Mustafa Ingham will make his offshore racing debut competing in one of the world’s most iconic ocean races.

The Bermudian is set to compete in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race and says he is excited about the big occasion.

“I look forward to my first offshore race and I’m hoping for the best result,” said Ingham, who competed for Team Bermuda in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup in the Great Sound last year.

“It’s amazing to know that I get to compete in this historic race and also get to watch the world’s most accomplished sailors do what they do best.

“There are heaps of ex-Volvo Ocean Race sailors from this year’s race with experience and accolades.”

The 21-year old certified offshore yachtmaster is among the crew that will compete on the racing yacht InfoTrack owned by Christian Beck, the Australian entrepreneur.

Beck’s 100-foot Maxi won the 630 nautical mile race from Sydney, New South Wales to Hobart, Tasmania under its former name Loyal Perpetual in 2016 in a record time of 1 day, 13hr 31min 20sec, which was broken the next year by rival Comanche.

InfoTrack and Comanche are also former winners of the Newport Bermuda Race, the latter holder of the race record which stands at 34hr 42min 53sec.

“The boat has a lot of history and good results under its name,” added Ingham, who obtained offshore yachtmaster status from the Volvo Ocean Race Academy last summer and is set to join Bermudian sailors such as James Kempe to have competed in the race.

Beck’s Maxi won the 2008 and 2010 Newport Bermuda Races under its original name, Speedboat.

Ingham will serve under InfoTrack skipper Joe Akacich, who says he feels good about his team’s chances for success this year.

“We are certainly better prepared this year and many modifications throughout the year leave us in a good competitive position,” Akacich said.

“Our biggest investment has been in new sails and a reaching strut so we can carry more sails with wider sheeting angles.”

The Sydney Hobart Race is run in conjunction with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania and is widely regarded as one of the most difficult yacht races in the world.

The race starts on Boxing Day.