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6 May 2005, 09:27 am

South Africa to Host First 'Road to Rolex Clinic'

Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship 2005

Cape Town, RSA

Another first for South African Sailing was achieved today with the announcement that the Royal Cape Yacht Club (Cape Town, South Africa) will host the first 2005 'Road to Rolex Clinic.' Scheduled for May 14 and 15, the Road to Rolex women's sailing clinic will feature coaching by legendary South African single-handed sailor and 1994-95 BOC Challenge veteran JJ Provoyeur.

The 2005 series of Road to Rolex clinics were created to prepare women sailors for US SAILING's Rolex International Women's Keelboat Championship (Rolex IWKC), considered one of the world's pinnacle events for women sailors and scheduled for September 17-23 at the Annapolis Yacht Club in Annapolis, Md., USA.

The Road to Rolex Clinic will feature two days aboard International J/22 class keelboats, the same boat utilized in the Rolex IWKC. 'We have planned both on-shore and on-the-water activities, including an individual skills assessment and a review of keelboat handling and tactics for fleet racing,' said Dominque PROVOYEUR, the Road to Rolex Clinic organizer, who placed 7 at the 2003 Rolex IWKC. 'In addition to having our knowledgeable coaches on the water, we plan to videotape what takes place and use it during a review session with all of the girls.'

Two recognizable South African sailors who will lend a hand at the Road to Rolex Clinic are Anthony SPILLEBEEN and Michael GILES, both highly successful keelboat crew, who have won major events in South Africa and participated internationally in Mumm 36 worlds, Tour De France and the J/22 Worlds.

Registration for the two-day clinic is R50 per person. Each participant will receive a copy of the 'Road to Rolex' clinic manual written by Betsy ALISON, a five-time US Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year. Alison has won the biennial Rolex IWKC five times and is an internationally recognized sailing educator and coach.

To register for the South Africa Road to Rolex Clinic, email Dominque PROVOYEUR at jjsails@intekom.co.za or call + 27 21 888 4737 (work) or + 82 9022 800 (mobile).

The 'Road to Rolex' clinics were initiated in 1997 to provide women sailors with additional opportunities to hone their sailing skills. Locations where past clinics have been held include a dozen US locations, South Africa and the Netherlands.

Dana Paxton (As Amended by ISAF)