News

Press Release - 20 July 2007

BEN Enters first Qualifying Yacht Race to St Malo

Friday 13th July might not be the ideal date to start the first steps towards qualifying for the notorious Rolex Fastnet race but for the intrepid crew who are raising funds for BEN, the Automotive Industry Charity, this was the start of a huge learning curve and one of those life experiences which are rather easier to rationalize and enjoy the experience as a past tense in the bar than while in the 'thick of it'.

Having started the first qualifying race to St Malo aboard the 60ft. vessel Lisme in force 4 to 5 Lisme exited the Solent into the English Channel and headed to the west to take advantage of the prevailing tide before taking up a southerly course for France.

Dust came and went with little effect other than the constant drop of barometric pressure. Inevitably in the early hours the winds rose to as much as force 7 and on more than one occasion the embryonic crew were required to make the precarious crawl up to the foredeck to deal with trapped sheets and lines, often up to their waists in water as the boat heeled over in the 30 knot winds.

By the dawn the crew was exhausted and the inevitable effects of sea sickness had taken their toll so the weakening winds were welcomed.

Jimmy Hill once described a game of football as a 'game of two halves' as this was how this race was to turn out because after passing Guernsey the weakening winds all but disappeared leaving the 26 ton displacement vessel wallowing with no sail power.

Prayer power clearly had an effect and a force 4 to 5 gradually re appeared to power the boat in a flat sea over the finishing line.

Mike Surridge, Managing Director of BDM, the organisers of the event, commented that it was amazing to see eight novice sailors, some who had never met each other to bond and take on this awesome challenge in order to raise £9500 for the automotive charity BEN.

The second qualifying event now sits between the crew and qualifying for the Rolex fastnet race. which is on the 28th July.

The BDM-BEN team is made up of the following individuals:

Fastnet hyper link: http://www.rorc.org/content/view/202/184/
Pictures available

Further Information:

BEN
Lorna Russell
Media Relations Officer
Tel: 01344 294765 / 07920 138187
Fax: 01344 622042
email: lorna.russell@ben.org.uk
Website: www.ben.org.uk

Mike Surridge
Managing Director
BDM
Tel: 0845 373 4100
email: mikesurridge@bdm-voice.co.uk
website: www.bdm-ltd.co.uk

Editors' Notes

BEN is the Automotive Industry Charity, the only occupational charity for those who work or have worked in the automotive and related industries. Founded in 1905, the Charity provides practical help, support, advice and friendship to more than 15,000 men and women and their families every year. In addition BEN provides a home to over 350 individuals who reside in one of its four residential centres in the UK and offers day care facilities at its centre in Coventry.

BDM (Business Development & Marketing), is focused on providing solutions to help improve the performance and efficiency of business. It helps its clients achieve increased business performance through:

• Business consultancy
• Training and Prospecting
• EquityParity
• Voice recording and Non Geographic numbers
• Business telecoms
• Bluetooth technology