After three intensive RYA selection trials weekends, the Chairman of Selectors, Iain Macdonald-Smith, with the aid of John Derbyshire the RYA Racing Manager, Dave Atkinson, Vice Commodore of the Island Sailing Club and Guy Barron, is delighted to announce the two English teams for the 2002 Rolex Commodores’ Cup.

The selected teams are:

Red team

Bear of Britain, Farr 52, Kit Hobday

Kerisma, Kerr 11.3, Chris Bull

Fandango, Beneteau 40.7, David Scanlan

Blue team

Too Steamy, Farr 40, Nick Haigh

El Gringo, Kerr 11.3, Nick Hartshorn

Fair Do’s V, Kerr 11.3, John Shepard

The selection of the two English teams for the Rolex Commodores’ Cup 2002 has been based upon performance in the trials series of races, sailed during June.

Chairman of Selectors Iain MacDonald Smith said, “It feels like the trials for the two English teams took the whole of June, but in fact the weekend of the Round the Island gave us a break in the action and time for boats to prepare themselves for the IRC Championship.

“We are happy that the selection series has raised the game of the top English boats, and also made them more aware of the rules and conditions for the main event in August.”

The organisers are hoping that this year they could see as many as 12 teams competing for the Rolex Commodores’ Cup with entries already confirmed from Ireland, France, Holland, Belgium and Spain. The event will take place from the 11-18 August 2002 from Cowes on the Isle of Wight, under the organisation of the Royal Ocean Racing Club, with the support of the Island Sailing Club, the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club.

Five of the six boats selected for the English team will now make their way to Ireland to participate in Ford Cork Week, before returning to the Solent to take part in some training before the 2002 Rolex Commodores’ Cup commences.