GBR Red celebrate 2008 Rolex Commodores’ Cup glory
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Article Date: 2008-07-07
View Count: 241
RYA Team GBR
Rolex Commodores’ Cup manager Dave Atkinson hailed the team spirit of 2008 Cup
winners GBR Red before admitting he was delighted the prestigious trophy was
back in British hands.
Having laid
down the gauntlet to their closest rivals going into the final race, courtesy of
a sensational clean sweep in the penultimate day Round The Island Race, GBR
Red’s three boats – Fair Do’s VII, Erivale and Quokka -
held their nerve in the last double-points inshore of the 2008 event today
(Sunday 6 July) to secure a 22-point Championship victory over second-placed
Ireland White.
In 30 knots
of breeze, it was John Shepherd’s Fair Do’s VII that led the way for GBR Red clinching second in Class One in
the inshore with Erivale taking fourth in Class Two. But although Class
Three boat Quokka had a slightly tougher time of it in the final outing,
her ninth was more than enough to seal a deserved overall team
victory.
Atkinson
said: “We have been working with these three boats for the past two years and
with John Shepherd and Peter Rutter having done fours Commodores’ Cups in the
past and this being Jerry Otter’s second, their experience definitely paid off
in the end.
“There was
such fantastic team spirit amongst all three crews but although they had
certainly laid down the foundations for Cup victory with Saturday’s Round The
Island performance they were still beatable going into the final race. It only
needed one boat to fall short or Lady Luck to go against them and the story
could have been very different. But the luck was with them and they did the job
superbly, I am a very happy man.”
Atkinson was
also quick to pay tribute to the other three British teams, many of whose boats
were taking their Commodores’ Cup bows.
He added:
“GBR White did particularly well, they posted some great results and for many
people their Class One boat, Poppy of Portland Marina, was the surprise
package of the whole regatta.
“I’m
confident that we have potentially seen the next crop of British Commodore’s Cup
winners coming through and we have already started talking about the ways they
can help and how we can move forward together. The standard of racing this year
has been excellent and it will only improve again for 2010. We have to make sure
we build on what’s happened here this week and give ourselves the best possible
chance of defending our title.”
2008 Rolex
Commodores’ Cup overall results:
1) GBR
Red 122
2) Ireland White
144
3) Ireland Green
161
4) France Blue
166.5
5) Hong Kong
180.5
6) Netherlands Red
206
7) France White
256.5
8) GBR
White
275.5
9) France Red
290.5
10) GBR Black
299
11) Netherlands White
321.5
12) France Green
331.5
13) GBR Blue
379.5
14) Netherlands Blue
404
15) Spain
479
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