Marlow Ropes Award boost for Saxton & Kohler
Coveted accolade for young 470 sailors
Rising 470 duo Ben Saxton and David Kohler have received an additional boost in their impressive debut Olympic Classes season by being awarded the coveted Marlow Ropes Award.
Skandia Team GBR training group sailors Saxton and Kohler follow in the footsteps of previous award winners including double World 470 champions Nic Asher and Elliot Willis and 2008 Olympic Yngling gold medal-winner Pippa Wilson, which entitles the sailors to free Marlow rope for a year.
The Marlow Award caps a memorable year for the 19-year-old pair, Saxton from Baldock and Edinburgh’s Kohler making an immediate impact on the 470 circuit having only transitioned from the 420 Youth class in October last year.
In April, they kicked off their season with an impressive top 20 finish in a World Class fleet at the Princess Sofia Trophy Regatta, Palma, finishing third British boat behind experienced campaigners double Olympic silver medallist Nick Rogers and partner Pom Green and Luke Patience and Chris Grube.
They then took third spot in the RYA Spring Series before enjoying their best career result of 13th at the Grade One Kiel Week regatta in May.
Currently, the boys are in Greece competing at the 470 Junior World Championships where they lay fourth after six races, just one point from the medal positions.
This is despite having to borrow and repair a hull kindly donated by the host club Nautical Club of Thessaloniki, and belonging to former 470 World Champion and five-time Olympian Andreas Kosmatopoulos, after their own boat was damaged en route from Germany. Kosmatopoulos actually used the donated hull at Sydney 2000.
Marlow Ropes introduced the award in 2002 with the aim to reward Britain’s most promising rookies for their determination, focus and talent - 2007 49er World champions Stevie Morrison and Ben Rhodes were the first winners.
Helm Saxton, who like Kohler is a recent RYA Youth National 420 champion, insists the award will play an immeasurable part in helping them bid to attain selection for the Skandia Team GBR Development Squad.
“We’ll be able to ensure our boat is always in top racing condition,” he said. “This means one area of stress can be taken away when entering an event so we can now focus entirely on achieving.”
Kohler added: “Our immediate aims for 2009 are to make it into Gold Fleet at the 470 Worlds in Copenhagen in August and get into the Skandia Team GBR Development Squad.
“The biggest difference moving into the 470 has been the depth of talent in the fleet; it really is the smallest things that can make a difference. But we have great opportunities to learn from more experienced British sailors like Nick (Rogers) and Nic (Asher) and Elliot (Willis).”
Skandia Team GBR Development Squad Manager Barrie Edgington said: “Ben and David are deserving recipients of this award. The Marlow Award has always been used to reward up and coming talent in the Skandia Team GBR Development Squad and they have certainly proved themselves to be in this bracket with their results so far.”
As well as supporting up-and-coming sailors, Marlow Ropes are also the official supplier and exclusive team ropes partner to Skandia Team GBR thanks to its industry-renowned reputation for producing products tried, tested and trusted in the world’s harshest environments.
Marlow Marketing & Yachting Sales Manager and company director Paul Honess said: “We find that working with team members such as Ben and David helps us to develop our products. In turn we at Marlow can educate team members on the latest materials and rope constructions to help keep British sailors at the leading edge.”