British boats away for Wayfarer International Championships
by Stewart Reed 30 Jun 2004 11:19 BST
All the British boats travelling to the International Championship in Toronto are now heading across the Atlantic securely packed in containers aboard the 'OOCL Montreal'. The ship left Thamesport on 28 June and should be at Port Credit YC well before the start of the event on 2nd. August. The class owe a huge debt of gratitude to the British Team's main sponsor, the shippers, CPShips.
In total 16 boats are being shipped from Great Britain and 2 from Northern Ireland with a further 2 teams chartering boats in Canada.
The organizers advise a total of 58 teams have taken up their places with the balance coming from Scandinavia, USA and naturally, Canada.
Most British competitors completed their training at the well supported Nationals at Blackwater SC just before the boats were packed. The favourites, Ian Porter/Kevan Gibb from HISC were however seen collecting the winner's silverware at the Southern's at Lymington Town SC over 26/27 June in a brand new foam sandwich grp boat, 10388. In Canada this Hayling duo can expect to be pushed hard by the Barkers (father and son) from Norfolk Broads SC and Toby Mace and Rachael Rhodes from Waldringfield SC.