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British No 1 trains with world champ
British number one Melges 24 sailor, John Pollard, is fine-tuning his race campaign as he prepares for the World Championships next week.
John, head of Westaway Sails, is currently leading the Melges 24 fleet with Team Xcellent having scored podium places in two major regattas this year. He is also the current British national champion.
In February, Team Xcellent won the St Petersburg Regatta held in Florida, winning four races out of six.
Organisers were so impressed with the team's performance, they awarded Xcellent Boat of the Championship over 270 boats and told the team at the prizegiving 'Nice job guys, you fly.'
Last month, Team Xcellent took part in the super competitive SNIM world ranking regatta in Marseilles, France, where they came third, beating several top Melges 24 sailors including the current Melges 24 world champion, Italian Bette Bossini, and also the 2007 Key West regatta champion, Riccardo Simoneschi.
John said: "We now have a fantastic team set up with many technical innovations which are all home grown from our sail loft and in battle situations this gives us an edge.
"It's great to be back on top and winning international races. In the last regatta, we competed in there were nine countries represented including Germany and Italy and numerous international Olympians.
"Once you have the right sail inventory, crew and set up, the weather is a big influence and obtaining accurate information is a priority especially where the competition is so high."
He added: "I'm looking forward to the worlds, it should be a great event."
Team Xcellent is currently training with Bossini prior to the Melges 24 World Championship which takes place in Santa Cruz, California from May 3 - 12.
Florida success earns Westaway a trip to the Virgin Islands
Westaway Sails has won the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta in St. Petersburg, Florida, finishing ahead of more than 1,000 competitors from 31 US states as well as Canada.
Helm John Pollard, head of Westaway, and his crew on the Melges 24 Xcellent were simply that at the top regatta at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, winning a trip to Sunsail in the British Virgin Islands to compete against winners from each of the additional eight stops on the Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta Series.
The Melges 24 class was the largest competing, with 44 boats. Pollard won his class with four first-place finishes over six races, for a winning total of 18 points.
"I guess we're going to Sunsail!" said Pollard to his crew moments after being named as the overall winner. Additionally, Xcellent was named boat of the day on the last day of the festivities and the entire crew was outfitted by Sperry Top-Sider.
In second place was Othmar Mueller von Blumencron, of Great Falls, Vancouver, and his Gannet with 28 points, while Melges 24 class president Scott Gregory (Marietta, Georgia) and his team Satisfaction finished third with 29 points.
Third place in North American Championships
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Westaway Sails' sailing team, Xcellent, has come third in the Melges 24 North American national championships. The team, with John Pollard, head of Westaway Sails at the helm, led for much of the championship showing some impressive sailing and sail control in testing conditions. However, they were called OCS on the final day and after returning to the start line were then unable to make up enough ground and had to be content with third place overall. Picture: Three of the Xcellent Melges24 team, from left: Mickey Schawarz, Rob Smith and John Pollard |
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