| Spirit of Canada enters Velux 5 Oceans solo race |
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Safe, economic and sustainable single-handed
offshore racing class to be premiered in the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010-11. Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures, concluded, “The Eco 60 Class is an exciting new concept that has proven to be extremely popular with skippers and sponsors alike, with ten entries now confirmed for the next VELUX 5 OCEANS. The race remains open to all offshore racing skippers with an Open 60 to compete in either our Eco 60 Class or our Open 60 Class. We have worked with the leading experts in offshore racing to define the Eco 60 Class rules so that we maintain these high standards and deliver an accessible racing platform that is suited to the current economic climate and environmental issues.” The Eco 60 Class, open to 60 foot racing yachts launched before January 2003 that meet the class rules for safety and stability, is designed to broaden the reach of single-handed offshore racing. The Eco 60 Class encourages skippers to embrace renewable energy sources. The class will deliver a competitive sporting arena for a diverse group of skippers, ranging in nationalities, racing experience and motivations. Derek Hatfield commented “We will be competing in the ECO 60 class as it embodies our core values with regard to the environment and education. The aim is to consume zero fossil fuels as we race around the world. We will be able to attain this by utilizing wind, solar and hydrogen fuel cell technology. The overall budget is relatively small and would be attractive to a company that can use this platform to increase their brand exposure while aligning themselves with a sustainability message. We are currently seeking partners that have these similar goals. For me, competing in the ECO 60 class makes perfect sense; the relatively small budgets are more attainable but the benefits for the sponsors are still the same. For our partners, it’s all about return on investment and they can reap the same benefits of this type of around the world racing without having to commit to the big budgets that are required to field a team to be at the front of the Open 60 class. For example, in the last Vendee Globe, Sam Davies and Steve White both sailed in ECO 60 generation boats and reaped huge returns for their sponsors. I know we can do the same for our partners”. To receive more information on the benefits of partnering with Spirit of
Canada for the Velux 5 Oceans 2010-11, please contact Spirit of Canada Ocean
Challenges at 647-288-7342 or via email:
info@spiritofcanada.net. Since 1996 the Spirit of Canada team has been putting the names of those individuals who have supported Spirit of Canada on the hulls of both Spirit of Canada open sailboats. These “crew members” have either contributed financial or in-kind support or their valuable time. The first Spirit of Canada was an Open 40, built by volunteers for the Around Alone 2002 and carried over 3000 names around the world on her hull. This grassroots fundraising campaign became known as “AroundTogether”. From 2003 to the start of the Vendee Globe in November 2008, another 5700 crew member names were placed on the hull of the Open 60 Spirit of Canada; this time in reflective safety tape to provide improved visibility at night. A scan of the AroundTogether crew members listed on the Spirit of Canada website reveals a never ending list of people including: individuals (some famous), children, competitors, family members and even boat and pet names that were added by their owners. To say the least, this grass roots campaign has been an overwhelming success and it is the reason Spirit of Canada has been able to compete in two around the world races as it has provided Spirit of Canada Ocean Challenges with the seed funding it required to succeed. Spirit of Canada is grateful to those that have contributed. Derek has commented numerous times that it is the motivational support from those names on the hull that has kept him going when the times are tough. He is also quoted that “it was the risk of disappointing those supporters that kept him from giving up”. The tradition continues with the new Spirit of Canada ECO 60. For the VELUX 5 Oceans starting in October 2010, the 5700 names that were on the Open 60 for the Vendee Globe will be transferred to the new ECO 60 so that their trip around the world will continue. We are encouraging those supporters to contribute again and to show appreciation for their continued support, each crew member will receive a free copy of the Spirit of Canada story “Never Give Up!” currently being written. Please encourage other individuals and companies to put their name on the hull as the goal remains 10,000 names to go around the world in 2010. Each contribution will receive a piece of Spirit of Canada clothing to reflect their generous contribution. To put your name on the hull, please go to: http://spiritofcanada.net/wordpress2/donate/ Mailing Address Spirit of Canada Ocean Challenges For more information, please contact Spirit of Canada Ocean Challenges at 647.288.7342 Or visit www.spiritofcanada.net October 15th, 2009 For Immediate Release: 24th September 2009 Spirit of Canada Announces Next Around the World Race Canadian offshore racer Derek Hatfield today announced Spirit of Canada’s’ next single-handed challenge around the world will be the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010-11. Considered The Ultimate Solo Challenge since the race was first organised in 1982, the eighth edition of this classic event will start in La Rochelle (France) on October 17th 2010. A fleet of Open 60s will take on five gruelling ocean sprints as the solo sailors circumnavigate the planet around the three great Capes. Hatfield has unfinished business following his forced retirement from the Vendée Globe 2008 and returns to the event which launched his career in single-handed sailing. The Canadian adventurer is the first skipper to be officially announced for the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010-11. Commenting on the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2010-11, Derek concluded, “I am very excited about the VELUX 5 OCEANS as it is a race that I know well; we had a very positive result in this race in 2002 when I competed in the 40 foot Class. This will be our third single-handed race around the world after the Around Alone 2002 and the Vendée Globe 2008 and we are looking to be very competitive on the water. We will be competing in the Eco 60 Class as it embodies our core values with regard to the environment and education. The Spirit of Canada Eco 60 will carry the colours of Canada and our supporters around the world once again.” Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of the race organiser Clipper Ventures, commented, “It is excellent news that Derek Hatfield is returning to the VELUX 5 OCEANS in 2010. With over a year to go, we have nine confirmed entries in our promising Eco 60 Class, three quarters of the way to our target of twelve boats racing across five very different ocean sprints. We will announce further entries throughout 2009 and we are shaping up to have a truly diverse cross section of nationalities and personalities. The Eco 60 Class, designed for Open 60s launched before January 2003, has proved extremely popular with sponsors and skippers given the prevailing global trends for reducing cost and embracing sustainability.” Derek Hatfield was the 2003 Canadian Rolex Sailor of the Year and is the 126th person in history to finish a single-handed race around the world. Competing in the Open 40 Spirit of Canada, he finished first in his fleet and in 3rd place overall in Class II in the 2002-03 Around Alone race, despite a life threatening and catastrophic capsize near Cape Horn. Between 2003 and 2006, Derek and the Spirit of Canada team went on to build the first IMOCA 60 in Canada. In May 2006, the IMOCA 60 Spirit of Canada was launched in Cobourg, Ontario after 22,000 man-hours. Derek had hoped to compete in the VELUX 5 OCEANS 2006-07, but ultimately decided he did not have sufficient time to prepare the new IMOCA 60 for the seventh edition of The Ultimate Solo Challenge that departed Bilbao (Basque Country, Spain) and featured three long offshore legs. In 2008, Derek led the first Canadian team to compete in the Vendée Globe single-handed race around the world, without stops and unassisted. Of the 30 competing skippers, only 11 finished the gruelling race. After 50 days of racing and deep in the Southern Ocean, Derek and his 60 foot sailboat were rolled upside down and sustained mast damage. Unable to make repairs himself, Derek was forced to retire from the race. Spirit of Canada Ocean Challenges is a team of sailing and marketing professionals that are currently preparing to compete on the world sailing stage for a third time in the VELUX 5 OCEANS. Announcements on the choice of Eco 60 boat will be made in the coming months following purchase negotiations. For further information on the VELUX 5 OCEANS, please contact Tim Kelly, Race
Director of Communications: For further information on Derek Hatfield or to support Spirit of Canada
Ocean Challenges, please contact Patianne Verburgh: | Home | Tuesday November 10, 2009 |
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