Tri-Service

Injured Veterans To Crew Powerboat Record Attempt

Team Britannia's Wave-Piercing Powerboat

Injured and wounded servicemen and women are being offered the chance to make history by being part of a record-breaking powerboat challenge.

Team Britannia are intending to design, build and race one of the fastest ocean-going powerboats in history.

The ultimate aim will be to beat the world record for circumnavigating the globe, currently held by New Zealand skipper Pete Bethune.

His futuristic Earthrace boat completed the challenge in 2008 an incredible 60 days 23 hours and 49 minutes. The wave-piercing trimaran later sank after colliding with a Japanese ship during an attempt to disrupt the country's annual Antarctic whale hunt.

More: Royal Navy Admits Causing Whale Deaths

In order to claim the coveted Union Internationale Motonautique a vessel must pass through the Suez and Panama Canals, cross the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator and must start and finish the journey in the same place, completing a voyage of around 23,000 miles.

Team Britannia, skippered by ocean racing legend Alan Priddy, intend to set off from Gibraltar in October and complete the voyage in just 50 days.

WATCH: Gibraltar - The Weirdest Airport In The World

That'll mean the £2.9 million boat travelling at an average speed of 25mph throughout the trip, smashing the current record of 16mph.

The boat will be crewed by a team of 12, including up to four British wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women (WIS) on each of the seven legs of the voyage.

Announcing the move Alan Priddy said: "Back in 2014 when my team and I first started to talk about bolstering our crew with wounded and injured servicemen and women, we all knew that it was the right thing to do, especially as several of the existing crew have strong ties to the military."

“Even with these life-changing injuries there is still that incredible can-do attitude, their passion and tenacity. We want to harness this as we prepare to take back the round the world powerboat record for Great Britain.”

Mr Priddy continued: “No one should make the mistake of thinking that these men and women will be passengers – we simply don’t have room for passengers. Every crewmember will to do their fair share.”

Funding and support for the WIS crewmembers is being provided from BLESMA, The Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry’s Endeavour Fund.

Harry Holt, Chairman of the Endeavour Fund said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for wounded, injured and sick Servicemen and women selected to be a part of this team to using sport and adventurous challenges as part of their recovery and rehabilitation."

"But more than that, this amazing challenge will provide them with skills and experience they need for a better onward transition.”

Team Britannia with Daisy Coleman (centre) at the Houses of Parliament (Picture Courtesy of Team Britannia)

The successful candidates were chosen after a series of gruelling training sessions as the Defence Diving School near Portsmouth.

One of them is Daisy Coleman, a former soldier in the Royal Artillery, medically discharged from the Army after tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 1000hp, 80ft long boat is as yet nameless but with talks with sponsors progressing it's unlikely the moniker will be chosen by a Boaty McBoatface public vote.