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2014 Gold Cup Entrants - "in their own words"

Phil Tyler - SUI- 42
has spent many years sailing dinghies, windsurfers, catamarans and keelboats. Although originally based in England, is fortunate to have had plenty of opportunities to sail in many other parts of the word. Since moving to Switzerland in 2002, discovered radio controlled model yachting. Most recently the Footy has appealed as an economical, easily transportable and great design, build and sail ‘development’ class.
Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - Champion

2013 - Le Havre - Champion
2012 - Siestre - 4th
2011 - Konstanz - 3rd
Rob Vice - GBR - 41
I have been sailing model yachts since I was 7 and raced most classes in that time, I have also raced dinghies and RORC events too.   I started with Footy sailing when CJ was given a kit of a “12 Inch” yacht from the pen of Richard Webb and my good friend Phil Broszek and I decided to build two of them as a cheap entry level yachts with our children back in 2009. 
Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - Runner Up


2013 - Le Havre - Runner Up
2012 - Siestre - Champion
2010 - Wroclaw - Champion
After a couple of frustrating races we all decided to build Stollery BUGs and really enjoyed the experience especially moulding the fin and rudder. The Bugs saw the children become competitive but I didn’t like the look of the chine design so further conversations with Roger Stollery lead to his very successful ICE design and the Carbon fibre gave it some ‘street cred’.

The family aspect has always been key to my enjoyment from Footy events and I’ll always prioritise getting the children afloat, so keeping a fleet of five ICEs racing often means I’m late for the start but that’s all part of the challenge that I enjoy!

The International nature of the Gold Cup ensures it is a special event in the calendar when we can see how each country is developing this class and attracting new sailors while also re-affirming competitive friendships.

I believe a key benefit of the Footy is that it’s a cheap entry level for young children to start sailing but because they require solid concentration to get the best from them they continue to reward the older sailor. The second significant benefit is that they can be developed quickly and affordably so perhaps it’s time for me to develop my own ideas soon.
Claudio Vigada - ITA - 102
I’m 46 year old. I started making model sailing boats in 1976  but for 15 years I participated at real full scale sailing competitions. In 1978 I started racing with Optimist and then with 420 till 23 years of age.
For a long period of my life I also concentrated my efforts in models on electric gliders and after that I stated  flying paraglider that is my  main sport: I fly paragliders since 1990.
But the sailing passion was still alive, so from 2002 I returned  to making model sail boats and in the last few years I discovered the Footy which I've found is it a very enjoyable, making models and sailing in competitions in a cheap and simple way. The Footy Class is a fantastic way to do it.
Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - 3rd

2013 - Le Havre - 6th
2012 - Siestre - 2nd
Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - 4th
Gigi Audizo - ITA - 84
born in Genoa, now retired. I started doing the sport of sailing at 8 years I started racing class snipe then on FD Olympic class participating in the camp. World in Montreal, Canada in 1969 I did half ton of races participating in the World Championships in Trieste in crew the legendary Dane, Paul Elvtrom and I raced with him for world championships in Naples with the second class and I was in the crew for 3 years..   In 1971 I was skipper on the first class Mabelle and I participated in the regatta Admiral's Cup in Chaos. In 1992 I participated in the Barcelona Olympics as coach of the Italian female team. I taught sailing school BEPPE ROCE at the yacht club Italian 2002-2009. My passion for radio controlled sailing dates back to 30 years ago with good results in the class M and class IOM . I have always made my own boats. Two years ago I discovered the Footy class and dedicated myself to them full-time. I have already built 12 boats for me and for my son and now I have come to a good level of construction, I also make sails and my experience as a sailor helped me a lot to make canopies. I am sure that I still have a lot to learn and I racing in the international field will help a lot
Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - 5th
Enrico Audizio - ITA - 34
I am the son of Gigi Audizio, which as you can see has a unique curriculum, so I consider myself a child of art. Thanks to my father I was lucky enough to be able to know the monsters of the sail, as PAUL ELVSTROM and have a unique teaching in sailing, I could not have her passion.
Like him, I started with radio controlled boats many years ago with the IOM, then for various reasons have ceased operations. For two years I went up to the footy, boats are great, difficult to develop, but with the simplicity of construction and settlement where you just get what you call "fair play" to play in harmony and respecting opponents, a rule that must be taught to all the guys who do any sports.
Hippolyte Bessière - FRA - 117
15 year old boy who sails 420, is a part of the French national 420 team and sometimes in the evening with my father I sail with him. With my father we have discovered quite by chance the Footy. Just for fun. First we have said: "we will participate to the world championship in Italy?" we have done it. Then we said: "we will organize a World Championship at Havre?" and we did it. Now, let's go to England!
Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - 6th

2013 - Le Havre - 3rd
2012 - Siestre - 14th
Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - 8th

2013 - Le Havre - 8th
2012 - Siestre - 6th
Jean-François Bessière - FRA - 114
Born 50 years ago, my first sailing took place on the "Star" of my father, at the age of 1 year and a half. Optimist, various dinghies and Hobbicat 16, damage fund of my panties during adolescence before my father bought a Quarter tonner with which we run across The Channel, on RORC races. My student years in Architecture (and naval architecture) were punctuated by long holidays dedicated to discovering Europe's coast from Saint-Petersburg to the Black Sea; cruises interspersed with a selection of Europe Championship on "Vaurien".

After a tour of the Atlantic Ocean for 9 months and 2 Atlantic crossings, a series of 14 keelboats of my design was born in 1994, then return to compete in the RORC races, double winner of The Fastnet Race in IRC 3 in 2011 and IRC 4 in 2013 (2nd overall) on Foggy Dew.
I discovered by chance Footy in April 2012 during Internet searching articles on naval architecture with my son Hippolyte. No sooner said than done, I made my first Footy in one weekend, to laugh, and to see how such small boats could navigate ... and I quickly understood the great possibilities offered by this so simple "box". Very soon a team was set up with Hippolyte: the naval architect on one side, the rider on the other ...with many projects in the head.
Furthermore, I decided last year to become the French Registrar and take load the Organization of the Footy Gold Cup in Le Havre.

 
Peter Shepherd - GBR - 65
Prior to building my first Footy in June 2011, a Razor 3 (Thanks Bill!) I had, no previous experience of model building or yachting, however thanks to the friends I have met along the way, I have been lucky enough to be at the fore front of the UK Footy scene over the past two years.
Along with my good friend Peter Jackson I have traveled to every UK Footy Open meeting in the those years, come last and still come away feeling like a winner from the things I learned during the day. Come first and been extremely proud to have done so, tried to help my fellow competitors if they wanted me to, and sometimes when they didn't!
For  all the pleasure and enjoyment you have all given to me I try to give a little something back by webmastering sailfootyuk, I can not tell you how pleased I am to be sailing in my first Gold Cup in the UK.
Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - 12th
Peter Jackson - GBR- 30
I am a retired Chartered Engineer of the Aeronautical variety and started working life as one of the last Apprentices of A.V. Roe and Co, which after many changes eventually became British Aerospace. I have been in and out of the aircraft business with times in the Underwater and Nuclear Businesses, and latterly in the Consumer products area and until I retired ran my own Engineering and Design Consultancy.
I have and still am a lifelong Aero modeller, and came into Yacht construction and racing some five years ago. I have concentrated on small yachts, but have an interest in International One Metres. My abiding passion is with these pesky little yachts called Footys. They are very demanding to sail but when you get it all right they are a joy to race.
I am the UK Registrar for Footy Sailing and along with my friend Peter Shepherd both of us run the calendar for footy events. I am the Chairman of the Abington Park Model Yacht Club and we run a series of monthly open events called the Midland Footy League.
Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - 13th

2009 Birkenhead - 5th
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Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - 14th
  Mike Ewart- GBR - 36
I am a newcomer to the ranks of Footie sailing and as such I am only just realising how much there is to learn, these are the smallest ships or boats I have ever been involved with in a long career on the water and the sea. I started sailing in International Cadets at the age of 5 or 6 and progressed in jerks and starts through planked Snipes GP 14's Fireballs Thai Catermarans and just before I started work was sailing extensively in Enterprises and Fireballs, spent 20years as a Marine Engineer.
  I have always loved speed and sailing in all its forms, I am not a calculating type of person, the rule of thumb is what I go by if it looks right and feels right then it probably is right, this has worked quite succesfully in most forms of yachts and boats but the Footie is a lot different and to be honest I am quite bamboozled by their performance a lot of the time, but I am trying to learn how to make them go, and might actually do it one day, but I do like the attitude at the race meetings I have been to to date and hope that it continues.
I have tried an Easy 3 in depron, and currently I am sailing a slightly modified 1299 from Peter Henderson, I am also keen to try wing sails foils and multihulls in a footie format, don't hold your breath though.
Scott Wallis - GBR  - 47
has been interested in engineering for many years. A dinghy sailor for the last 10 years, he took up sailing footy’s (starting with a Bill Hagerup Razor 3) whilst at university, as a way of tuning his sailing skills. Footys appealed due to the small size, making them easy to transport on a bicycle, whilst offering the freedom to develop ‘out of the box’ ideas at low cost and relatively quickly (ideal for a tinkerer).
Gold Cup Record
2014 - Milton Keynes - 16th

2012 - Siestre - 5th
  Sid Sims- GBR- 05
I am looking forward to racing my footy boat in the future competitions, always new skills to learn by watching the top racers and talking to others with the same interests, by taking part,  I hope this  great hobby will stay with me for many years to come.

Other Entrants

CJ Vice - GBR - 48
Lockie Vice - GBR  - 84
Gabriel Vice - GBR - 44
Hayley Vice - GBR - 46
David Wilkinson - GBR - 46
Hugh McAdoo - GBR - 87
Sid Sims - GBR - 05

Gary Sanderson - GBR - 13

Andrew Sturt - GBR - 06