A Management School team narrowly missed out on winning the
Alumni Business Cup in La Rochelle last month. Despite an absence
since the mid-nineties from the annual INSEAD-organised sailing
regatta for European MBAs, the team of eight alumni beat 14 crews
from 5 European countries and took second place behind the INSEAD
team.
Left
to right: front: Calum Sillars (skipper) Laurence Price and Dan
Sherwood; back: Rupert MacInnes (boss), Sarah Thelwall and Tim
Meldrum |
Throughout three days racing and various shoreside evening events
between 20-23 June, the Imperial Management School boat rose to the
challenge. In recognition of the World Cup, organisers
delayed the start of the first race to allow the English to witness
their teams demise.
The racing was run by a local yacht club in identical 30 foot
offshore sailing yachts. It was great a superb weekend which
exceeded all expectations, said skipper Calum Sillars. Having
come second and done it with the right sporting spirit, we are now
set up for the future. Theres no reason why this team couldnt do it
again next year.
Pictured in the marina in La Rochelle, a team taken from an
initial pool of about 15 members of the 2000-2001 MBA course,
prepare to celebrate in the French town after beating almost 100 ex
MBAs from places including London Business School, Cranfield and
Warwick.
The majority sailed in the winning Imperial team in the
International Business Schools Regatta on the Solent last year.
Imperial secured a third and first in the first two races which
launched them into the lead. A rowing race in the evening had
crews manoeuvring elderly and massively heavy gigs across the boat
basin.
During the second day, Imperial got a perfect start in the
first race and was comfortably ahead of the fleet when the race was
surprisingly cancelled 20 minutes later - many boats apparently
failed to make it across the start line.
The team eventually notched up a fourthand two firsts to stay
ahead of closest rivals and the first race of the final day was
restarted three times as numerous over-zealous boats crossed the
line early as they fought to be first away from the pack. As
runners-up, they received a magnum of champagne.
The prize giving atmosphere on board a retired French weather
ship, indicated that the hosts were delighted that we had returned
to the regatta after a number of years, and our strong result
should smooth the way for future participation, added Callum.
MBA course members and MS alumni can find out more about the
event by contacting: calum.sillars@ukonline.co.uk.
