International Canoe World Championships - UK team are packed
by Steve Clarke 19 Jul 2014 21:44 BST
12 July 2014
The UK International Canoe World Championships team comprising of 11 boats were packed on Saturday ready for shipping to Richmond YC, USA for the IC XIX World Championships to be held in September on San Francisco Bay.
A 6 week sea voyage lies ahead of this valuable cargo representing some of the UK's latest and newest IC designs since the class re-adopted its development class status in 2009.
The team comprises of; two one-design Nethercotts, Alistair Warren's original Monkey and two of his latest Dragonfly twin chine design together with two variations of Phil Morrison's design which has a more rounded underwater sections and single chine. The Morrison2 has an extended chine rail feature and is represented by four boats produced by new Company C12 Performance Boats. The Morrrison1 and Dragonfly boats were built in full or part completed by Andy Patterson of Bloodaxe Boats.
With a whole range of supporting spare parts, repair facilities, deck chairs and the odd kitchen sink included, the team has been immaculately prepared by GBR Captain Alistair Warren to expect the unexpected with meticulous organisation. The boats are expected to arrive at the end of August and the team will be arriving anywhere between 3 weeks and 1 day before the start of the racing on 6th September.
The UK team is probably the strongest for many years with new boats which have had the benefit of several years testing and development and a smattering of former National and World Champions making up the team members with a huge amount of experience. The IC World Championships with the New York Canoe Club Challenge Trophy is one of the second oldest international sailing competitions in the World (Americas Cup is the oldest) and the culmination of the event is a single day challenge between the defender (currently USA) and the strongest country throughout the championships to race.
The New York Canoe Club Challenge was first awarded in 1886 originally partly founded by Baden-Powell. It wasn't until Uffa Fox developed a ground breaking design and with his sailing prodigy Roger de Quincy that the trophy was first won for the UK in 1933. The IC World Championships have been won several times since then but not yet within the latest rules changes which have developed to produce faster, narrow boats with a reduced weight of 50kg minimum all up, excluding sails. Hopefully the team and new boats will be up to the challenge to beat the holders USA on their home ground with the challenging conditions in the Bay to win the event and bring back this cosseted trophy.
The UK IC Team is sponsored by Williams Shipping and C12 Performance Boats.
For further information the following links will be useful:
International Canoe World Championships
International Canoe UK website