20 August 2006 -Morning Press Release

At a little after 0500 hrs this morning, a shattered crew onboard Global Yacht Racing Incisor brought home their Corby 45 to a very respectable finishing place of ninth on the water. Andy Middleton’s team have battled through some horrendous conditions in the Sevenstar Round Britain & Ireland Race as well as some frustratingly light breezes on the final stretch so there was a palpable sense of relief onboard having completed this coastal classic race. Stepping ashore briefly at the new Trinity House landing pontoon on the Parade at Cowes, the crew received their well-deserved bottle of champagne from the RORC before heading home for some long hot baths and dry beds!

The Race:

On Monday 7th August 2006 I will be taking part in the Round Britain & Ireland Race – a non-stop, 1760 mile sailing challenge starting and finishing in the Solent .

"Round the world, across the Atlantic, Round ... many sailors who have done these three might suggest that the rocky shores of the British Isles pose perhaps the greatest challenge of all." Ellen MacArthur, August 2002.

It is three times longer than the Fastnet and is a physically and mentally demanding race, with no rest for two weeks.  The campaign actually starts before the main event – there are practice weekends and sea survival training, as well as over 500 miles of qualifying races. I will be sailing on board ‘Incisor’ – which won the race last time it was held in 2000.

Why am I doing this?

I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 1999 and three years later was medically discharged from the Army.  Early in 2004 I became critically ill with food poisoning and shortly after required life saving surgery.  My large bowel was completely removed and overnight I had to adjust to life with a stoma bag stuck to my abdomen.

NACC is currently fundraising to launch the largest study attempted to-date into identifying genes that influence susceptibility to Ulcerative Colitis, or influence the behaviour of the disease once it has occurred.

To fund the full project for two years will cost £184,000, which is approximately one pound for every Crohn's and Colitis sufferer currently in the UK.  We need to raise £75 per mile to fund the first year’s research (£132,000) so please sponsor what you can.

For more information and to follow my progress see:

www.neilbasil.co.uk