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19:45 Tuesday 11 Aug 2015 CWLLibby Greenhalgh scoops Liz Earle Ladies Day Trophy at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week

(from left) Dee Caffari MBE, Team SCA Tina Jennings - Head of People & Development at Liz Earle Libby Greenhalgh – 2015 Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week Liz Earle Ladies Day Trophy winner Kate Johnson – Cowes Week Limited, Commercial & Marketing Director

British yachtswoman and chief navigator for Team SCA, Libby Greenhalgh has been announced as the winner of Liz Earle Ladies Day Trophy at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. The trophy recognises the outstanding contribution, commitment, or achievement of women in sailing.

The annual Ladies Day returned to Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week on Tuesday 11th with a number of celebrations culminating in the presentation of the Ladies Day Trophy to Libby Greenhalgh at an exclusive evening reception held at Northwood House.

The trophy was introduced for the first time in 2006 to celebrate the increasing number of women in sailing, one of the only sports where men and women compete on equal terms. There are 8,000 competitors taking part in the regatta this year and around a third of them are female.

As chief navigator for Team SCA, Greenhalgh won the navigator’s prize twice out of nine legs in the recent Volvo Round the World Ocean Race. A tactical decision to choose the more offshore course as they headed into the Bay of Biscay paid dividends and contributed to Team SCA winning Leg 8 – Lisbon to Lorient, a historic win for the team that is an all-female crew. Prior to the Volvo Ocean Race, Libby contributed to the British Sailing Team’s Olympic medal successes as the team meteorologist and technical consultant for both Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

Commenting on the win, Libby said: “I’m really proud to have received this award, following my good friend Dee Caffari last year and a long line of inspirational women who have won this trophy.

"It’s been a fantastic evening and I would to thank everyone involved in making this happen, including Liz Earle, Cowes Week Limited and Aberdeen Asset Management.

“The Liz Earle Ladies Day at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week really helps in providing a fantastic platform for celebrating women in sailing, and by doing so, helps promote a sport which we all love.”

The judging panel for this year’s Trophy was formed by Tina Jennings of Liz Earle, 2014 Ladies Day Trophy winner and member of Team SCA, Dee Caffari, Aberdeen Asset Management’s Global Head of Sponsorship Jill Maxwell, Yachting World’s Editor Elaine Bunting and Cowes Week Limited’s Kate Johnson.

Commenting on the evening Kate Johnson, CWL’s Commercial & Marketing Director said: “We’ve enjoyed a fantastic evening and we were very pleased to announce Libby as this year’s winner. She is a shining example of what women can achieve in the sport. We are delighted to have many female competitors with us and to hear some of their stories about races this week. It was disappointing that we had to cancel all racing today, but the lack of wind made racing impossible.

“We are looking forward to the Ariel Trophy which will be awarded tomorrow instead, to the boat ith the best overall result with a female helm. We have an astounding 84 entries for this trophy this year which is an increase of 70% on last year. I’m very encouraged by the increasing levels of female participation and enthusiasm for the regatta”

Sadly with a lack of wind in Cowes cancelling all racing today, event organisers have moved the on-the-water plans for Ladies Day to Wednesday 12 August. Competitors are encouraged to fly Liz Earle Ladies Day flags on Wednesday with on-the-water spot prizes being handed out, and the Ariel Trophy will be awarded by the Royal Southern.

However, the lack of wind didn’t dampen the spirits shoreside with the Liz Earle Ladies Day at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week being celebrated in style.  Women showed their support for Ladies Day by wearing traditional seafaring navy-and-white striped shirts whilst also enjoying Liz Earle treatments and products, including a special facial developed exclusively for Cowes Week.

Tina Jennings - Head of People & Development at Liz Earle said: “Liz Earle are delighted to have sponsored Ladies’ Day today. It is particularly special we are here, as we are celebrating our 20th birthday on the Island. I was absolutely honoured to present the Ladies Day Trophy to Libby Greenhalgh, and on behalf of everyone here at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week and at Liz Earle, many congratulations.”