| Biographies |
Iain Percy OBE
Iain is a double Olympic champion and Great Britain's most successful Star Class sailor of all time. Percy began sailing at the age of four, when his family decided to take up a sport they could enjoy together. He began his career sailing at Weston Sailing Club in Southampton in an Optimist dinghy and hasn't looked back. Iain is seen as one of the fittest sailors on the circuit and has always been highly dedicated to his training regime. Iain turned professional in 1998 and within two years was representing Great Britain at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It was at the Sydney games where Iain struck Gold, winning the highly technical Finn class. As a result of his Gold medal, he was honoured by the Queen and received an MBE. Iain changed classes for the 2004 Athens Olympics and chose to race alongside Steve Mitchell in the double-handed Star class. in 2005 Iain decided to take a break from full time Olympic Class sailing and join America's Cup challenger +39 Challenge as helmsman. In 2006, Iain was back on the water in his Star with his new crew Andrew Simpson, his best mate of 25yrs. The pair had a promising start to their Beijing Olympic campaign coming 6th in the Olympic Test Event and Bronze in the ISAF World Championships 2007. However a string of problems hampered their 2008 build up to the Games which included coming 52nd in the Star World Championships. Where many athletes would have thrown the towel in Iain and Andy showed true guts and determination to turn things around and get them selves to start line at the Olympic regatta. The Star class field was extremely competitive and included 8 Olympic medallists and 7 Star World Champions. After a disappointing start, Iain and Andy battled hard to get back into contention and were second going into the final Medal Race and showed true champion spirit to overhaul Fredrik Loof and Anders Ekstrom, regatta leaders from day one, and take home the Gold ... a truly phenomenal performance which had the BBC commentary team in tears. Iain is also ‘Tactician' for Team Origin, the British backed America's Cup challenger. Iain will team up again with Andy for the next Olympics in 2012 and will be sailing for his 3rd Gold medal.
Andrew Simpson MBE
Andrew is a powerful force in British sailing and has set ambitious goals in both Olympic and America’s Cup sailing. Recently crewing for Iain Percy in the men’s heavyweight Star Class after climbing the Olympic ladder in the technical Finn class. Andrew started sailing aged 6, with his father in Christchurch, Dorset. It wasn’t long before he caught the sailing bug and decided that it was his passion. Simpson spent many weekends out training in various dinghies and it was here that he was spotted by former UK National Racing coach, Jim Saltonstall. Jim began coaching Andrew from a young age and brought out the best in a clearly talented sailor, while at the same time making it fun. Simpson campaigned a laser until 2000 before converting to the Finn class for several years, posting some impressive results, including Silver at 2001 Finn Europeans, Gold at the 2003 Finn US Nationals and a Bronze at the 2003 ISAF World Championships. Having climbed the Olympic Classes ladder in the technical Finn class, Simpson teamed up with Iain Percy to win Gold in in the Star Class in Beijing. Outside of Olympic sailing, Andrew is ‘Strategist’ for Team Origin, the British backed America’s Cup challenger. Andrew will team up again with Iain for the next Olympics in 2012 and will be sailing for his 2nd Gold medal. |
