Mustafa Ingham says he is “honoured and humbled” to be competing among the world’s elite sailors in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, which starts on Boxing Day.

The 21-year-old is among the crew competing on racing yacht InfoTrack owned by Christian Beck, the Australian entrepreneur.

“It’s most definitely the opportunity of a lifetime and I’m honoured but also humbled to be a part of such a star-studded team,” said Ingham, who competed for Team Bermuda in the Red Bull Youth America’s Cup in the Great Sound last year.

“It’s a great learning experience being able to sail and get information from the best sailors in the world and to be able to call them my team-mates.”

Beck’s 100-foot super maxi won the 630 nautical-mile race from Sydney to Hobart under its former name Perpetual Loyal 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 34:42:53.

Ingham and his team-mates have spent plenty of time gelling in the lead up to the race.

“The first two days everyone was getting used to sailing with one another since the majority were fresh off of the Volvo Ocean Race with different teams,” he added. “Everyone was getting on the same page. We had a couple of breakages in the first week but everything is coming together now and running pretty well.

“On such a big boat it just comes down to communication since they most definitely have the skill and knowledge.”

Ingham is making his offshore racing debut in the Sydney Hobart Race having obtained his offshore yachtmaster status after completing an apprenticeship at the Volvo Ocean Race Academy last summer.

“The adrenalin will be pumping on Boxing Day as we exit but I’ll just keep my head down.”

A total of 92 yachts have entered the race with last year’s winner Ichi Ban among a highly competitive international fleet.

Meanwhile, Magnus Ringsted saved his best for last at the Mapfre Middlesea Euromed Regatta which finished in Malta at the weekend.

He placed fourth in the final race, his best showing of the 11-race series, to finish 28th among the 61-strong Gold Fleet. Ringsted was accompanied in Malta by Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Sailing Academy colleague Rachael Betschart, who placed twelfth in the 60-strong Silver Fleet.