Chairman's Introduction

Last year we were lucky to witness the most splendid Match that I can remember, and indeed perhaps of all time.

As a Committee we organise most things and I would like to say we organised the weather, but we didn't! However, we were blessed by an almost perfect summer's day. The starts, the rounding of the outer mark and the finish gave a gloriouos spectacle of close grouped, red sailed barges on the Thames, reminding us of times when their numbers were counted in hundreds and not just the handful that can be counted now.

On that note I must extend my thnks to the barge owners and crews for turning up and making the 80th Match such an event.

My sincere thanks also go to our patrons, for without their generosity the Match could not exist.

Behind the scenes there are also scores of supporters.
Tony Collins of the Design House, Ware for producing the poster,
Michael Wenban of Gravesend who has done so much to advertise the Match locally, as has Roger Newlyn.
Gravesend Sailing Club and the Twyman family have supplied and fired the starting and finishing guns since 1995.

My thanks also go to Dr Maxted of the Mission House for allowing us to invade his back garden for fire the finishing guns;
and to Andrew Bain and his son Richard for providing the river taxi service, which ensures that the passage between the moorings and Royal Terrace Pier is safe for passengers and crew.
Thanks also to Rob Chandler for the use of the tug Touchstone as the Bridge Committee vessel,
along with Jane and Robert Ludlow for the use of Song and Dance for the Committee and Prize presenter.

We also have several following vessels to thank for giving the match an additional touch,
John Potter, MV Princess Pocahontas,
Alan Littleworth, MV Ex-Pilot,
Lee Spooner and the Portwey Trust, ST Portwey;
and Clifford Mickleburgh, MV Dawn Owl.

Thank you to David Renouf for taking on the Match website.
Thank you as always to Mark Boyle.

To those who I've not mentioned also go my sincerest thanks, and fingers crossed we will run as successful a Match on the 23rd July 2011 as we did in 2010.

Michael Everard