Mustafa Ingham could not have asked for a better debut racing on the high-performance RC44 yacht.

The Bermuda Red Bull Youth America’s Cup hopeful was among the crew of Team Aqua that clinched the match racing title during yesterday’s opening day of the RC44 Bermuda Cup in the Great Sound.

Team Aqua was among three international teams that finished tied with 4-2 records, but was declared the winner on a tiebreak.

“The boat is amazing!” was how Ingham summed up the experience back at the docks at The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club. “These guys were pretty fast and we won four races.

“Overall, it was a good day out on the water. It was a beautiful day of racing.”

Ingham, who plays Premier Division football with Hamilton Parish, as been heavily involved in the build-up to the RCC44 event, working as part of the shore staff for Team Aqua.

He hopes the experience and knowledge gained this week will help him make the final cut for Team Bermuda later this year.

“I have just been getting around and learning a lot about sailing,” Ingham said.

“Since I’m an athlete I just want to touch up on sailing to make sure I learn. These guys have a lot of knowledge. They are legends and have taught me a lot.

“I have been working with them for two weeks now. I helped bring the boat out of the cradle, set it up and learnt a few things about rigging. I cleaned out a lot of things and washed the boat down properly and polished it by myself, all 44-feet! Wax on, wax off.”

A typical day for Ingham will start at 7am and not finish until 9.30pm.

“It is just amazing seeing the difference between casual sailing and professional sailing,” he said. “These guys have made me feel like part of the team. I really appreciate the opportunity I was given.”

Ingham is one of eight Bermuda Red Bull Youth America’s Cup hopefuls taking part in the regatta, featuring some of the world’s elite sailors among the eight international teams.

The other seven involved are Peter Dill, Na’eem Griffith, Danny Pell, Greg Maybury, Kobe White, Chardo Quinn and Denzel Simons, who will compete on Saturday.

“I’m looking forward to Saturday when I’m actually going to be racing more,” Ingham said. “So far I’ve only had one or two days on the boat, and other than that I’m just pitching in.”

Yesterday’s opening event of the 2016 RC44 championship was contested in flat water and winds that started at 20 knots and gradually strengthened through the day.

Vladimir Liubomirov’s Bronenosec Sailing Team won five of the six races sailed.

However, the defending champions had nothing to show for their superb efforts after incurring a costly two point penalty following a collision in the pre-start of their first race, which cost them the title.

The only race they lost was in the final flight to Artemis, after they suffered a technical issue.

Artemis Racing and Team Nika were the other two teams that finished tied with Chris Bake’s Team Aqua, only to lose out on a complex tiebreak. Officials had to go back to last season’s results before they could eventually declare a winner.

Today will see the teams make the transition from match racing mode to fleet racing when racing resumes in the Great Sound, venue for next year’s 35th America’s Cup.