Lucy

Name: Lucy Claire Macgregor
DOB: 28/11/86
Born: In Poole, and still here!
Home club: Poole Yacht Club
Siblings: Two sisters Nicky and Kate (both mad about sailing too)
First started sailing: Probably at a few weeks old on my parent’s cruiser racer. From what I remember though it was in Poole Harbour in a Mirror dinghy.
Sports philosophy: Never say never!
Greatest strength: Consistency at the big moments
Greatest weakness: Can be too relaxed!
Love most about sailing: Every day on the water is different
Dislike most about the sport: The combination of no wind and rain
Favourite food: A good steak and chips!
Favourite Music: Anything and everything
Other interests: Any sport really, particularly hockey
Most embarrassing sailing moment: I think it is best not to tell…

Annie

Name: Annie Lush

DOB: 11/04/80

Born: Poole, UK

Home club: Parkstone YC

Siblings: It’s complicated….3 half brothers, 9, 17 & 19, and a step sister

First started sailing: With my parents, but got first boat age 9, an AB dingy (only found in Poole)!

Sports philosophy: Never say die

Greatest strength: Never give in

Greatest weakness: Don’t know when to stop!

Love most about sailing: Team work – when it all comes right!

Dislike most about the sport: Get wet lots!

Favourite food: Greek

Favourite Music: Counting Crows – am a life long fan!

Other interests: Any water sports, rowing, dancing badly (whenever cheesy 90’s dance music is playing) and am currently trying to learn the piano.

Most embarrassing sailing moment: Aged 17 at the 420 World Championships in Greece.  I went to help another British team put there mast up (being the tallest girl there by miles), and they in turn went to help rig our boat.  As we set out towards the start line for the practise race in an offshore breeze, with all our competitors watching from the shore whilst launching, we hoisted the kite.  We were trying to impress them, doing a fast set…. But unfortunately whilst my helm was furiously pulling on the halyard it became clear the kite was tied on wrong and we were hoisting it upside down.  It looked so ridiculous I was laughing so hard I couldn’t drop it very quickly.  I could just hear a lot of applause and giggles from our competitors!  One way to get noticed anyway!

 Ally

Name: Alison Sarah Martin or Ally
DOB: 10/12/85
Born: Beckenham, London, now living in Southampton
Home club: Burghfield Sailing Club, Reading
Siblings: One older sister, Ellie
First started sailing: I first started racing when I was about 6 crewing for my dad in a National 12, and did my first championships when I was 8.
Sports philosophy: Live in the here and now
Greatest strength: Being analytical
Greatest weakness: Outbursts of rage, and also getting scared.
Love most about sailing: There’s always something new to learn
Dislike most about the sport: Cold, wet, no wind horrible days.
Favourite food: I think it has to be pasta, I think I’ve got withdrawal symptoms for it before!
Favourite Music: I have ridiculous taste in music, some of my favourites are John Mayer, Maroon 5, The Fratellis, the Kooks, but a bit of Pendulum always goes down well!
Other interests: Squash, cycling, and keeping in touch with the real world – or at least my friends!
Most embarrassing sailing moment: Was on the last day of the Youth Worlds in Madeira. It was pretty windy, the breeze was offshore as always and we were launching off a floating slipway. To stop the sails flapping quite so much as we wheeled the boat down we cleated the jib in, and as we were a little late to launch some of the organisers lifted our boat in for us. Unfortunately they were so eager to get us on the water they didn’t give us a chance to let all the sails out, so the moment they put it on the water, it sailed off without us!! Shock hit and we just stood and watched it go for a few seconds before realising that the only way of getting to it was to swim! Fortunately the boat capsized not too far away, but by the time we got to it we realised that we had lost the spinnaker pole. It ended up with the race being postponed while the race officer himself went and got us a new pole, we finished 3rd in the race which was enough to win us a bronze medal!