David Thomson to co-skipper Mowgli with Jeremy Salvesen
by Silver Thread PR 2 Oct 2008 11:09 BST
Ambition Racing today announced that David Thomson has replaced Victoria Sanders-Perrin as co-skipper of Mowgli just days before the start of the Portimão Global Ocean Race.
Victoria is devastated to have had to withdraw due to personal reasons
but the team feels very lucky to have such an experienced and
knowledgeable sailor able to step in at the last minute.
Thomson’s impressive sailing resume strengthens the double-handed team
and, along with fellow Brit Jeremy Salvesen, they are certain to be a
top contender for the race.
David has been Ambition Racing's boat manager and part of Team Mowgli
for nearly 5 months. He has helped prepare the boat for the race and
knows her inside out. He played a vital role in a successful delivery
trip to Portimão where his hard work and meticulous attention to detail
were key.
David has always had the ambition to race around the world and to go
down to the Southern Ocean. As part of the crew on Playstation he held
four world sailing speed records - two of those records remain to this
day.
“I am absolutely thrilled to be asked to join Team Mowgli,” Thomson
said. “I have been working alongside Jeremy and Victoria for months as
shore crew and have been envious of them as they readied for the race
around the world. It was always planned that I would be able to step in
and sail on board the boat if either Jeremy or Victoria were forced to
withdraw and while I was not expecting it to happen, I welcome the
opportunity and challenge.”
Also, David’s elder brother, Alex Thomson, will be in the Southern Ocean
at the same time with Hugo Boss competing in The Vendee Globe - an
interesting family situation!
Piers Williams, Chairman, Ambition Racing said, “Jeremy Salvesen and
David Thomson will be a strong and competitive crew in the Portimão
Global Ocean Race. They are both looking forward to racing Mowgli
around the world. There are in no doubt as to the enormity of the task
ahead of them but relish the prospect.”
The Portimão Global Ocean Race
The Portimão Global Ocean Race is the first ever solo-double
around-the-world yacht race. The event, open to 40 and 50-foot monohull
sailboats only, will start from Portimão, Portugal in October 2008 and
circumnavigate the world stopping in South Africa, New Zealand, Brazil
and the United States before finishing in Europe in June 2009.
Race founders Josh Hall and Brian Hancock, themselves veteran offshore
sailors, say “The principal intention with this new event is to make
around-the-world yacht racing as accessible to as many people as
possible”
Once the domain of the super-rich, around-the-world yacht racing is
becoming more and more accessible and by sharing their experiences,
Ambition Racing hope to inspire and motivate sailors who may feel that a
global circumnavigation is out of their reach both financially and
practically.
Start dates are as follows:
- Portimão, Portugal - October 12th, 2008
- Cape Town, South Africa - December 7th, 2008
- Wellington, New Zealand - February 8th, 2009
- Ilhabela, Brazil - April 5th, 2009
- Charleston, South Carolina, USA - May 31st, 2009
More Information: