Artemis gets qualifying

Jonny Malbon and Graham Tourell depart Antigua on their Open 60

Artemis Ocean Racing skipper, Jonny Malbon and his co-skipper Graham Tourell left Antigua on Saturday 5 May bound for Southampton, UK. The crossing should take around 12 days and will serve as the duo's qualifier for the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre race starting from Le Havre in November.

Artemis Ocean Racing, the sailing team sponsored by leading UK investment company Artemis, slipped its lines from the Caribbean after three days racing at Stanford Antigua Sailing Week, preceded by five months of boat preparation and a mini re-fit. Upon arrival in the UK, the boat will then take part in a series of races and regattas over the summer including the Calais Round Britain Race in June and the Rolex Fastnet Race in August. Malbon and Tourell will then prepare for their first major double-handed race - the Transat Jacques Vabre - the pinnacle event of the year taking the pair from France to Brazil in November.

Malbon, 32, will skipper the boat throughout the summer while Tourell will be boat captain as well as co-skipper in the double-handed events. In a highly competitive fleet of Open 60s the British pair will be looking to build up their double-handed sailing experience this summer before competing in the blue riband Transat Jacques Vabre.

Jonny Malbon, skipper of Artemis Ocean Racing commented: “We have had a fantastic time in the Caribbean and whilst we have worked hard on the boat it has been a great place to be based for the last five months. That said, we are really excited to be bringing the boat back to the UK and start on what looks set to be a really exciting summer season of racing. After the first two days at sea we have started to get into our sleeping routine out here and it feels great to be back out in the open sea onboard Artemis. Graham and I have a lot to do as we head back to the UK, not only to ensure that we qualify but to learn as much as we can about the boat."