Though I’ve never been one to stretch reflected glory too far, put your hands together please for Scottish sailor Ian Budgen, widely known throughout the sailing community as Budgie, for he has has joined the Green Dragon Racing Team as a replacement for Damian Foxall on the fourth leg from Singapore to Qingdao.

The 38 year-old all rounder, whose experience ranges from Olympic 49er
campaigns to America’s Cup and TP52s, returns to the Volvo Ocean Race after
sailing for five legs with Paul Cayard’s Pirates of the Caribbean in
2005-2006.

Based in Hamble in the south of England, Budgen has raced with most of the
existing Green Dragon crew, either in the Solent or further afield and his
arrival will give Foxall, who has been with the boat since the start in
Alicante, a much needed rest.

So what’s my connection then? Well I once shared a work station with his lovely partner Samantha Brunner who worked as YM’s Geoff Pack Scholar, but more importantly for me, she liked talking about books.

That’s it. Link over. Good luck Ian.