledon, UK

PIT

Taylor, who joined Bella Mente Racing in 2019, was born in Brighton and started sailing at a young age off the south coast of England. His inshore successes include winning the Maxi 72 World Championship six times and the TP52 World Championship twice. In addition, he has represented Great Britain in the America’s Cup and in Admiral’s Cups. His offshore successes include winning the Fastnet Race overall three times and breaking the 24-hour distance record aboard Comanche (which still stands).

Southampton, England

GRINDER

Jim Turner has been a core member of Bella Mente since 2015 and played a key role in developing the current maxi yacht, focusing on winch and hydraulic layout. He also developed the current crew wet weather gear. An Olympian, world champion, and multiple offshore and match racing winner, Jim has competed in the America’s Cup with GBR Challenge (2001) and American Magic (2021). His extensive experience includes 17 World Championships, 7 European Championships, 23 National Championships, and victories in premier offshore races such as the Transatlantic, Fastnet, Middle Sea Race, and Caribbean 600.

Bridport, England