red strip

Team Invictus


Team Invictus is a Bristol-based team comprising a number of aerospace engineers and professional sailors who share a common vision to produce a highly efficient, exceptional and original craft to compete in the next I4C Challenge. The team has grown in capacity following Airbus UK's sponsorship with the help of both experienced and graduate aerospace engineers, and with that growth has come the expansion of skills and knowledge. Within the team, there is now a range skills, and the team are building their capabilities all the time.
For more information, contact us at info@teaminvictus.com

Norman Wijker
Along with Mark, Norman founded the Invictus project in 2002 as a personal challenge. The C class catamaran ticked his 2 main interests, i.e. nautical and aeronautical. Originally the catalyst for the project and team leader, these roles are now diminished as the reaction engulfed the whole team, and he is essentially taking an equal role in developing the current boat and looking to future designs for subsequent challenges.

Mark Bishop
Mark along with Norman founded the Invictus project in 2002. A Mechanical engineer with many years of dinghy and cruising sailing experience for whom the project offered the opportunity to assist with the design, build and on going development of the C class catamaran within a creative environment. Enjoys slow boat sailing preferring to leave the C class to the professionals and generally supports the shore crew.

Pete Baker
Pete is a CAD designer currently working in structural R&D. He joined the team in 2003, keen to get involved and get his hands dirty. His focus as a cad designer is designing and modelling components and tooling, but he also gets stuck into the manufacture, assembly and repair. Having experienced what it was like to be part of the world of C-Class, Pete has been involved ever since.

Gordon Kaiser
Gordon joined the team in November 2008. He has been sailing from a young age competing in National and European championship in everything from mirrors to sportsboats. He is currently carrying out the development sailing providing feedback for wing development. He is a aerospace graduate from the University of Southampton is currently a structure analyst for Airbus.

Tom Phipps
Tom, the newest member of the sailing team, grew up literally within a stones throw of Carrick Roads where the 2013 ICCCC will be held. Tom has held an impressive number of youth sailing and national championships including 1st - Dart 18 World Championships, Weymouth 2010, 1st - Student Keelboat Europeans, France 2009, 1st - Tornado Nationals, Mumbles 2008 and would be setting his sights on the Olympics if it were not for the fact that Tornado catamarans will not be present in 2012

Olivia Stodieck
Olivia joined the team in early 2009. She had not heard of the C-Class before, but took an instant interest in this challenging project. Olivia focuses on structural analysis. She works closely with the rest of the team to coordinate designs with the aero/hydrodynamic requirements. In the process, she is learning a lot about C-Class design principles and also team management. Olivia previously managed the team website, which she originally built in collaboration with Vera Boome.

Paul Larsen & Helena Darvelid
Paul and Helena are the team's professional sailors. Paul is a leading sailor on the world circuit, he has won the Transatlantic Jacques Varbes Race in 2002 and has recently participated in the Around-the-world ORYX Quest race. Helena sailed with Tracy Edwards in a global race series and holds several sailing records as well as being a past Swedish Yachtswoman of the year. In current project, SailRocket, they are competing for the Outright World speed sailing record.

Claire Wijker
Claire has been with the team since day one. She has worked in IT at Airbus, Hewlett Packard and Orange as a Unix System Administrator and was also a team leader whilst in this role at Airbus. Claire's work on Invictus includes essential support tasks such as website admin, clerical duties & team finances. Her role will become even more critical as the team hopes to increase funding and turnover in preparation for the 2013 challenge, a task for her, surpassed only by the needs of raising 4 children!

Brian McCarthy

Brian McCarthy
Brian joined Team Invictus in 2007 whilst on the Airbus graduate scheme. Having a keen interest in novel applications of composite materials, he has gleaned hands on experience during the manufacture, assembly and repair phases on this tangible project. Brian works as a stress analyst on the A400M programme and is an aeronautical engineering graduate of the University of Limerick.

John Downey
John is a pivotal member of the team. An Ex Concorde pilot and retired captain for British Airways, John is also a keen sailor. He has successfully sailed Tornado Catamarans at Olympic level and was twice national champion. He led the unsuccessful British challenge for the 1987 Little America's Cup with his catamaran The Hinge.

Andrew Boome

Andrew Boome
Andrew has semi-retired from the team to pursue a social life, though he still maintains some involvement through the sailing activities and could well be back when he starts to miss the itch of carbon dust. Andrew has also been with the team since the start and the team's position today is thanks to his considerable input.

Vera Boome

Vera Boome
Vera joined the team after the 2004 regatta as Invictus was naturally a string attached to dating Andrew. Vera is also a structures designer but in a completely different field. Her professional carrier is devoted to Packaging and her graphic design skills were very useful while designing the website, images for the trailer and Invictus team kit.

Phill Brown

Phill Brown
Phill leaves the team having been the pillar that ensured the build happened. His openness to share his knowledge on composite manufacture has spread throughout the team, which is a huge leap forward from where the team started 8 years ago. Phill's efforts for 2010 were superhuman and he is taking a well earned rest, and will consider his future when the dust settles and he gets some life back together.

Julien Chaussee
Julien, who has been with Team Invictus since almost day one, has left the team following the LAC challenge in the USA in August 2010. Julien's contribution to the team over the 7 years he was with us was invaluable. He brought a multi-disciplinary mindset and contributed to many of Invictus' innovations, including the flexible element two and the self-jigging control rib design. Julien is looking to form and lead his own team where he can combine his wingsail design experience with the opportunity to build leadership skills and further his personal development.