Bomby and Diamond set for 2019 EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship

Henry Bomby and Hannah Diamond © RYA

The mixed offshore duo Henry Bomby and Hannah Diamond have been selected to represent Great Britain at the 2019 EUROSAF Mixed Offshore European Championship - a crucial next step on their road to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The inaugural event, taking place from 8 to 11 October, will see eight rival nations compete double-handed in the L30 Class. The Championship in Venice will comprise of an inshore and 48-hour offshore race. The latter finishing in Trieste where the first EUROSAF Mixed Offshore Champions will be crowned.

Ian Walker, RYA Director of Racing, said: "This is an exciting opportunity for Henry and Hannah to be part of an innovative, new format that is planned to be an Olympic event at Paris 2024. I'd like to congratulate them both on their selection and I have every confidence that this talented pairing will represent Great Britain successfully and help accelerate our learning of this new event format and the L30 class."

The pair are funded by the RYA as well as their new sponsor, the consultancy group Leyton. Commenting on the duo's selection, Henry Bomby said: "Both Hannah and I sailed the Volvo Ocean Race for sustainable teams and it was our goal to continue this message into our own campaign. To be able to compete at an international level and promote the preservation of our oceans while doing so, really is a dream come true. We are honoured to do this with the support of Leyton Group and to be promoting the Ocean Conservation Trust through my work as an Ocean Ambassador."

"Since its inception, Leyton Group is committed to sustainable development by initiating and supporting projects dedicated to equality in the workplace and environmental protection. Becoming a sponsor of sailing has strengthened our commitment for ocean preservation. A partnership with Henry and Hannah was therefore the perfect fit," added Francois Gouilliard, Founder of Leyton Group.

Hannah Diamond added: "It is a very exciting time for us, welcoming new partners to our campaign. With the funding in place for the European Championships, we can now focus on the racing. Our goal is to go out there and learn as much as we can about the boat, the race format and the discipline. The Europeans is a crucial next step towards achieving our goal for 2020, a podium place at World Championships in just over a year's time."

The EUROSAF Mixed Offshore event in Italy will be the pair's first introduction to the L30 Class. The supplied equipment is the same boat that will be used at the World Championships in October 2020.

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