Oyster News 52 - Oyster Yachts

Alan and Sue Brook, Andy Green, Gavin and Charlotte Stewart, Robert Matthews,
Candice Matthews, Ian and Amanda McCracken, Rupert Knox-Johnston
LONDON DINNER
The evening started with a champagne reception kindly sponsored by Declan O’Sullivan’s
company, Pelagos Yachts, who offers a cross border leasing VAT mitigation scheme.
To illustrate the international flavour of the evening, overseas guests included Jonathon and Jane
Edwards, owners of the new Oyster 66, Voodoo, on display at the London Boat Show; John and
Susan Dietz, Bill and Linda Hellings, Tom and Stephanie Poynter, Robert and Mallika De Haven,
John and Cheryl Ellsworth and Mike and Donna Hill who are all from North America, and Mr and
Mrs Jacques Poli, Rolf and Yolanda Herlig, Hans and Margareth Kampers and Tormod and Elena
Wangen from Europe.
Specially honoured guests included Erick and Heather Reickert from the US, who completed a
circumnavigation in their Oyster 55 Escapade and David and Linda Hughes who sailed around the
world in their Oyster 55 Miss Molly and are now doing it again on their 66 of the same name. The
furthest travelled was David Hulston from Australia who was the overall winner of Oyster’s New
Zealand regatta in his Oyster 53 Southern Aurora.
Towards the end of the evening, Richard Matthews introduced Hannah Stodel, an 18 year old
sailor, who has been sponsored by Oyster for the last five years. Two years ago Hannah was
voted Young Sailor of the Year. In 2003 Hannah and crew set their sights on a place in the 2004
Paralympics in Athens, sailing for Great Britain in the Sonar Class. With sponsorship from Oyster
and help from the Royal Thames Yacht Club, who provided the boat, against all odds and
expectations Hannah and her crew, through sheer determination, practice, blood, sweat and
tears, soundly beat a much favoured and more experienced crew to win their place. To put this
achievement into perspective, Hannah, who has no right forearm, trims the jib and calls tactics.
She sails the boat with John Robertson who is paralysed below the waist and Stephen Thomas
who has no legs.
Also present at the dinner was Stephen Park, Olympic Team Manager for Britain’s Royal Yachting
Association who spoke about the Paralympics and Britain’s chances of winning medals in the
upcoming Olympics. By the way, at the last Olympics, Britain was the top sailing nation.
Hannah Stodel, Bob and June Beeston, Adrian and Sue
Bouckley, Robert and Marianne Hill, Declan O'Sullivan,
Cora Cleary and Chris Packard
Richard Matthews went on to explain
that Hannah and her crew needed to
raise £40,000 to meet their campaign
budget and offered to match, pound for
pound any donations from Oyster
owners and guests pledged on the
night. Faced with a genuine cause and
Hannah herself looking owners in the
eye, thanks to the generous spirit of
those present, including a significant
number of ‘non Brits’, £20,000 was
pledged in less than 30 minutes! As
promised, Oyster matched this amount
and so it was that, with Hannah literarily
weeping tears of joy, £40,000 was raised
during the course of a thoroughly
enjoyable occasion.
Oyster News will bring reports of Hannah
and crew in the build up to the
Paralympics (see page 42 in this issue)
and the games themselves.
George and Jane Johns
Alan and Sarah Harmer, John and Jane Edwards,
Neil and Kate Cresswell
Robin Campbell,
Lani Heuer, Robert
and Mallika de
Haven, Tom and
Stephanie Poynter
Our thanks go to the many individuals and
companies who so generously pledged
donations, including:
Lewmar, Windboats Marine, Pantaenius,
Successful Solutions Wealth Management,
Bob and June Beeston, Microsolv IT
Consultants, Mike and Elinor Leach, Dick and
Sally Morgan, John Dietz, Pelagos Yachts,
Akeler, Heath Lambert Group, Krik and Anna
Krikorian, Bird Luckin, Michael and Serena
Stevenson, Bobby and Phylidda Lawes,
Raymarine, Hood Yacht Spars, Marshall
Sutton Jones, Yachting World, Mr and Mrs
William F Hellings, Sir Peter Davis, David and
Linda Hughes, David and Mabel Blacklaws,
Dolphin Sails, Minton Treharne & Davies Ltd,
Andrew and Diane Gerrard, Counterpoint
Projects Ltd, Humphreys Yacht Design, E C
Landamore, Mr S Jones, Erick and Heather
Reickert, Pimsic, Roy Clegg, Mr Lewis