04 January 2016
Charlie, Julia and Piers Egerton-Warburton, have donated a handsome, gilt-lined silver trophy to the RS Elite class in memory of Marcus, their son, who passed away tragically in 2008 aged 14. Charlie explained that the name of their family Elite had been lifted from a comment made by Marcus who, when having a bath one day using a certain Molton Brown product called 'Soak Therapy', had commented on what a great name this would make for a boat. Piers and Charlie had spent some time scouring the London Silver Vaults off Chancery Lane and had eventually secured a silver Victorian cup hallmarked in 1864 by Robert Garrard, who was the original Royal jeweller. It has been engraved 'Presented to the RS Elite Class in memory of Marcus Egerton-Warburton' and will be known as the RS Elite Tri-Handled Trophy, to be won over the first four days of Cowes Week, with one discard allowed. It had caught their eye because of its three handles, hence their proposed name for this new class trophy, which seems highly appropriate for what is usually a three-person RS Elite crew. Charlie hoped that this would become a hotly contested cup in the coming years and looked forward to welcoming as many competitors as possible to the inaugural contest in August 2016. Piers stated on record at the Class EGM that it would be his life's ambition to win it in his brother's honour. Steve Powell, Class Chairman, announced that although this event will be run as part of Cowes Week there will be a token entry fee that will all go directly to a scholarship fund set up in Marcus's name at his old school, for those pupils whose academic schooling is fully funded but who typically have no means beyond this to enjoy sporting and other extra-curricular activities.