www.SPINNAKERWEB.net - RYA Completes Line-Up for 2008 Rolex Commodores' Cup

A tough mix of inshore and offshore racing, the Rolex Commodores' Cup pits teams comprising one boat in three specified class bands against one another to accrue overall team points. The three-boat team with the lowest overall points total is crowned champions.

As in 2006, RYA Team GBR will have four teams, totaling 12 boats, entered in the event. And following previous announcements regarding the selections of the first two teams that will represent RYA Team GBR at this summer's Cup regatta, six more boats across the three event classes have been invited to complete the British entry.

Which boats will race in which three-boat team will now be considered by RYA selectors over the course of three Solent-based events, plus the RORC De Guingand Bowl offshore event, between now and the start of the Rolex Commodores' Cup on Sunday 29 June.

The final team combinations will be announced following the RORC IRC Nationals in mid-June. The latest Class One boats to be recruited to RYA Team GBR are Poppy of Portland Marina (John Dean) and Dark and Steamy (Nick & Anne Haigh), who recently finished second and first respectively at the Raymarine Warsash Big Boat Spring Championship.

Meanwhile, there will be a true family affair in Class Two as Jim Macgregor helms Premier Flair with daughters Skandia Team GBR Yngling sailor Lucy and Volvo RYA Keelboat Programme member Nicky among the crew. British Soldier (Mike Lawrence) is the other latest Class Two addition.

Prime Suspect (David & Gill Richards) and Jaguar of Burnham (Adrian Lower) have the nod to make up the Class Three entries.

Two years ago, the French team France Blue held off a strong challenge from Ireland to take the honours ahead of 12 other teams from a total of six nations.

But having relinquished the title they won for the second time in 2004, Great Britain will be hoping one of their four teams will be able to wrestle the silverware back this year.

The first team selected for RYA Team GBR comprises Fair Dos VII (John Shepherd) in Class One, Erivale (Jerry Otter) in Class Two and Quokka (Peter Rutter) in Class Three while a Northern-based team consisting of boats from Scotland, North West England and Northern Ireland is made up of Novus Arca (Kelly/Brammall-chartered) in Class One, Sail4Cancer (Nigel Biggs) in Class Two and Exaltation (David McFarlane) in Class Three.

All 12 British boats are now under the direction of RYA Commodores' Cup Team Manager David Atkinson.