Clipper Round the World 09-10
But the same can’t be said of Matt!
“My father got me into sailing dinghies when I was really young. East Anglia has some great inshore sailing and I sailed anything that floated – it didn’t matter what it was. It didn’t even matter if it floated well – we’d go sailing at every opportunity! I did a lot of racing there in my teens and twenties, picked it up again about ten years ago and loved it,” he says.
“I’m delighted to be skippering Edinburgh Inspiring Capital in Clipper 09-10,” he says. “It’s a thrill and an absolute honour to lead the team representing the Scottish capital. We’ll be working hard to bring home the trophy and to spread the word that Edinburgh’s such a fantastic city to live in, to visit and to invest and work in.
“This is going to be a fascinating challenge,” he continues. “What’s come through in training is the level of enthusiasm from the crew which is so good – it just inspires you to do a better and better job. A successful race for me will be measured by the reaction of the crew when they step ashore. If they’ve all had a good race then positions aren’t so important. I want them to have really enjoyed it. There are no barriers on a boat and one of the great reasons that people come sailing is that it is a great leveller.”
Matt has built up his racing experience over the last two decades, combining it with working in the commercial sector, commissioning and delivering yachts. A trained cabinet maker, he has used his skills to restore a 1958 wooden folk boat.
“This is certainly going to be the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. It’s going to be a great achievement and that’s what I’m looking for. To become one of the few people who’ve circumnavigated the world under sail will be a very proud moment for me,” he says.
His family is already proud of his appointment, according to Matt. “My father has always been very supportive – he sees this as a great challenge and a fantastic thing to do and he’s looking forward to coming to the stopovers. My partner is also very supportive – it’s always difficult to be away but it’s something we’ve got used to. I was a professional skipper before we met so she understands that’s part of the job. But this is an opportunity to do something unique and something we can be proud of.”
