Alex Bennett enters Round Britain and Ireland Race
by Alex Bennett Ocean Racing 1 Feb 2010 07:56 GMT
International professional yachtsman Alex Bennett from Devon has today announced his entry into the historic Round Britain and Ireland Race 2010. Alex will once again team up with sponsor Fujifilm for the project with his distinctive, green Class 40 boat. Alex said, “this race is a fantastic test of seamanship. It is one of the ‘must do’ events in the shorthanded racing calendar and I’m looking forward to competing in home waters.”
Joining Alex in this famous two handed race will be friend and fellow Devon sailor Malcolm Dickinson. Malcolm is the Managing Partner at leading law firm Michelmores Solicitors, another of Alex’s long term business partners. Malcolm is well known in local sailing circles as organiser of the Michelmores Challenge Cup.
In the coming months they will be training off the south Devon coast getting ready for the race start in Plymouth in June. Alex and Malcolm will be a formidable team. The 2010 race will be the second time Alex has competed in the RBI. In 1998 he skippered Modi Khola and managed to secure third place monohull in Class 5, also setting a record for the youngest team to ever complete the arduous course. Malcolm has competed in the last two events and finished second in Class last time around.
In the build up to the race Alex will be based in Plymouth. He was last in the city with Fujifilm for the start of the prestigious Artemis Transat in 2008. Battling fierce storms and tough competition in the Atlantic, Alex was the first Brit into Boston coming 6th in the Class 40 fleet.