Having skippered a mostly Jersey crew in the Round Britain and Ireland race recently in his French designed and built Pogo 40, Sharp is still seeking a sponsor to help him get to the start line of the Route du Rhum, fully equipped and prepared, in St Malo on 29 October.
‘I have to make a decision by the end of this week about whether I can go ahead and race, or not,’ Sharp said.
‘If I am to compete I must start concentrating on getting the boat ready – and that’s difficult to do if I’m still out trying to find a title sponsor.
I have received some money, but I still have to raise between £40-50,000 more.’ The race from St Malo to Pointe à Pitre in Guadaloupe, in the southern Caribbean, is held every four years.
The monohull class winner in 2002 was Ellen MacArthur, who was propelled to worldwide fame with her winning time of 13 days, 13 hr 31min for the crossing, and 24-year-old Sharp is confident – with last year’s Mini Transat fourth-place finish and this year’s Mini Fastnet and Round Britain races under his belt – that he can also produce a good result in the Rhum race.
‘I can just about get to the start line on the sponsorship I’ve already secured, but I will be cutting corners in race preparation and might not have all the equipment I need.
The Atlantic is not especially hospitable in November – and I don’t really see the point of entering a race unless I have a good chance of winning.
At the moment it’s borderline if I’ll go or not – can I get a good enough result without the finance I need? But I’m determined to be in the race so, if it comes to that, I’ll have to take out a loan – it’s a huge commitment.’ Phil Sharp can be contacted on tel 07973 378997 or through Tanya Brookfield on +44 2392 524 343 or Tanya@alexthomsonracing.com on email.
