Volvo Car UK announce winner of voyage of a lifetime sailing on the Gipsy Moth IV from Thailand to Sri Lanka leg

Shannon McWilliam, 17 year old Scout from Rosyth, Fife was chosen after a selection weekend (25-26 August) held at the United Kingdom Sailing Academy (UKSA) for the once in a life time opportunity to sail on the Gipsy Moth IV. He impressed a panel of judges so greatly with his honesty, respect and teamwork skills, that he was an obvious choice to be sent out to the Gipsy Moth IV in January 2007 to sail the leg of the circumnavigation, from Thailand to Sri Lanka.

Volvo Car UK has been a sponsor of the Gipsy Moth IV project, which saw the famous yacht taken from it’s rotting state in Greenwich, London and lovingly restored in Gosport, Hampshire, to it’s former glory. Volvo Car UK offered their place on the Thailand to Sri Lanka leg as part of a competition to Volvo RYA Champion Clubs, relatives of Volvo employees and The Scout Association.

Anyone between the ages of 16 – 20 were could apply. The applicants were then filtered down to 16 youngsters, who were invited to the UKSA, Isle of Wight for the selection weekend of teambuilding activities including sailing Laser Pico’s and Keelboats, whilst being watched keenly by the instructors.

Winner Shannon McWilliam, a Scout from Fife in Scotland with no previous sailing experience, was thrilled when he received the letter informing him that he had been chosen to participate in the voyage. “As soon as I opened it and saw the word ‘Congratulations’ I was in tears, the feeling was amazing. I called my girlfriend, my mum and even my dad (who is working in America) and yet still didn’t believe it myself.”

Shannon will be sailing the Gipsy Moth IV from Phuket, Thailand to Galle, Sri Lanka from 2nd – 19th January 2007. During the journey Shannon will be expected to become involved in the day to day running of the ship from navigating to cooking, as well as keep a video diary and record sightings of mammals and sea life along the route. He will be encouraged to learn more about each country’s culture and will be actively involved in local community and environmental projects at the stopover points.

Double gold medallist Shirley Robertson, Ambassador for the UKSA and Team Volvo for life member commented, “I’m so pleased that fellow Scotsman Shannon has been given this opportunity. The Gipsy Moth IV project has been very successful in giving many youngsters the chance to meet people and see places they would never have dreamed of.”

Gipsy Moth IV is a key part of Britain's national maritime heritage, and represents a significant milestone in the history of world sailing. It was the yacht, which Sir Francis Chichester sailed into the record book with, on his circumnavigation in 1966.

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Volvo and Sailing

Volvo began its global association with sailing in 1997, since then Volvo Car UK has sponsored sailing in the UK from the grass roots to the pinnacle of the sport. They have developed a sponsorship portfolio that includes Team Volvo for life, Bronze level sponsor of Skandia Team GBR and the Volvo RYA Keelboat Programme, Volvo RYA Champion Clubs and the Volvo Musto Optimist Championships. All the UK sponsorships support the pinnacle of Volvo’s global sponsorship, The Volvo Ocean Race.
www.volvocarcampaigns.co.uk/sailing/

About the UKSA

The UKSA is the World's premier Sailing Academy. They offer watersports and marine training for everyone, at every level, from beginner courses to professional training for commercial work, to MCA Deck Officer and beyond, regardless of age or experience. They have years of experience running youth training programmes, and consider that the safety and well being of their visitors (some 60,000 day persons per year) the single most important responsibility of their operation. They are inspected annually by the relevant governing bodies to attain their continued recognition as a premiere watersports teaching establishment.

About the Gipsy Moth IV Project

The voyage of the Gipsy Moth IV started in September 2005 and will take 22 months, this time via the trade winds route, incorporating 25 countries and 32 official stopovers, covering over 30,000 nautical miles in the process. The crew will be changed for each leg, with 3 young adults aged between 16-23 from disadvantaged backgrounds, suffering from learning difficulties or suffering from cancer, accompanied by a Skipper, 1st & 2nd Mate. The young adults are selected from schools throughout the UK or in conjunction with the projects charity partners. For many this is a chance of a lifetime, and will provide them with an opportunity to learn new skills and to grow as individuals within the construct of a working crew.
www.gipsymoth.org