AFTER announcing all but three members of her all-female Nautor Challenge crew on Amer Sports Too, Hamble skipper Lisa McDonald is now charged with the task of bringing them up to speed before the Volvo Ocean Race starts in September.

It will be a tough few weeks as the crew get used to their newly-built boat - which is still being finished in La Ciotat in the south of France.

They are preparing for ten months of gruelling round-the-world racing against six other yachts, all of them with all male crews.

"When I phoned the people I wanted to join the crew, I got very excited reactions from them all," said Lisa, who is married to British America's Cup yachtsman Neal McDonald.

"It was short notice and everyone is coming aboard in race mode.

"They know the next few weeks will be tough. We will get tired physically and mentally but I know we will be prepared for the start line."

Many of her crew have sailed together before on board EF Education in Whitbread Round the World Race 1997/98."That's way ahead of last time when only one crew member had previous experience of round the world racing.

"I am very happy that most people on my initial list put aside what they were doing and cancelled plans for projects that would clash with the Volvo Ocean Race.

"They are coming in as a united, experienced group and they're all bringing something to the party in the way of experience."Her crew includes Eleanor Hay of Lymington, watch leader Emma Westacott who sailed with Tracy Edwards on the Royal & SunAlliance bid for the Jules Verne Trophee, the experienced Hamble navigator Marie-Claude Heys and Abigail Seager, the dinghy and Admiral's Cup sailor.