Amer Sports Too wins Volvo Award

by Nautor Swan media on 25 May 2002 She won the award for her role in bringing her yacht and crew to safety at
Halifax, Canada, after it had been dismasted in the North Atlantic. Lisa
and crew secured the rig and then, through a building storm, started the slow
journey to Halifax.

Before the yacht reached safety, it would experience winds that peaked at
58 knots while under tow by a Canadian Coast Guard ship.

She was nominated by Nautor Challenge project chief and fellow skipper
Grant Dalton. Lisa paid tribute to the professionalism of her crew, their
tireless work securing the rig and sails and their skill in handling the boat
through the storm.

She also thanked shore crew, people in Halifax who gave freely of their
time and equipment, and people in England who worked to get the yacht to La
Rochelle and back into the race.

'Without the help and support of many people both inside the Nautor
Challenge campaign, our sponors, companies and individuals, our yacht
would not be here today.'

Amer Sports Too crew have won the seamanship award twice previously. On
leg 5, watch leader Emma Westmacott won the award for her work in getting the
generator and watermaker working and on leg 4, watch leader Katie
Pettibone won the award.

Grant Dalton said: 'It was an amazing job to see them here, and not
just them, and what they'e done, but also the shore crew too, who
logistically out it all together. There was never a grumble, never a moan, or a doubt, am in awe of the job that Lisa and the team has done.'

Amer Sports Too also received award for the best contribution to media
coverage, in recognition of their quick and detailed documentation of the
dismasting. Keryn Henderson collected the award on behalf of the crew.

The Nautor Challenge campaign

Nautor Challenge is campaigning two boats in the Volvo Ocean Race - Amer
Sports One skippered by Grant Dalton and Amer Sports Too, skipperd by Lisa
McDonald. Nautor Challenge is a member Nautor's Swan, builder of the
renowned Swan yachts. A Swan 65, Sayula II, won the first Whitbread Round
the World Race in 1973-74.