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Chairman's statement

image of Shirley Robertson courtesy of www.sportscotland.org.uk The Chairman of the Isle of Wight Council, Councillor Peggy Jarman, has made the following statement about Shirley Robertson's Olympic victory.

“The council would like to echo the pride and excitement that the entire Isle of Wight feels at Shirley Robertson’s Olympic victory. When the first gold medal from the 2004 Olympics comes to this country, it will be coming to the Isle of Wight. We would like to congratulate her and all those who have supported Shirley in this remarkable achievement.”

Team Isle of Wight

Shirley was the first athlete to join `team Isle of Wight', an initiative designed to raise the profile of the Island as a vibrant place in which to live and work. Shirley and her crew, Sarah Ayton and Sarah Webb, have just secured the first Gold medal for Great Britain in the Yngling 3 – womens' keelboat class.

Shirley has been carrying the Isle of Wight name on her boat in all her pre-Athens regattas. She has always said that she is proud of her base on the Island and much of the equipment for her boat has been designed and produced by Isle of Wight firms, including Tropical Engineering, SP Systems, Seatek and several others.

Mike King, Managing Director of the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership says, “we are so proud of Shirley and the two Sarahs – the aim of 'team Isle of Wight' is to raise the profile of the Isle of Wight, – what better profile than for our first team athlete to win the UK’s first Olympic gold medal in the Athens Olympics."

Shirley was asked to compete under the 'team Isle of Wight' banner by the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership (jointly supported by the Isle of Wight Council) at the beginning of this year. During 2004 she has been involved in a number of events promoting the Island including slots on BBC Grandstand and a double spread in the Telegraph.

iwight.com sailing pages

Cowes Week 2004 coverage

Round the Island Race 2004 coverage

shirleyrobertson.com