Industry Sailing Challenge 2002 Overall
by Chris Clode 16 Jul 2002 11:14 BST
RICARDO TRIUMPHS IN CLOSE FOUGHT FINAL OF INDUSTRY SAILING CHALLENGE 2002
After a consistent second and fourth in the two inshore races followed by a win in the round the island race, Paul McNamara from Ricardo and the crew of Sunsail 66 overcame stiff opposition to win the twelve boat final of Industry Sailing Challenge 2002 sailed in Sunsail’s matched fleet of new Sunfast 37 yachts in the Solent on 13th & 14th July.
Under sunny skies and a light north westerly breeze of 12 knots the twelve yachts got away from the committee boat start off Fishbourne for the first of the two short round the cans races. At the end of the first lap it was the crew of Sunsail 64 Dupont skippered by Mark Williams leading with Sunsail 66 Ricardo helmed by Paul McNamara second, closely followed by Colin Boyd and his crew in Sunsail 70 Vaio. With a lightening breeze and a strong flood tide tactics were important and the two leading boats held their nerve and were never threatened to the finish, but Tom Davidson and his crew on Sunsail 67 Deloitte Consulting, came through to take third place.
By the time the second race started the wind had dropped to 8 knots and with a strong tide 5 of the 12 yacht were over the line at the start, losing valuable time in getting back and restarting. Sunsail 70 Vaio sailed by Colin Boyd got a great start and after a long slow beat rounded the windward mark in first place, closely followed by Mark Williams in Sunsail 64 Dupont and John Marston and his crew from Marston Hotels sailing Sunsail 60.
A tricky run under spinnakers ensued, with the fleet splitting into two, those trying to duck in under the island shore to get out of the tide in the dying wind, and those who stood off to catch what little breeze there was.
The latter strategy paid off, and with the wind not picking up at all, Clive Vaughan the Race Officer shortened course and finished the fleet at Mother Bank buoy. Victory went to John Marston on Sunsail 60 Marston Hotels, followed closely by Colin Boyd and the crew from Vaio and Mark Williams in Sunsail 64 Dupont bringing up third place.
The yachts then moved up to Cowes for the start of the third and final race round the Isle of Wight which started from the Royal London Yacht Club line and carried double points. There was therefore still a chance for most of the twelve yachts competing to take the much-coveted overall trophy.
The breeze had now picked up to a force 4 south westerly and first away and storming up the first beat with an ebb tide under her was Sunsail 68 Ricardo sailed by Gary Farrow. She cross tacked all the way up the west Solent with Sunsail 70 Colin Boyd in Vaio, followed closely by the second Ricardo boat, Sunsail 66 sailed by Paul McNamara.
The wind eased at the Needles, the yachts broke out their spinnakers and ran round the back of the island, splitting into three groups of four, but with only just over a mile separating them all by the time they rounded Bembridge Ledge. There was still enough wind to carry them through the forts and up the eastern Solent to the finish line at Cowes, and it was Paul McNamara on Sunsail 66 Ricardo that finished at 0050 on Sunday morning, 14th July, closely followed by Colin Boyd in Sunsail 70 Vaio, with Alan Moore and his crew on Sunsail 65 Innogy in third place.
Race officers then had the task of sorting out the final points and the overall winner was Ricardo, Sunsail 66, Paul McNamara with 8 points, second was Vaio sailed by Colin Boyd on Sunsail 70 with 13 points and third was Dupont, Sunsail 64 sailed by Mark Williams.
Thus ended another eventful year in the history of Industry Sailing Challenge, with Paul McNamara and the Ricardo crew on Sunsail 66 winning the much coveted overall trophy and a £1000 Sunsail Holiday Voucher for each of the six crew.
Colin Boyd and the crew of Vaio in second place on board Sunsail 70, each take home £500 Sunsail holiday vouchers, and third overall Mark Williams and the crew of Dupont, each win Sunsail holiday vouchers of £250 each, a total prize fund of £10,000 which was given away at the prize-giving brunch held at the Royal London YC.
Industry Sailing Challenge is believed to be the largest corporate sailing event in the world and this year attracted nearly 80 companies which took part in the four Challenge Rounds, with three boats from each heat going through to the final. It is a combination of skill, team building and planning, as well as being a demanding challenge. Crews from both large and small companies take part with internationally known companies racing head to head with complete unknowns.
Commenting on the final of Industry Sailing Challenge 2002, Chris Satchwell, General Manager of Sunsail (UK), said: -
“This year’s Industry Sailing Challenge has been one of the most competitive we have ever run. The standard of helmsmanship and crewing has been of the highest order and I must congratulate Paul McNamara and the winning crew from Ricardo who have shown consistent good judgement and clever tactics to win the event overall.
“As a competition, Industry Sailing Challenge is unique. It combines strength, teamwork, skill and the building of trust in each of the crews taking part.
We look forward to welcoming more competitors to Industry Sailing Challenge next year, and the entry forms are already available.”