The Core Crew

Laura Alexander - Core crew
Laura is 30 years old and a Senior Account Manager from West Sussex, UK Laura's partner is also competing in the 2004/5 Global Challenge race.

Stephen Allberry - Core crew
Stephen is 54 years old and a Librarian from West Sussex, UK. Stephen signed up for the race with a legacy from his aunt, who was a Sea Ranger skipper in Lymington, UK. Stephen was one of the core crew, that won the Round Britain and Ireland 2004 Race.

John Bass - Core crew
John is 36 an Internet Consultant from Essex, UK. John's initial plan to retire and live on a yacht somewhere took a more adventurous turn when he came across the Challenge Business website while looking for training courses. "I got confirmation of my crew place standing outside Sydney Opera House just before midnight New Years Eve 2003" "It felt like the fireworks were just for me, I couldn’t have been more thrilled if they had"

Holger Bindel - Core crew
34 year-old Holger was born in Germany but moved to UK where he's been working as a GP since February 1997. Holger's family are still in Germany and divided in their attitude towards the adventure. His father is quietly proud while his mother is a little scared. All of his friends are half jealous and half think he is crazy for taking on such an adventure.

Oliver Browett - Core crew
Olly is 23 years old, the youngest of the BP Ocean Racing team. He grew up in Darlington and Sheffield but read Chemistry at Bristol University and also in Germany. He then studied for an MA in Biotechnological Law and Ethics at Sheffield University. Before signing up for the race he had never been on a yacht. Olly was one of the core crew that won the Round Britain and Ireland 2004 Race.

Jane Cook - Core crew
Jane is 46 years old and a Project Manager from Renfrewshire, Scotland, UK Jane is the only Scot in the core crew. She has also challenged herself to learn to play the bagpipes in the nine months prior to the race.

Naomi Cudmore - Core crew
Naomi is 29 years old and lives in a cottage in Somerset which she is renovating, although this has gone on hold of late, since she started raising money to go on the Global Challenge yacht race!

Major Malhi - Core crew
Major is 52 years old and the only Indian to be taking part in the race. He was born in India and came to the UK in 1960. He went on to set up his own forklift truck business which became highly successful and he sold this in 1990 and semi retired. Major spends much of his time in Spain and India but when he is in the UK he spends time between Birmingham and Telford visiting his mother and his children, Rochelle 32, Melissa 28, Kass 24 and Carla 21.

Robin Phillips - Core crew
Robin is 50 years old and a Retained Leading Firefighter from Cheshire, UK. Robin raised over £1,200 for the race charity, Save the Children, in a 48-hour rowing event in Crewe Town Square in the UK.

David Pugh - Core crew
David is 43 years old. A Builder from Wolverhampton, UK one of David's hobbies is sailing dinghies - mainly on lakes. David decided to participate in the 2004/5 Global Challenge after watching and supporting his wife when she participated onboard the winning yacht of the 2000/1 event. David "Cop" was one of the core crew that won the Round Britain and Ireland 2004 Race.

Goldie Raley - Core crew
Goldie is 34 years old and a geography teacher at Pocklington School in East Yorkshire, so you can call her ‘Miss’. Goldie grew up on a farm in North Yorkshire and she considers this to be the main reason for her lifelong pursuit for adventure.

Andrew Smith - Core crew
Andrew is 40 years old and a Engineering Project Manager from Lancashire, UK. Andrew loves gourmet cooking and fine wines, which he says he'll dearly miss whilst at sea for long periods of time.

John Stewart - Core crew
John is 34 years old and an IT Project Manager. Orginally from Ireland, he now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. In order to get race fit, John decided to take up triathalons and has completed Sprint, Olympic and 1/2 Ironman distances.

Christian Talpo - Core crew
Christian is 30 years old and a Restaurant Manager Originally from Italy he now lives in Hong Kong. Before signing up for the Global Challenge, Christian had never sailed before. However, he's always been an adventurer and has already spent a month hiking through the Nepalese mountains and has also participated in two 30km Action Asia Adventure Races. Christian was one of the core crew, that won the Round Britain and Ireland 2004 Race

Richard Wardley - Core crew
Richard is 33 years old and a technical software engineer based in Essex. He became aware of the race when invited on a corporate day, sailing on one of the race yachts before the start of the last race in 2000.