Sigi Solly aims to set a sailing record at Rutland Water. He will sail for eight hours to raise money for charity.
Sigi’s cousin has a rare liver disease that inspired him to pursue this challenge. He first thought he would sail around Great Britain, but this proved too expensive for fundraising purposes.
Sailing around the Isle of Wight was another idea. However, Sigi decided the training was too intense and chose the reservoir challenge instead. It involves sailing at Rutland Water in a dinghy.
Donations will support research for Sclerosing Cholangitis, and Sigi wants to help find a cure. He said he can be a “foot soldier” in the fight.
The challenge will be tough and physical. He has trained for the past three months, and Sigi starts his sailing attempt on March 15th at 8 AM.
Witnesses will gather evidence for the record. A successful attempt will create a new Guinness World Record, covering the most miles sailed on a reservoir.
Sigi is 64 and lives in Uffington. He hopes to sail about 30 miles, depending on the wind conditions. He prefers winds between 3 and 23 mph.
Sigi also wants to raise awareness. His cousin’s disease, called primary sclerosing cholangitis, inflames the liver’s bile ducts. Currently, there is no known cure.