Our Team

Brett Jones started sailing with his father when he was five years old. Without high school racing teams, Brett competed at local clubs in Sydney, Australia racing year round. Sailing a variety of boats, including cherubs, skiffs, and eventually keel boats, he raced every weekend until he left school.

After graduating high school, Brett learned to be a sail maker and continued to race on the weekends. One of his employers owned an ocean racing boat and invited Brett to join him. One thing led to another, and Brett found himself in the United States and Europe meeting people and competing. His experiences eventually landed him a spot on his first America's Cup team.

After the 2007 America's Cup, Brett decided to expand his experiences even further to make himself a more valuable member of the team. "In the America's Cup, if you're just a sailor you limit yourself," he said. "I had done a lot of development with sail designers, and I thought I could increase my value by having that skill set." Quantum Sails approached Brett about designing with them, and he joined the team in 2008.

Having sailed in several America's Cups and all the classic yacht races, Brett brought his own unique blend of sailing and design experience to the Quantum design team. Working mostly with Soto 40, RC 44, TP 52, IRC classes and various yachts, the combined experiences of Brett and the Quantum team make it possible to provide all of his customers with the best service and sails. "We're one of the more open design groups," he said. "We feed off each other and keep things open. We share designs and information that we can then share with the customers. This helps us influence the sail design and performance of boats to better help our customers."

Warwick Fleury was ten years old when he and his brother started sailing with their uncle, but Warwick said he's had a passion for boats and sailing for as long as he can remember. Like most young sailors, he joined the local yacht club to learn, then began racing at the club level. There was no coaching, just learning as he went, and he learned to love competitive racing.

In 2011, Quantum Racing launched a new TP52, and they asked Warwick to help in a non-sailing role. The following year they invited him onto the boat as the mainsail trimmer. He calls it a privilege to be part of a team who's dedicated to improving and evolving not only as a team, but the Quantum Sails products as well.

"Quantum Racing is a fully professional team," he said. "It sets the standard at a very high level, and it's fun and rewarding to be part of that. Everyone on the team has been selected for their skills in a particular area. It's exciting, as well as humbling, to be part of a team that operates at such efficiency."

Like many sailors, Pieter van Nieuwenhuyzen grew up sailing with his family. He decided to try racing when he was twelve years old, and he was hooked. In 2012, he joined the Quantum Racing team as their grinder.

Pieter enjoys being surrounded by a group of people dedicated to constantly improving their products and performance. "I was originally surprised by the continual research and development the team puts into their sails," he said, but the effort continues to pay off. More than just winning races, Pieter said it's the people of Quantum Racing that he enjoys working with. "My favorite part of being a member of Quantum Racing is the winning attitude of the entire team."

Greg Gendell's family learned to sail together when he moved to Annapolis as a child. They started with an O'Day Daysailor before moving up to bigger boats. They enjoyed family cruises, but they also started racing on Wednesday nights and at some local weekend events. For Greg, that ignited a passion for racing that he had to pursue.

In 2007, he officially joined Quantum Racing as the bowman. Unofficially he's in charge of making sure the boat is stocked with enough food and water to get the team through each race.

Greg said the team's dedication to "continual improvement" propels the program – and the sails – forward, challenging them to improve year after year. It's that commitment to excellence that makes Quantum Racing a great team to be on.

"Everything is done at a high level," said Greg. "I enjoy being part of that. We're organized, and most things happen easily because of that. While everyone has their roles, we also help each other out. The teamwork is impressive."

Barbara Thoney first sailed in 1979, and her experience fueled her love of the sport. "Being on the water is a wonderful feeling," she said, "but it's the community of people, the camaraderie, that I enjoyed the most."

Four years later she blended her love of sailing with her talent and connections in the travel industry to coordinate travel plans for sailing teams. When Quantum Racing formed, Barbara was there to help them with their travel needs.

For Barbara, this is her job, but it's one that she enjoys. "I love and follow the sport of sailing," she said. "I also love the Quantum Racing team. They're an incredibly dedicated, gracious group of people who really believe in what they're doing. It's a great group of people to work with."

A South Africa native with a background in photography and film, Keith Brash joined the Quantum Racing team in 2008. The goal was simple – show the behind-the-scenes and on-board action of Quantum's TP52 program. Using still cameras, video cameras, GoPros, and even drones, Keith captures the action for the Quantum Sails YouTube channel.

Entering into their ninth year together, Keith is as involved as ever with Quantum Racing. "The whole sailing thing was a new industry to me, but I got connected through a friend," Keith told Sailing World. "I've remained with Quantum Racing because there's a lot of loyalty. They really look after me. I focus all my energy in this 365-day job."

Libby Tomlinson didn't start sailing until she was eighteen, but it didn't take long for her to fall in love with the sport – it was the perfect mix of sport and pleasure. She ended up joining the sailing team at the University of Michigan, and earned her U.S. Sailing teaching certification so she could teach kids how to sail.

While helping plan events at her local yacht club, she met members of the Quantum Racing team. They recognized her talent and invited her to join them. "Quantum Racing needed someone to handle the shore-side details that weren't boat related," said Libby. "I started traveling to events and loved helping out. Likewise, they enjoyed having someone take care of those things."

For Libby, it's an honor to work alongside the members of Quantum Racing. "The crew we have are truly the best, both as talented sailors and wonderful people. We all realize that we're part of something special."

I have four great kids; Nate, Ben, Elly and Sam and two wonderful grandkids; Alex and Pearl. I enjoy collecting wine, cycling, cross-country skiing, and fishing.

Martin Winter started sailing with his father and grandfather when he was eight years old. By age ten, he was racing Optis, then P-class boats. Soon he was competing at national and international regattas.

A sailmaker by trade, Martin knows many people in the sailing world, and one of those connections introduced him to the Quantum Racing team. Traveling with them as their on-site sailmaker, Martin handles all of their sail care needs, including building new sails and maintaining their current ones.

The standards for working with Quantum Racing are high, but Martin appreciates the challenge and dedication to improving. "My favorite part of being part of the team is that we're always developing, always looking for something extra," he said. "We work to a high standard and keep improving from year to year."

Sailing and racing is a matter of genetics for Michele Ivaldi. He started sailing at age nine because of his father’s passion for boating. The next year Michele began racing on small boats. Now Michele is a member of Quantum Racing as a navigator/strategist. Over the years from his first race at age 10, Michele has achieved top racing status. Michele was a member of the Italian racing team at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics. Between 1997 and 2007, he sailed three America’s Cup campaigns with Luna Rossa, winning the Louis Vuitton Cup. Michele was a member of the Oracle team when it won the America’s Cup in 2010. During and after the America’s Cups, he sailed many regattas in various classes, including Melges 20, Melges 32, RC44, TP52, and IRC Mini Maxi 72.

Michele is not entirely new to Quantum Racing. His friend and longtime QR tactician Terry Hutchinson tapped Michele to serve as navigator and strategist in a few regattas over several seasons. Now in the same role, Michele will be a steady presence on the team. “I am very proud to be a member of QR,” says Michele. “I like the work ethic and the professionalism of all the people involved in the team, from the sailors to the shore team guys to all the people who support us from the office and the sail loft. Everyone strives for perfection.”

Michele’s goal as a member of Quantum Racing is to contribute to the team, and it’s also his challenge. “Being able to add a little bit to a high-level team that has been optimized for many years means a lot to me.”

Matt Cassidy started sailing around 8 years old in Harbor Springs, MI. His parents put him in the local sailing school and that’s where the love of sailing started. He started racing around the age of 11-12 in the same sailing school. He then went to the College of Charleston and raced on their sailing team for four years. “I love the competition of racing and the drive to always get better,” says Cassidy who currently resides in San Diego.

Cassidy has previously sailed with Tom Burnham and Ed Baird with Quantum Racing. He has also been on Oracle Team USA on the 35th America’s Cup.

As Mid-bowman on Quantum Racing’s team, Cassidy says, “The biggest challenge of being a part of Quantum Racing is trying to sail as flawlessly as possible all the time. The other guys on the team hold themselves to the same standard. You know everyone is striving towards perfection and you don’t want to be that weak link. Nothing has surprised me about QR. The level of professionalism across the entire team, from shore to sailing team, is second to none. We are given all the tools to be successful. The rest is up to us.”

It could be true that Federico Michetti was sailing before he was walking. The family spent summers on its 43-foot boat named Samoa. “I grew up on that boat,” says Federico. “And I’m still sailing on it.” Samoa is now his, and Federico’s children now sail with him on it.

Spring and summer weekends spent sailing and learning his way around boats were happy times for Federico. “I learned to sail and to rig and fix boats, so racing was a natural transition for me. That it’s become my profession is also a natural thing. I’m a water lover.”

If being around boats is what makes Federico happy, the email he received from Quantum Racing Manager Ed Reynolds was one of his proudest. “Ed asked if I was interested in joining the team,” says Federico. “I almost had a heart attack; it was a dream become true!”

A naturally enthusiastic person, Federico is excited about the opportunity to be part of the Quantum Racing team and experience the Super Series. “I’m a one-design sailor, so I have a lot of things to learn quickly, and I’ll be doing it with heroes and the strongest sailors in the world in the most competitive, professional event in the sailing world.” Federico calls his position as downwind trimmer on the Quantum Racing team “absolutely the most important stamp in my sailing career.”

Originally from New Zealand, Sean Clarkson started sailing with his family when he was just a child. By the time he was a teen, he was hooked and setting goals – he wanted to sail around the world. In 2000, Clarkson sailed with Terry Hutchinson at the America's Cup. They stayed in touch over the years, and when Quantum Racing was founded in 2008, Clarkson got the call.

Clarkson loves being around a group of sailors who continue to push the envelope. The team's drive to do better motivates Clarkson to keep improving his own skills. He's thankful for the opportunity to keep learning and sailing with such a talented, motivated team.

"It's a great team to be involved with," said Clarkson. "I'm very grateful to the DeVos family and Ed Reynolds for their support of the team. We want to meet their expectations and keep getting better. They have a never-give-up attitude that drives us to try to get better every day."

James Lyne competed in his first regatta when he was two-years old – he and the family dog stayed on the cockpit floor as they tried to stay out of the way. These days, he takes a more active role on the boat, and he currently serves as the Quantum Racing coach.

"My main job is to shorten the learning process," said James. "I make sure the sailors have the correct information they need to make good decisions." Working with a group of talented, hard-working sailors, it's all about the aggregation of marginal gains, and James appreciates everyone's buy-in of the team's philosophy.

"It's impressive, and I'm sure that it is – and has been – the cornerstone of all their past, present, and future success," said James. "There's an incredible collaboration between designers, sailors, management, and the shore team in moving all aspects of the program forward."

Rodney Ardern has been sailing for as long as he can remember. He started with his parents, but in his late teens he joined the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's Youth Training Program. He's been racing ever since.

Having raced with most of the Quantum Racing crew on past America's Cup teams, it was a natural transition for him to join the Quantum Racing team in 2016. It's a challenge to consistently maintain the high level of performance that they all desire, but that challenge is what pushes them to perform their best.

"I appreciate everyone's dedication to doing everything in their power to win races," said Rodney. "At Quantum Racing I'm sailing with a crew that I know and trust. Everyone is there to do their best and to race at the highest level."

James Dagg grew up sailing with his family on their cruising boat, and when he was eleven years old he started racing Optimist boats at Murrays Bay Boating Club in Auckland, New Zealand. He caught the racing bug and has been racing ever since.

During his career, James met Terry Hutchinson, who introduced him to the Quantum Racing team. In 2016, James became an official member as the jib trimmer. "Quantum Racing has a great team culture," said James. "It's a great bunch of people who are all focused on winning yacht races, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it."

Brendan Darrer started sailing as a child when his dad bought a quarter ton boat for them to sail around Ireland. It wasn't until the late 1980s, however, that he got interested in yacht racing. "The Whitbread Round the World was going on in 1989, and Ireland had its first entry in the race," said Brendan. "I was interested in the whole thing and wanted to do the next one." He got involved with the British Youth Challenge team, and has been racing ever since.

Brendan spent more than a decade with the Cristabella race team, then joined Ran Racing and their mini-maxi boats. He then spent a year with a Russian team before joining Quantum Racing in 2016.

All of the complexities of sailing are what fuel Brendan's passion for the sport. "I enjoy the challenge because it involves so much," he said. "From engineering, to sail design, to working with people, to the competitiveness – it's a challenging job, but it's fun. And Quantum Racing is a wonderful group to work with. From the top down, they're a great group of people."

Clive Johns grew up building boats with his dad. He enjoyed the process so much that he started a boat-building apprenticeship in New Zealand after he graduated from high school. Though he's not a sailor himself, he loves the process of designing and building boats. "I appreciate the developmental process," he said, "and, of course, the finished result."

Clive joined the Quantum Racing team in August 2016. Since joining, the biggest surprise has been the sheer volume of M&Ms consumed, but it's been worth it. As much as he enjoys winning with Quantum Racing, it's the team camaraderie that he appreciates the most.

When Paula King moved to New Zealand in 1990, she took advantage of the opportunity to start sailing. It was the 1995 America's Cup in San Diego that first drew her to the racing world. An avid fan of the sport, she's even spent time crewing as a chef during several Superyacht races.

Through her various racing connections, Paula joined Quantum Racing's on-shore team in 2016 as their on-site logistics coordinator, helping with everything from catering to uniform distribution. She's enjoying her experience. The friendly and professional team makes her job easy, but what she truly looks forward to is the race itself, saying "My favorite part is the excitement of watching them race."