Carr flies into Brazil on a mission

Sailing

STUART ALEXANDER

The citizens of Derby yesterday wished one of their own, Sue Carr, every success as she jetted away from the snow for the 470 Dinghy World Championship which begins in Brazil at the end of this week.

Difficult times mean that half the sponsorship money given by the local lock and security company, Yale, will not go to Carr, a PE teacher at Sinfin Community School, and her helmsman, Bethan Raggatt, but to the Derbyshire Education Authority to pay for the replacement teacher needed while Carr is building up to the Olympics over the next five months.

Raggatt's Welsh connections mean that the boat they will be using in Brazil is provided by the Welsh Yachting Association, for whom she is a coach, and the Welsh Sports Council.

Looking for greater things in Brazil will be John Merricks and Ian Walker in the men's 470 worlds. They used the Olympic Classes Regatta in Miami recently to experiment with new equipment but will be back to tried and tested methods for a championship they are hungry to win.