MUSCAT -- Record-breaking MOD70 Musandam-Oman Sail will be on the trail of new trophies in August when it arrives to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, one of the world's most celebrated sailing centres, to take part in two pinnacle events of the 2014 British offshore racing season.
Co-skippers Sidney Gavignet (FRA) and Damian Foxall (IRL) have put together a MOD70 crew selected from Oman Sail's elite squad of 10 sailors for the Artemis Challenge, the 50 mile race around the Isle of Wight, and for the 1,800 nm Seven Star Round Britain and Ireland Race three days later.
For the first time, half of the six-strong Musandam-Oman Sail offshore crew for the Round Britain Race will be Omani sailors including regular Fahad al Hassani, Sami al Shukaili and Yassir al Rahbi, members of Oman Sail's M34 squad for the Tour de France a la Voile who switched to the MOD70 earlier this year.
Multihull expertise will also be boosted by the addition of America's Cup and Volvo Ocean Race veteran Jan Dekker from South Africa, a key member of the Groupama trimaran campaigns for the past ten years and involved in both the Alinghi America's Cup campaign in 2010 and Oracle's win last year.
"Having Fahad, Sami and Yassir with us on the Round Britain Race is especially exciting. It is the result of a lot of hard work on their part and creates a strong platform for Oman Sail's offshore plans in the future," said Foxall.
"We are also fortunate to have Jan with us for the Seven Star Round Britain and Ireland Race and think we will all benefit from his experience, energy and drive. He has been round the world four times including once on the trimaran Club Med and remains one of the strongest multi-hull experts in the business so knows how to make these boats go fast. Hopefully we can tap into some of that knowledge to learn a few new skills and maybe claim a line honours win.
© Oman Daily Observer 2014
