First Sailors Arrive for Inaugural Sail Maldives Yacht Rally

With just one month to go to the inaugural Sail Maldives yacht rally, British and German crews arrived on January 26 via Cochin, India. Sail Maldives organiser, Adeel Ahmed said: “We were really pleased to give our first participants a friendly Maldivian welcome and are looking forward to meeting many more over the coming weeks.”

Adeel Ahmed presents captain George Calder with a Maldivian gift on arrival at Uligamu island in Haa Alif Atoll

Mr Calder’s daughter, Mairi said: "We are happy to be in the Maldives and are really looking forward to Sail Maldives 2017!  We arrived on the 26th from Langkawi, Malaysia after a good 11-day passage.

Everything went smoothly and we made good time. The rally was postponed from its previously scheduled date until February 25 for safety reasons due to cyclones off the coast of Sri Lanka, which have dissipated.

“In the past three days, we have enjoyed a fish BBQ hosted by the local mayor, visited the nearest resort, learnt how to fish, climb a coconut tree and swam with dolphins and manta rays. We are looking forward to meeting everyone and enjoying what promises to be an amazing rally". 

Uligamu is the starting point of the rally, which proceeds south for 60 days, crossing the equator and eventually concluding in Addu Atoll. Participants can join at any point along the way.

The multihull is captained by Briton, George Calder, assisted by his family and friends

Many more sailors are now preparing to embark on the journey to the Sail Maldives rally via India, Sri Lanka and Thailand, with a large number anticipated from Phuket.

Sail Maldives is the first and only yacht rally in the Maldives officially endorsed by the Maldives Government and Maldives tourism board.