On 9 November 2004 Conrad Humphreys, skipper of the winning yacht in the 2000/01 BT Global Challenge, will commence his third circumnavigation, but this time hopes to sail non-stop and alone in the Vendée Globe. Building on the success of leading LG FLATRON to victory, Humphreys is looking for new commercial backers to help realise his ambition to build a new Open 60.

Since his success in the BT Global Challenge, Humphreys has logged over 12,000 nautical miles, racing two of Open 60s. He teamed up with Mike Golding onboard ECOVER for the EDS Atlantic Challenge, before sailing Ellen MacArthur’s Kingfisher to Britain from Bahia, Brazil. The experience has left him in awe of the speed and power of this exciting class and determined to skipper his own campaign.

As he points out: “The Vendée is the greatest test. I appreciate that I have a steep learning curve to ensure that I am ready to tackle this marathon event in 2004. As always, preparation is the key to success, as is having a good team of people behind you from the start. To get to the top of a sport you need to master all disciplines. Daley Thompson was one of the greatest all round athletes, mastering both track and field events. The Open 60 class offers the chance to compete in fully crewed events, double-handed and solo races. To compete successfully in all three disciplines is my ambition.”

The Vendée Globe is a three month-long non-stop race round the world, against the fiercest of competition and elements. In the 2000/2001 race Ellen MacArthur shattered the race record, becoming not only the youngest woman but also the fastest, to circumnavigate the planet.

Having raced in both directions around the globe, Humphreys plans to be on the start line with a new Open 60, but this time his team will remain ashore.