Newcomers win IBP-Flying Squad Yacht Trophy
20 September 2005

Newcomers, Connexion2 win the IBP-Flying Squad Challenge Yacht Trophy at their first attempt following the Focus on Robbery™ Symposium.

Teams from ADT, Axytrans, Connexion2, IBP and Romec took part in this hotly contested competition to win the magnificent trophy donated by the Metropolitan Police Flying Squad, in recognition of the long-standing partnership between the Flying Squad and IBP.

In almost becalmed weather conditions the Connexion2 team, captained by Craig Swallow (CEO) and supported by Natalie Callender (Product Marketing Manager) and Chris Allcard (Business Development Manager), got off to a flying start by winning the first leg of the competition. This was achieved when their 29-year-old professional skipper made a bold inland tack, much to the short-lived amusement of the other skippers, only to pick up an offshore breeze minutes later that allowed the team to sweep into the lead three-quarters of the way through the race.

Following a much-needed lunch, the second leg of the competition got under way in even calmer weather and the skippers had to muster all their skill and experience to make any sort of headway. For a while the Axytrans and Romec teams challenged the Connexion2 boat, but again the superior seamanship of their skipper proved too much and they took the race making them outright winners of the 2005 IBP-Flying Squad Challenge Yacht Trophy. The Connexion2 crew, made up from representatives of HSBC, BSIA, MPS Flying Squad, Star Newsagents and Shell, were naturally delighted with their success.

Unusually the IBP boat, captained by Marketing Director Neil Chrismas, came last in both legs of the race despite the craft being the largest in the flotilla and several bold claims made before the start of the competition. On reflection Chrismas said: “I now regret calling the other teams an unruly bunch of landlubbers and claiming that the trophy would be on my desk first thing Monday morning.”

The Connexion2 team receive the IBP-Flying Squad Challenge Yacht Trophy.

Detective Superintendent Bob Cummings, head of the Metropolitan Police Flying Squad, presented the coveted trophy to Craig Swallow and Flying Squad lanyards to his winning shipmates. A Flying Squad plaque and key rings were presented to Tony Cahill and his crew from the Romec team who were runners-up.

Before the teams departed, Kevin Eastwood, Executive Director of the British Oil Security Syndicate, thanked IBP for arranging an excellent opportunity for security professionals to discuss important current industry issues during the Robbery Symposium and for providing an afternoon of great sailing.

For more information about the Focus on Robbery Partnership, email the IBP team, or call +44 (0)1428 641399.