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It was the first time for the OBA Sailing team to enter the annual Alumni Business Cup and although the team only managed to get the 12th position in the overall ranking they came home with another important achievement: the prize for the best team spirit. Oxford’s skipper Daniel Seiderer: “Once again it has been proven that Oxford MBAs know how to have fun.”

Earlier this year, Forbes ranked Oxford as the “non-US business school with the most satisfied MBAs”. Besides this being a result of Oxford’s academic excellence and its positive career impact, this surely also speaks for the good time and the great fun one has while studying at Oxford. At the annual Alumni Business Cup which took place in La Ciotat on the French Côte d’Azur, the Oxford team has once more demonstrated that they really know how to have fun: The OBA Sailing team was awarded the prize for the best team spirit.

The Alumni Business Cup is one of four major sailing events for MBAs in Europe which form the MBA Sailing League. The ABCup offers an excellent mixture of real one-design racing and great social and networking events.

This year, strong winds guaranteed four eventful days of sailing and racing on the water. The Harvard boat was involved in three (almost) collisions and, on the last day when all boats were sailing with storm jib and second reef in the main, the second race had to be cancelled after one of the boats had hit the race committee’s RIB.

But except for a deflated air chamber on the race committee’s RIB (and a small hole in the boat of one of Harvard’s adversaries) no serious damages were to bemoan. And the tough competition on the water was quickly forgotten as soon as the cocktail parties and dinners started each evening.

The last day was concluded with an amazing prize-giving dinner with – thanks to Mumm’s sponsorship – an unlimited supply of champagne. And although Oxford only came 12th in the overall ranking the OBA Sailing team was awarded with two special prizes, one for the team with the best team spirit and one for first-time participation.

The OBA Sailing team did enjoy the four days in France and wishes to thank the organisers, Marc Le Borgne and Philippe Lerique, for the fantastic event. It might have been Oxford’s first participation in the ABCup but, for sure, it won’t have been the last. The whole OBA Sailing team is already really enthusiastic about the next regatta.

For a selection of photos from this year’s ABCup please click here. If you would like to join the OBA Sailing team for future events (no previous sailing experience required but you need to know how to have fun) please contact Daniel Seiderer (mobile: +44-77-16160519).