Tornado sailor Andrew 'Walshy' Walsh is to lead the GAC Pindar crew in Act 4 of the Extreme Sailing Series in Porto, Portugal, July 5 - 8. Walsh will replace usual GAC Pindar skipper Ian Williams as the current ISAF World Match Racing Champion is defending his title in third leg of the Alpari World Match Racing Tour in Marstrand, Sweden, July 2 - 7.

With Ian Williams busy competing in the Alpari World Match Racing Tour for the next couple of events, Walsh will take over from the world champ and go to battle with the rest of the Extreme GAC Pindar sailing team in Portugal. No stranger to the Extreme Sailing Series circuit, Walsh has competed in the series on numerous occasions finishing on the podium in his first season in 2008 on BT when he was at the helm. Over the following years, Walsh has taken up assorted crew roles and been a regular part of the GAC Pindar crew since they began competing in 2010.

Besides Walsh moving to skipper and helm for Act 4, there have also been a few other tweaks to the GAC Pindar lineup. Twice America's Cup winner 'Jono' Macbeth will be joining the team and putting his strength to good use in bow while Adam Piggot moves to take Walsh's place as trimmer. Olympic double silver medalist Nick Rogers will once again be tactician for the crew while Mark Bulkeley remains on main.

Team Pindar is a world-class sailing team competing in international competitions, including the Extreme Sailing Series and the World Match Racing Tour since 1980 when it first competed in the The North Sea Race.

Best known for its sponsorship of Emma Sanderson in the 2002-03 Around Alone Race, Pindar has supported sailing campaigns across every level, ranging from grass roots and local community projects through to match racing and global offshore events at the very pinnacle of the sport. Pindar have been using sailing events for marketing and promotion since their first World Match Racing Tour entry. They are subsequently exploiting the opportunities for corporate hospitality and effective branding on some of the world’s most popular sailing stages.

The Extreme Sailing Series is an international inshore racing circuit bringing together the best skippers on the planet competing against each other

Launched in 2011, GAC Pindar is headquartered at the heart of the yachting community – in the UK sailing hub of Southampton. The GAC group was established in 1956, GAC has its headquarters in Dubai, and employs over 9,000 people in more than 300 offices around the world.

Source: GAC & GAC Pindar