But Jerseymen Phil Sharp (mini-Transat and mini-Fastnet sailor who is competing in the Route du Rhum single-handed race in the autumn) and Will Carnegie (former BT Global Challenge skipper) immediately spotted Rhys Jones’s potential.
Sharp and Carnegie have joined forces to skipper a yacht, with a predominantly Jersey crew, in the Round Britain race, and their feeling is that someone like Jones will be a real asset to the team, despite the fact that he has never sailed before.
‘His participation in an event like this reinforces our belief that although aptitude is imporant to achieve success, attitude is essential,’ Carnegie said.
Jones reached the summit of Everest on his 20th birthday, in May this year, which made him the youngest person in the world to do so.
There is now just one crew place yet to be filled, and sail training sessions will be taking place in Jersey, on 15 and 29 July, for the entire crew.
Further details of the forthcoming race and how to join the Sharp/Carnegie crew are on www.philsharpracing.com.
