The 2014 sailing season was exceptional. I continued to look after my loyal private coaching clients, continuing to progress their sailing, and allowing them to get more out of their boats each season. I was happy to win a number of corporate regattas this summer, as well as being the best performing charter boat in my class on the days of Cowes Week I competed in, with a crew from the law firm Linklaters. The highlight for me however was the privilege of being the Captain onboard the 80ft GBII, arguably the most famous British race yacht ever. She was launched by HRH Princess Anne on the 21st May 1973 and has made racing history ever since. The following list of results is unrivalled by any boat before or since over such a long time period... 1973/4 Winner, elapsed time, first ever Whitbread Round The World Race 1977/8 Winner, elapsed time, second Whitbread Round The World Race 1981/2 First British Yacht, in third Whitbread Race 1982 Winner, elapsed time, Tall Ships Race, Falmouth-Lisbon-Southampton 1983 Winner, elapsed time, Tall Ships Race, Travemunde-Karskrona 1985 Fastest ever monohull, Antigua-Azores in 11 days, average 218 miles p/day 1985/6 Beat passage time, in the fourth Whitbread Race1986 Winner, Brent Walker Pursuit Race 1993 Winner, Class, Canneries to St. Lucia 1995 Winner, Cowes Maxi Match Challenge 1996 Winner, Cowes Maxi Match Challenge As I lay in Sir Chay Blyth's bunk each night, I could only begin to think what it may be like to achieve as much as he did in the sailing world! As Autumn arrived, I moved up to London to catch up with friends but also continuing to work hard in my capacity as Account Manager for Kando Verbier, a provider of luxury events and experiences in Verbier and the surrounding area (www.kandoverbier.com). Having completed three trips to Verbier throughout the Summer, the time finally came to pack up the car and switch countries (not an easy task in an old land rover!). The final tally was near 700 miles in 15 hours. The last time I was in Verbier, it was covered in snow, but as quickly as it came, it has melted again, and today on the 1st day in November, I took to the mountain in my trusted 'landy' for a glorious walk in shorts and a shirt over a grassy landscape making it as far as Croix de Coeur (2174m).
Tomorrow I head to Saas Fee for a week of training on the glacier, in preparation for my exams to achieve the Swiss Brevet Fédérale. With over a metre of snow forecast during the week, I think it might feel like winter very soon indeed! I hope to see you all in the mountains of Switzerland very soon, or failing that, back on the water in 2015. In the meantime, fair winds and bon ski! Olly
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