Competitors in The Red Ensign AZAB 2015 ocean going race, which starts from Falmouth on Saturday (June 6) have been given extra encouragement to make the fastest time to the Azores with the presentation of a unique trophy.

Susan Pester, a member of the AZAB 2015 organising committee, has presented the race organisers with a Star-Finder Globe used by her late husband Ben Pester on his ocean passages around the world.

Susan said: “My husband was an experienced long distance sailor and took part himself in the AZAB race 20-years-ago. He was a traditional sailor and not too keen on using modern navigational instruments. In his book, Just Sea and Sky: England to New Zealand the Hard Way, he stated that there was no way in those days of finding one’s way over the world’s open seas other than by observations of the sun, planets, stars and moon. His voyage was the start of a lifelong interest in celestial navigation."

The Star-Finder Globe was one of the instruments Ben used when navigating offshore and accompanied him on all his ocean passages around the world including the AZAB race. Susan said: “Nowadays the globe is a rarely found instrument and I thought it would be a fitting way to remember a fine sailor and navigator.” The Star –Finder Globe will be presented to the competitor whose boat is the first to reach the Azores.

The race starts at noon on Saturday and local people and visitors are offered a great way to see the start of the race. As the yachts leave the start line near Black Rock and race across Falmouth Bay, they will be able to watch from Pendennis Castle taking advantage of a two for one offer with vouchers in the Red Ensign AZAB Official Race Programme. This is available free (donations suggested in support of ShelterBox) in local shops, the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club at Greenbank and the AZAB Information Point on Discovery Square.