Three months of gruelling preparation will be put to the test today when the three-man British Sunseeker XS Racing Team launches a 24-hour endurance run
Ian Sanderson, Peter Dredge and PJ Stevens have spent the past 12 weeks getting theirselves in physical shape for a challenge that has now finally arrived. Their 40ft diesel powered Sunseeker XS 2000 race boat is primed and ready to tackle the punishing 1,000-mile run which, it is hoped, will put both the crew and its hosts in Dubai in the UIM World Record Books.
No crew has yet managed to physically withstand the sheer battering of the 24-hour challenge and Sanderson, Dredge and Stevens will be hoping they have done enough physical and mental preparation to get them through what is sure to be the toughest day of their lives.
Starting from the Dubai International Marine Club, Mina Seyahi at 2pm (10am GMT) tomorrow (Saturday), the challenge will see the three British record-hunters attempt to set new standards in six, nine, 12 and 24-hour categories by 2pm on Sunday. “It’s going to be a long, hard battle but we are determined to prove the capabilities of the boat and, of course, ourselves,” commented Sanderson as his team put the final touches to their challenge.
Designed by Fabio Buzzi and built by Sunseeker International, the boat is a standard production model with twin 420Hp Yanmar turbo-diesels and should run at around 65-75 knots during the record attempt. The boat will be re-fuelled every 2.5 hours, and should it remain free of mechanical failures, then the spotlight will fall on the endurance of the three-man crew.
Further news on mby.com and ybw.com as we have it this weekend.
Photograph: Alan Ewens
