HAMPSHIRE skipper Leigh McMillan has vowed to settle “unfinished business” in this year’s Extreme Sailing Series after being pipped to last year’s title.

Southampton sailor McMillan had been angling for his third consecutive Extreme Sailing Series title but had to settle for second place when long term rivals Alinghi swept to victory at the tour finale.

It was a bitter blow for the 34-year-old former Olympian – but with the 2015 season about to commence McMillan said he and his crew are even more determined to claim the ‘treble’ this year.

The team’s goal will be made easier by the fact that Swiss racers Alinghi will not be competing.

“We were hoping to make it three Extreme championship titles in a row last season so now we have unfinished business and are determined to return to winning ways this year to land the treble,” said McMillan, skipper of The Wave, Muscat.

“We prefer it when we are winning.

“That said it is incredibly sad that we won’t be racing against Alinghi this year. “We were looking forward to renewing the rivalry with Morgan (Larson, skipper) and his team because they set the bar high and raised performance levels all round but we fully expect someone else to give us a run for our money.

“There are a number of teams who have gained a lot of experience in the past couple of years and are making major jumps so we are not expecting it to be any easier.”

One of the new faces on the tour for 2015 is McMillan’s former Team GB teammate Stevie Morrison, who takes over the reins of The Wave, Muscat’s sister boat Oman Air.

Morrison, from Exmouth in Devon, represented Great Britain in the 49er dinghy class in 2008 and 2012.

Rejoining the tour is four-time match racing champion Ian Williams from Lymington who will lead GAC Pindar.

Missing from the line-up is Sir Ben Ainslie who, after competing in the Extreme Sailing Series in 2014, will turn his attentions to his bid for the 2017 America’s Cup.

The Extreme Sailing series kicks off in Singapore on February 5.