(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Shattering world records is becoming quite a habit for Musandam-Oman Sail it seems. Less than a year since the sultanate's MOD70 trimaran broke the Round Britain and Ireland world record it completed the fastest ever circumnavigation of Ireland on Wednesday.
Skippered by French offshore legend Sidney Gavignet the Musandam-Oman Sail crew completed the 700 nautical-mile Round Ireland journey in a time of 40 hours 51 minutes and 57 seconds to surpass a 22 year old world record.
Onboard with Gavignet were three Omanis - Fahad al Hasni Sami al Shukaili and Yasser al Rahbi - along with Spain's Alex Pella and French multihull veteran Jean Baptiste Levaillant.
The Oman Sail boat shaved off nearly three hours off Steve Fossett's record time of 44 hours 42 minutes and 20 seconds with Lakota in 1993.
The Musandam-Oman Sail crew began its journey from the Dun Laoghaire harbour on Monday evening and returned back at around 11am local time on Wednesday.
The trimaran had smashed the Round Britain and Ireland world record in August last year off the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes UK. The Omani trio who have been part of the latest successful mission were also part of Gavignet's team during the previous record-breaking effort.
Wednesday's feat officiated and recorded by Irish speed sailing commissioner Chris Moore from aboard a Dublin Bay Sailing Club committee vessel would now have to be ratified by the World Speed Sailing Record Council.
This was Musandam-Oman Sail's second attempt on the Round Ireland record. Two years ago its crew set off from Dublin Bay with high hopes but were forced to abandon the trip due to unsafe wind conditions.
Gavignet said on Wednesday 'To have achieved the record so early in the ongoing season is a great feeling. It had been a priority for the team and now it is done.'
Hasni the boat's helmsman said 'It is every sailor's dream to achieve something like this and I am proud to be part of setting a world record. It is a great thing for Oman.'
He added 'We faced slow winds at one stage which cost us around five hours. But later the wind picked up and carried us towards the finish line. I am really happy because there have been some very famous sailors to have attempted this record in the past all in vain. But we managed to do it.'
Hasni's teammate Rahbi said 'It is something extraordinary. It is definitely a great addition to my personal achievements but more than that it is something for our country. At one stage the waves were very high and it was very windy but we kept pushing. The key was to maintain good speed rotate shifts and stay focused.'
Shukaili said 'I am very happy to have been part of the crew that broke this record. This was a difficult challenge maybe even more difficult than last year's Round Britain and Ireland record but thanks to our focus and teamwork we managed to pull it off. It is the biggest milestone of my sailing career.'
Sidney Gavignet the skipper
Strong winds this morning on the Wicklow coast presented ideal conditions for the closing stages of the record attempt for the crew which travelled the last 100 nautical-miles in just a little over two hours. The scenario was quite different 12 hours earlier when the boat had to go slow off the Mayo coast because of unfavourable wind conditions.
"This is a great accomplishment for Oman and Oman Sail" said David Graham CEO of Oman Sail.
"Attempting to break the Round Ireland record has been our goal for many years. Achieving the feat is a shining example of the hard work and dedication of our sailing squad. Racing against yourself to set a time is the hardest test of discipline. The team must remain focused and motivated at all times and we have instilled these values in our sailors since the start of the Oman Sail programme. With a 50 per cent Omani crew on board Musandam-Oman Sail this record shows that the present and the future of sailing in Oman is on the right course."
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