Skandia Team GBR Development Squad members, Luke Patience and Chris Grube are the first sailors on the world class programme to receive the Marlow Ropes award in 2006. This elite award provides free rope for a year to the nominated sailors to help them in their Olympic sailing campaign.

The Marlow Ropes award recognises up and coming sailors who continually prove that they are willing to put in the time and have the drive to succeed on the race course, all characteristics that the Patience/Grube pairing demonstrates.

The 2005 RYA National Ranking Series winners, Patience and Grube, have big aspirations. “Olympic Gold,” Welsh-born Grube answers when asked what his biggest goal is. “We are totally single minded about our campaign and our pathway to achieve this.”

“We are well pleased to win the Marlow award,” explained Patience who hails from Helensburgh, Scotland. “The 470 is full of ropes and with so many systems running in the boat, rope tends to wear quickly. Having Marlow’s support will be a great help towards keeping our boat maintained and will allow us to spend money on other areas that will continue to help us excel.”