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Dubai: Round-the-world yachtsman Conrad Humphreys can't wait to check out Dubai's reputation as a world-class sailing venue during this weekend's Jumeirah Regatta, which sees Toby O'Connell aiming to protect a near-perfect recent record.
Humphreys, one of the most courageous figures in extreme ocean racing, has accepted an invitation from the Jumeirah Group, the dynamic and fast growing Dubai based luxury hotel management company, to be guest of honour at the two-day event on Friday and Saturday.
He lends his expertise to the organisers to help set the two regatta courses, one of which is being set off Dubai Offshore Sailing Club for the cruisers and dinghies and the other off Mina Seyahi Sailing Club for the catamarans.
And the three-times round-the-globe yachtsman, who has also built an international reputation as a motivational speaker in recent years, will be addressing what is expected to be a record entry of competitors during the prize-giving dinner at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel on Saturday night.
Looking forward to his first visit to Dubai, Humphreys, speaking from his home in Plymouth, England, said: "I've heard so much about Dubai.
It's been getting a lot of attention over the last few years and there's an awful lot of sailing activity in the region as a whole, particularly Dubai."
Gerald Lawless, Executive Chairman for the Jumeirah Group and a keen member of Mina Seyahi Sailing Club, said: "We're confident the regatta will go from strength to strength, and we're delighted that an international figure like Conrad Humphreys is joining us this year."
Humphreys' professional sailing career began when he was spotted as a 17-year-old at the Junior World Cadet Championships and was asked to join the Youth Challenge campaign for the 1993-4 Whitbread Round the World Race, now the Volvo Ocean Race.
He then skippered LG Flatron which dominated the gruelling BT Global Challenge in 2000-01, and at 26 became the youngest winning skipper in the history of the race.
For his third circumnavigation he took on the non-stop, solo round-the-world Vendée Globe.
Dubai's O'Connell, with five wins and one second place in the first six events this season, said: "We've had a great run, but I'm not over confident for the Jumeirah Regatta. The competition is much stiffer this year and we could be in for a battle."
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