After a successful first year where Marlow Ropes sponsored over twenty RYA Development Squad sailors, supplying them with free ropes and advice to help further their Olympic campaigns, Marlow continue their support into 2004.

Marlow will again become the official rope supplier to the RYA Performance and Development Squads as well as providing specific product sponsorship for the period of twelve months to one Development Squad sailor in each class as recommended by the RYA.

To launch the second year of sponsorship 49er sailors Tom Smedley and Dan Brown attended the Schroders London International Boat Show to receive their years supply of free ropes, as did Europe sailor Andrea Brewster.

The Development Squad sponsorships are awarded based on performance and Smedley, pairing up with Brown, is making a successful transition from the 29er fleet in which he won a bronze medal at the world championships. The new pairing have made a remarkable start in the class over the winter series, leading many of the more experienced 49er sailors during the Holt RYA National Ranking Series.

Brown commented: “We are delighted to be awarded this sponsorship. We have been training really hard in the class and have just spent all our money on a new boat so it is great that we will get free ropes for the year in order to kit it out and we know that we can rely on the quality of the rope.”

Brewster also attended the Show to pick up her sponsorship award, which was given for her performance at the 2003 Pre-Olympics, Athens. Although missing out on selection to the 2004 Olympic Games, she has her sights firmly set on winning a medal at the 2008 Games.