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The University of Southampton
Engineering

Delivering Gold - The Annual RNLI Lecture by world class sailor, Shirley Robertson OBE Event

Time:
18:00 - 19:00
Date:
3 December 2014
Venue:
The Turner Sims University of Southampton Southampton SO17 1BJ Please contact us if you have any mobility difficulties or require special arrangements. Car Parking Turner Sims Concert Hall (Building 52) is situated on the Highfield Campus. Pay and display parking is available before 5pm. After 5pm all university car parks are free.

For more information regarding this event, please telephone Mrs Aparna Subaiah-Varma, Administrator, Fluid Structure Interactions Group on 02380597745 or email sesfsirg@southampton.ac.uk .

Event details

The University of Southampton and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution hold an Annual Lecture at the University campus as part of our Advanced Technology Partnership. The ATP involves active research projects in engineering and sponsored students in Ship Science and most recently in allied health sciences and management. A key element of the research is dissemination of the work through theses, papers and articles. This relationship is most valuable to the university and the Annual Lecture has become one of the most prestigious in the University Calendar.

Double Olympic Gold Medalist and Presenter
Shirley Robertson OBE

Each year we invite an eminent speaker to deliver the lecture, which is based upon their own work that has focused on safety and engineering around the marine and/or maritime sectors. We are pleased to welcome double Olympic gold medallist and presenter, Shirley Robertson to the University as our speaker this year.

The Lecture by custom will be delivered in the University at 6.00pm. Refreshments will be served in the foyer at 5.30pm. REGISTRATION NOT REQUIRED. All are welcome.

For more information regarding the RNLI Advanced Technology Partnership please contact Dr James I. R. Blake.

Speaker information

Shirley Robertson OBE

Shirley Ann Robertson OBE made it in the history books by becoming the first British woman to win two Olympic gold medals at consecutive games, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004.

In the late 1990s Shirley won silver medals at the 1998, 1999 and 2000 Europe Class World Championships and competed in the 1992 Barcelona Games and 1996 Atlanta Games.

In 2000 Shirley won gold at the Millennium Olympic Games in Sydney, was voted ISAF World Female Sailor of the Year and awarded an MBE for her services to British Sailing.

In 2001 she switched to the new Yngling class and her team finished 14th at the World Championships. Over the next two years they improved rapidly, finishing third at the 2002 Olympic Test Event and winning the 2003 Pre-Olympic regatta. This new direction was rewarded with Shirley’s historical second Gold Medal at the Athens 2004 Olympic.

In January 2006 Shirley became the regular presenter for CNN ‘Mainsail’. She returned to the Olympic trail, in 2008.

As the only female skipper competing in 5 race series of the iShares Cup in 2008, at the helm of J.P.Morgan Asset Management Extreme 40, Shirley successfully won the first event on the circuit in Lugano (Switzerland).

In Beijing, Shirley took up a new role as a BBC Olympic sailing commentator, which continued through her involvement with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) Sport Advisory Group.

Shirley was back at the helm of an Extreme 40 for the iShares Cup 2009 circuit, as skipper of Team iShares for a 6 race series. She then immediately took over the helm of Rumbo Almeria Extreme 40 for the Extreme Sailing Series Asia 2009/10.

During 2012 Shirley retained her role with LOCOG’s Sport Advisory Group throughout the London 2012 games and as the BBC Olympic sailing commentator in Weymouth. She also became the only woman to take the helm on the super yacht circuit steering the stunning 45-metre Dubois designed Salperton in three regattas in the Caribbean and Sardina.

Shirley currently presents and produces CNN’s monthly sailing TV programme ‘Mainsail’ and along with speaking engagements and charity work remains an inspiration as an Olympian, TV presenter, businesswoman and mother.

Shirley Robertson is an RNLI ambassador supporting their work saving lives at sea.

Lecture Poster

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