Great Britain’s Sonar Team Finish Fourth at World Champs

Great Britain’s Paralympic Sonar team finished fourth at the able-bodied Sonar World Championships at the Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club in Scotland at the weekend (24-27 August). The team consisting of skipper John Robertson, Hannah Stodel and Steve Thomas beat off 12 able-bodied teams.

“We’re feeling pretty good. It wasn’t a bad result: could have been better, could have been worse, but we’re still the top Parlaympic boat, so that’s good,” said Hannah Stodel.

The Sonar World Championships consist of eight races. In the fifth race of the competition on 25 August, the team finished first.

“We sailed really well as a team that day. We were consistent and it just came through for us,” said Stodel

The team has already been selected by ParalympicsGB to sail in the London 2012 Paralympics, and are already back training in Weymouth, the Paralympic venue for Sailing.

“It’s pretty good here because everything’s finished. It’s good to be in the Paralympic venue to train,” said Stodel

“We’ve still got a lot to learn over the winter, but it’s good to come up against the able-bodied sailors just to see how we’re doing.”

Other Para-Sailing crews to compete included Great Britain’s Andy Cassell, skippering Jenny, who came seventh, and the USA’s Kerry Gruson skippering Blew BaYou2 who finished in 17th place.