Since the team's return from Auckland, GBR Challenge has continued to be fully financed out of [Peter] Harrison's own pocket and since April 2004 a further £3m has gone in (Harrison says that in total he has spent £26.5m on the campaign since its inception).

How close was he to securing all the money required for another go?

"I got Charles Dunstone willing to put up £15m," says Harrison, "I was to put up £5m and we were talking to HSBC Bank and a number of other institutions for £10m. And in the middle of November HSBC bank withdrew."

HSBC had been courted for over 12 months and in the last four months of this period, says Harrison, they were down to the detail.

What is the more astonishing is that Dunstone's involvement started back in May 2004 and this still was not enough to influence HSBC's marketing suits.

"Charles and Carphone Warehouse is a major banking customer at HSBC, as I am," says Harrison (their combined personal worth is estimated to be in the region of £600m+). "So I thought as two major customers we had got it cracked, but we hadn't. I think they have made a mistake. It's their money, it's their choice, and they have all have missed a great opportunity."

And what rubs salt into the wound even more is the HSBC sponsorship of the Oryx Quest. Harrison only comments that he is curious that they are "backing Tracy Edwards in the Doha thing."