Round Britain & Ireland Race 2014: Oman Sail MOD70 beats BPV Record

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All Images: Mark Lloyd / Oman Sail FB – Great job for the Oman MOD70 crew beating the beast  Banque Populaire V / Loick Peyron and their record by only 16mins. Quite an achievement for Oman crew and equipment. Oman has invested in their sailing teams for a while now and it is fair to say: Money well invested in promotion.

MOD 70 Musandam-Oman Sail crew
Skipper – Sidney Gavignet
Crew: Damian Foxall, Fahad Alhasni, Jan Dekker, Sami Al Shukaili and Yasir Al Rahbi

Round Britain Race Official report at roundbritainandireland.rorc.org

Oman Sail Report :
“An exhausted but jubilant Sidney Gavignet and his crew of Damian Foxall, Fahad Al Hasni, Sami Al Shukaili, Yassir Al Rahbi and Jan Dekker crossed the Cowes finish line at 12.42.36 BST on Thursday 14th August 2014.

Their time for the 1956 nms course was 3 days 03 hours 32 minutes and 36 seconds which was just 16m 38s faster than the previous World Record set by Banque Populaire 5 in 2011. They averaged an incredible 23.8 knots all the way round the course and had no idea until they crossed the finish line that they had taken the record.

“We didn’t realise we had broken the record until we crossed the finish line,” said Gavignet.

“We got to St Catherine’s two hours before doing 30 knots but suddenly there was a cloud and no wind so we thought our chances had gone. But we kept working and working and finally we made it 16 minutes before the time limit.”

There was plenty of luck involved, he added.

“The weather was exceptional…I doubt you could find better for the Round Britain and Ireland Race except for two little clouds at the finish. We went round Great Britain and the islands without a tack, only gybes. No tack, zero tacks. That is rare possibly unique.

“It’s amazing to beat Loick Peyron and his boys on Banque Populaire 5 which is almost two times bigger than us. I kept saying there is no way we can beat that boat so it is a surprise. I’m a happy skipper.”
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Full report at https://news.omansail.com/media/mailing/?id=1668