Volvo support Sydneys three Gold Medallist for Athens

Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy and Shirley Robertson on board with Volvo Car UK

Volvo Car UK Ltd is pleased to announce its increased involvement in Britain's top level sailing with its support of Gold Medallists, Ben Ainslie, Iain Percy and Shirley Robertson in their bids for a second Gold Medal in Athens.

All three sailors are committed to their roles as ambassadors of the Volvo RYA Youth Sailing Programme and the Volvo Musto Optimist Championships. These programmes are designed to find the future sailing stars at an early age and support them through their junior and youth stages of their competitive sailing careers.

Ben Ainslie, MBE will be skippering a Volvo sponsored brand new Swan 70 in this years' Skandia Life Cowes Week, the boat normally known as Robert Condon's 'Serano' will be named 'Volvo for Life' for the duration of the week. Up and coming Youth Sailors from the Volvo Youth Sailing programme will be invited to compete alongside Ben during the week to give them keelboat experience as well as the opportunity to sail with a Gold Medallist.

Ben is a past Gold Medal winner at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships having risen through the ranks at youth level. Having left the America's Cup Syndicate 'One World' in January he is now looking to win his third successive Olympic Medal in Athens sailing the technically challenging Finn.

Iain Percy, MBE will be at the Volvo Musto End of Seasons Optimist Championships this year (12th - 13th October). He will be on hand to offer advice and give a masterclass to the competitors. There's also a chance for any Optimist Sailor competing at all three Volvo Musto sponsored Optimist events this year to win a brand new Devoti Optimist signed by Iain and receive a personal days coaching by him.

Iain is a former Youth Squad member, winning the British Youth National Championships in 1991 and 1992. At only 25 years old, with one Olympic Gold Medal and a degree in Economics from Bristol University to his credit, Iain is embarking on a second Olympic Campaign for Athens 2004, this time in the Star class with crew, Steve Mitchell. Iain is pleased to be close to the grass roots of his sport, "At the RYA there is a culture for Olympic sailors helping at grass roots level. I really enjoy this, and am looking forward to being involved in the Volvo RYA Youth Sailing Programmes."

Now well into her fourth Olympic Campaign, Shirley Robertson, MBE has decided 12 years of going it alone is enough and has recruited two crew-members Inga Leask and Sarah Ayrton in her bid for a second Olympic Gold Medal in Athens 2004. A new all woman class has been introduced for the next Olympics named the Yngling, in which the team will compete. Shirley was herself part of the RYA youth programme in the early stages of her sailing career and understands the importance of supporting the grass roots of her sport. "I am very happy with my continued involvement with Volvo and it's support for British Sailing. Volvo's continued support for youth sailing is fundamental to creating the Olympic and World Champions of the future," commented Shirley.