Olympic Sailing Heroes To Open PSP Southampton Boat Show
August 28, 2008 0 comments
Britain's sailing stars have returned from Qingdao with the best Olympic medal haul for over a century and National Boat Shows (NBS) is thrilled to announce that the PSP Southampton Boat Show, in association with ITV Meridian, will be opened on 12th September by these Olympic sailing heroes.
Britain’s sailing stars have returned from Qingdao with the best Olympic medal haul for over a century and National Boat Shows (NBS) is thrilled to announce that the PSP Southampton Boat Show, in association with ITV Meridian, will be opened on 12th September by these Olympic sailing heroes.
Gold medal winners Ben Ainslie, Paul Goodison, Iain Percy, Andrew Simpson, Sarah Ayton, Sarah Webb and Pippa Wilson, who are part of Skandia Team GBR, will arrive, with their fellow Olympic team members, at the Show with Mike Golding on his yacht ECOVER 3 at 10am. They will then make their way to the Main Stage – powered by Fairline, at 11am to officially open the Show and begin the celebrations for this very special 40th year. Skandia Team GBR is the British Sailing Team in the Olympic and Paralympic classes and is managed by the RYA (Royal Yachting Association).
All 11 boats and 18 sailors who went to Qingdao qualified for their respective medal races and came home with a total medal count of four gold, one silver and one bronze. The silver medal was brought home by Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield in the men’s 470 and the bronze went to Bryony Shaw for the women’s RS:X windsurfing.
Standing alongside the modern day Olympic heroes at the opening of the Show, will be boating legends and television personalities from the past 40 years. Representing the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s, the stars will be celebrating the Show’s illustrious forty years history; since it was first started by Norman Kemish back in 1969.
The who’s who line up of past, present and modern day sailing will include Dame Ellen MacArthur – arguably one of the most well known sailors in the world – who will be flying the flag for boating in the 00s.
Stepping back a few years and representing the 90s will be legendary eight-time World Powerboat Champion Steve Curtis MBE. Steve’s illustrious career arguably spans a number of decades, but it was his 1998 win that saw him clinch his third title as throttleman on Spirit Of Norway, which proved to be a defining point in his powerboat career.
Fans of the popular 80s television series Howard’s Way, will delight in a personal appearance from stalwart character Kate O’Mara, who played Laura Wilde, and who added a touch of glamour as well as drama to boating.
In the 70s, the late Sir Peter Blake completed the prestigious Whitbread Round the World Race instantly making him a national hero in his native New Zealand. Lady Pippa Blake, his widow, will be attending the Show in his honour after Sir Peter’s tragic and untimely death in 2001.
There could be nobody more suitable than sailing legend Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, to represent the 60s – a decade that saw him undertake his first solo navigation of the world, which turned out to be the first of many epic adventures for Sir Robin!
As part of the opening celebrations The Main Stage – Powered by Fairline, will feature a retro-style fashion show with live music from 80s tribute group Infantasia.
Book your tickets
To book tickets for the opening of the Show and get your chance to see the gold medal winning sailors in the flesh, simply call the ticket hotline on 0844 209 0333 or book online at www.southamptonboatshow.com. Also visit the website for the latest updates on features and attractions and all the information you’ll need to plan your day.
The PSP Southampton Boat Show is your Show, come and make the most of it!
