JERSEY will mark the start and finish for an attempt to set a new world speed record for travelling by boat around the British Isles next week.
If weather conditions allow, Thunder Child II will set off on Monday or Tuesday for the express lap of Great Britain and Ireland.
Noirmont Point will serve as the start line for the record attempt, which has been sanctioned by the governing body of powerboat racing, the Union Internationale Motonautique.
And the crew hopes to take the chequered flag at the same location between two and three days later.
On board will be three crew from Jersey – owner Nick Ogden, his son Alex, and Ben Dandridge – alongside Guernsey-based duo Nathan Ward and Tim Froome.
Thunder Child II, which has a top speed of 54 knots, has already achieved six world records ratified by the UIM, and the boat is also being used as a testing “laboratory” for seawater-based fuel cell technology that could eventually replace petrol.
As part of the challenge, the crew also intend to raise money for the global charity Special Olympics, which provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Further details about the challenge, and a tracker for the record attempt, will be available on the 54knots.com website.
