Sailing on Blue Peter next Monday

By Jo Grindley 04 Oct 2001 20:28

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Watch Blue Peter this Monday 8th October at 5pm on BBC 1 for a top sailing feature

Olympic Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson took Blue Peter sailing on 17th September at the Southampton Boat Show. This wasn't your usual learn to sail initiation, but Blue Peter presenter Matt Baker had a baptism of fire, one hours coaching and then into full on racing mode against the likes of Iain Percy, Adam May and the Rawlinson sisters.

The format was pairs racing in which one simple rule applies, if your team-member comes last you lose. So racing was tight and exciting. The teams all had particularly good pedigrees.

Team Volvo Musto Optimists: Iain Percy and Ben Saxton, Stevie Mitchell and Tim Saxton

Olympic Gold Medallist Iain Percy has teamed up with former Etchells World Champion Stevie Mitchell for an Olympic Star campaign in 2004. Sailing with them Ben and Tim Saxton (11) who finished second and fifth at this years Volvo Musto Optimist National Championship.

Team Volvo Youth Sailing: Shirley Robertson and Matt Baker, Victoria and Emma Rawlinson

A top match racer as well as Olympic Gold Medallist, Shirley teamed up with Blue Peter presenter, Matt Baker for the days racing. Gold and Silver Volvo / ISAF Youth World Champions, Victoria and Emma Rawlinson completed the team.

Team World Class Performance: Adam May and John Pink, Jim Taylor and Ian Martin

Adam May finished sixth at the 2000 Sydney Olympics crewing for Hugh Styles in the Tornado, Jon Pink is reigning 29er World and European Champion. Another of the 29er Volvo RYA Youth squad sailors Ian Martin sailed with WCP Laser Sailor Jim Taylor who recently finished 15th out of 160 at the Laser World Championships.

The course sailed was a starboard-rounding trapezoid. The racing was very close, and rules were strictly enforced by on the water judges, Craig Mitchell, John Doerr and Cathy Foster.

Iain Percy capsized in the first race against the Volvo Youth Sailing Team, but managed to recover, with the help of his team-mate to win the race. Adam May succeeded in getting penalised the most amount of times, making his crew 29er World and European Champion, Jon Pink dizzy.

Team Volvo Musto Optimist won both their qualifying races to go through to the final. In the fight for the final place it was the Volvo Youth Sailing Team who beat Team World Class Performance for a place in the final, and a chance to win £500.00 for a charity of their choice.

In the final, The Rawlinson's and Robertson got away cleanly to round the windward mark in first and second place, however without the live commentary of Olympic Tornado sailor Hugh Styles it would have been hard to keep up with the place changes. Coming into the finish it looked as though the Youth Team had won with Iain Percy and Ben Saxton lying in last place, but Mitchell managed to take Robertson to the wrong side of the finishing line. On returning she was caught on port tack by Percy coming into finish and had a complete a 360-penalty turn.

It looked as though the Optimist team had clinched the victory, until Percy hit the finishing bouy. Fortunately for Percy and Ben Saxton they competed their penalty turn quicker than Robertson and Blue Peter's Matt Baker, to win by just half a second.

The winning team received a cheque for £500.00 from the Sports Minister to give to a charity of their choice, The Eric Twiname Trust, who support junior and youth sailing throughout the UK. All the competitors received a Blue Peter badge for their endeavours.

Eleven-year-old twins Ben and Tim Saxton had been given the day off school to compete, was it worth it? "It was really exciting to be racing with two Olympic Gold Medallists - it was hard work. It was great just to be taking part, but winning made it even better!" True champions in the making?

Event Photos: (click thumbnail for full picture)

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