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Mark Preedy
Uniquely Singapore’s entry in the Clipper 07-08 Round the World Yacht Race will be skippered by British sailor, Mark Preedy.
Mark, 35, has already become quite attached to Uniquely Singapore Clipper, having skippered her to events in Scotland, the Isle of Man and Dublin, as well as the launch ceremony held at St Katharine Docks in London on 13 May to mark the launch of this campaign.
 Read more: Launch of campaign
"I am very proud to be chosen to be the Skipper of Uniquely Singapore," says Mark. "It is so exciting to be associated with such a forward-looking nation and I really can’t wait to sail into the fantastic new Marina at Keppel Bay when the fleet stops over in Singapore."
Born in Barking, Essex, UK, and raised in Burnham on Sea, Somerset, in the Southwest of England, Mark had been pottering around on boats since he was 16, when he and his uncle sailed up the beautiful Caledonian Canal in Scotland. He lived in Belfast, Northern Ireland for a while and sailed with friends there.
"l loved sailing as soon as I started getting on the water with my mates there," he says. "As soon as you throw off your lines, your troubles are on shore, it’s just you and the boat, and that’s when I really started to enjoy it."
After graduating in Rural Resources Management from Aberystwyth University, Mark spent three years as a policeman with the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, based in Weston-super-Mare. He soon realised it wasn’t really what he wanted to do for the next 30 years. However it wasn’t until he was planning a sailing holiday in France with his father that Mark started to get some recognised sailing qualifications at UKSA (United Kingdom Sailing Academy) and discovered there that he could make a living in an industry he loved.
He got a job with UKSA as a second mate, working his way up to first mate, then instructor, with the goal of skippering one of the Clipper yachts during the Clipper 07-08 Race. Mark was teaching a UKSA course when he got a phone call asking him to be a relief skipper on the Clipper 05-06 race. He agreed, on the proviso that it would not harm his chances of becoming a skipper for the full circumnavigation in this race.
So, does he think his previous experience will give him the edge over his fellow skippers this time round? "Not necessarily," he says. "I didn’t make any notes on how to make the boat go quicker. I think I consciously did that so I didn’t give myself too much of an advantage. But there are certain things you naturally know are better for the boat, and I’m quite happy to share those with the crew and the other skippers I’ve been working with. A level playing field makes the racing much more enjoyable."
He continues, "Any advantage is on a personal level. It’s more about my confidence in myself. On the last half of the 05-06 race I learned a lot about my own limits and how to push them and get the best out of other people."
One of the challenges Mark is most looking forward to as Skipper of Uniquely Singapore Clipper is building his team and seeing people grow through sailing as they overcome adversity. "That’s what surprised me about people in the last race," he explains. "Seeing what can be achieved by pushing your own limits. You only limit yourself – no-one else is doing it.”
The crew of Uniquely Singapore needn’t worry about being disturbed by their skipper’s other great love – playing the drums. There won’t be room for him to take them.
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