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Hannah and Shirley support RNLI at Cowes Week
Olympic gold
medallist Shirley Robertson and trans-Atlantic sailor Hannah White are RNLI
Cowes Week Ambassadors and will be representing the charity that saves lives at
sea during the week long event.
Team Helly Hansen’s
Hannah White won her class and
came fourth overall in the Original Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race (OSTAR)
in 2009, securing her reputation as one of the sport’s most dynamic young
protégés. Hannah is now working towards making the transition to Open 60
racing.
As part of her
role as RNLI Cowes Week Ambassador, Hannah is offering three people and their
friends the chance to learn more about the RNLI and spend a day racing with her
at Cowes on a Beneteau 40.7. To win a place on Hannah’s boat, visit www.rnli.org.uk/win or call 0845 121499.
Hannah said: ‘I’ve seen first
hand what the sea can be like in bad weather and I have enormous respect for
the men and women of the RNLI who volunteer to risk their lives to save others
at sea. It’s great to get involved with the charity at Cowes Week and spread
the word among the sailing world about the good work they do.’
Shirley has been
sailing since she was 7 and won gold medals at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and
the Athens Olympics in 2004. She also skippered the catamaran Team iShares
in the high adrenaline Extreme 40 sailing series last year.
Shirley said: ‘As
someone who has sailed since a young age, I’ve always supported the RNLI and
it’s great to be able to represent the charity at Cowes Week. I’m looking
forward to getting involved in RNLI activities throughout the week and would
encourage anyone coming along to the regatta, either as a spectator or
competitor, to come and support the RNLI too.’
There are plenty
of opportunities to find out more about the RNLI and support the charity during
the week-long regatta. Grab your friends and take part in beach-themed team
games in aid of the charity at Shepards Wharf on Monday night , do some life
saving shopping at the RNLI shop on the High Street, or talk to our fundraisers
and find out how to make regular donations.
The RNLI is the official charity
of Cowes Week for the second year in a row. All the
money raised at the international sailing regatta will stay on the Isle of
Wight, helping to fund the island’s three RNLI lifeboat stations.
Notes to editors
- Picture captions – Picture 1: Helly Hansen
sponsored trans-Atlantic sailor Hannah White is an RNLI Cowes Week
Ambassador. Picture 2 – Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson shows her
support for the RNLI as one of the charity’s Cowes Week Ambasssadors.
www.hannah-white.com
- The day’s racing with Hannah White will take
place on Saturday, 7 August 2010. To find out how to enter, and read the
terms and conditions, go to www.rnli.org.uk/win or call 0845 121499.
- Hannah White is a member of Team Helly Hansen
and completed the OSTAR 2009 in her 33 foot Figaro class boat PureSolo.
She is now planning to make the transition into Open 60 racing.
- As part of Helly Hansen’s international team
of athletes, Hannah White takes part in developing the
brand’s performance sailing gear for women.
- Shirley Robertson won gold
medals in the 2000 Athens Olympics in the Europe class and in the 2004
Athens Olympics in the Yngling class. For more information, visit her
website at www.shirleyrobertson.com.
- 10%
of the money raised by the RNLI at Cowes Week will go to local Isle of
Wight charities.
- To find out more about the RNLI at Cowes Week,
visit www.rnli.org.uk/cowesweek2010.
- 2010 Cowes Week dates: 31 July to 7 August.
Media
contacts
For more information please contact the Isla Reynolds,
Public Relations Officer, on 01202 663127 or 07899 076224 or by email at
isla_reynolds@rnli.org.uk.
RNLI online
For more information on the RNLI
please visit www.rnli.org.uk.
News releases and other media resources, including RSS feeds, downloadable
photos and video, are available at the RNLI Press Centre www.rnli.org.uk/press
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at
sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the
United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates over 230
lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and has more than 150 lifeguard units
on beaches around the UK. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government
and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service.
Since the RNLI was founded in 1824 its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved
over 139,000 lives.