British University entry for Tour Voile

Simon Shaw tells madforsailing about the first international entry to the race's student division

Simon Shaw and his crew of British university students are the first international entry ever to compete in the student division of the Tour Voile (formerly the Tour de France a la Voile) starting from Le Havre on 29 June and finishing 12 legs later in Mandelieu-La Napoule in the south of France. Despite a lack of money and all concerned fortunate to be bang in the middle of exams, the university crew have put together a campaign which looks set to make Britain's mark on new territory.

The Shaw sailing team first came together at the start of 1998 when four Southampton students decided to try their hand at match racing. They won their first 12 races and over the last three years have gone from strength to strength. The initial four students have now become 12 with experience ranging across the breadth of the big boat and dinghy world. madforsailing's Lynsey Thomas spoke to the skipper.

Who is going to be onboard?

Jeremy Elliot is our bowman. He is an Irish guy who has been doing lots of sailing on Farr 40s. He has been doing bow for the Farr 40 Warlord - he's our big boat specialist and has been helping us with the set up of the rig. Ian Williams is going to do tactics and Peter Bonham Christy will be doing the pit - he has been sailing on Independant Bear. Then there's myself, Owen Modral, Dom Johnson, Dave Mason, Mark Campbell-James, Dan Strider, Ashley Curtis and Rory Scott. CJ, Strider and Curtis are not the main players but they are certainly going to be doing their bit.

So the crew hasn't been finalised yet then?

No. We will have finalised when people can sail, but we have to have an RYA selection before we make our final crew list.

Do you know who will be on the panel?

Bill Edgerton, Craig Mitchell (ISAF) and myself - although I'm not sure what level of input I will be able to have.

Are there any other Universities taking part?

Some of the sailors are from other Universities. Southampton University have been really helpful in giving us lots of advice and contacts. We are the first ever international entry into the Tour Voile's Student Division and before this year the event has been totally dominated by the French.

Do you have a boat sorted?

Yes, we have had a boat donated by Richard Bonham Christy. It's called Bite the Bullet. We put her in the water for the first time last weekend. I think we surprised everyone when we came third overall in the weekend's racing run by the Royal Southern Yacht Club.

Are you doing any training?

As I said , this last weekend was our first time sailing, but we are going to compete in the Mumm 30 Nationals which start on 10 June and use it as training. We have been given lots of advice from the French Tour Voile syndicate who are currently in Cowes. Hopefully we should be up to speed by the 28th.

As you are all students and about to hit the exam period, do you have anyone helping you who isn't currently studying?

Not really. Nearly all of the people involved are studying. All I can say is that we have lots of people who are bending over backwards to help get us on the start line : Spinlock, Marlow Ropes - the list is endless. The RYA have given us £3000 to help with a training programme and we do have promises of some small amounts of money.

I understand that Mike Broughton will be working with you?

Mike is going help us with our navigation on the offshore legs and will be working with us for the first two weeks. Taking bearings on offshore races is something none of us have ever had to do before. Mike is going to hopefully get us round the track.