Grant
Wharington Heads Australian Entry in Volvo Ocean Race
The southern
hemisphere will mount its strongest challenge for many years
in the Volvo Ocean Race. Two teams, one from Australia and
one from Brazil, are now preparing to build 70-foot boats
for the around the world yacht race.
The Australian
team, Premier Challenge, headed by Grant Wharington, has secured
sufficient funding to start construction and testing. Don
Jones, designer of Wharington’s successful super-maxi
Skandia, has been appointed as chief designer and construction
of the boat will begin in Australia in October.
Brazilian
World Champion Alan Adler will lead Brasil 1 with Torben Grael
as helmsman. The team has secured the majority of its funding
and plans to announce its designers and builders once discussions
with sponsors are concluded. Designers under consideration
are Farr Yacht Design and Mani Frers.
Wharington
and Grael both have experience of The Whitbread/Volvo Ocean
Race. Wharington raced a southern ocean leg onboard djuice
in 2001-02, while Grael, who has won gold, silver and bronze
Olympic medals, sailed with Norwegian Knut Frostad onboard
Innovation Kvaerner in 1997-98.
“We
can’t wait to begin construction of our new Volvo Open
70,” says Wharington, continuing,” such a step
clarifies our position and demonstrates our determination
to be on the start line for Australia in November 2005. Our
'Team Australia' sponsorship model is being well received
and recognised by Australian business as a valuable way of
exploiting the worldwide interest in this event. We are confident
current discussions will end positively and expect more to
come.”
Grael
says he is looking forward to the challenge in every respect.
“I am very pleased to be part of this project: it shows
the potential accomplishment of Brazilian sports.”
Volvo
Ocean Race CEO, Glenn Bourke (an Australian), is delighted
to have such a strong showing from the southern hemisphere.
The changes to the race format which include in-port racing,
scoring gates and pit stops, largely initiated by Bourke in
consultation with past and future competitors, are now paying
off as the event sees increased interest from sailors and
investors around the world.
“To
have five boats going into production 17 months ahead of the
start is great news,” says Bourke, and adds: “The
way the entries are rolling in, we can all look forward to
this event being the most successful event in recent history.
Get yourselves ready for some more announcements.”
Prior
to Wharington and Grael’s announcements, two premier
international brands - Spanish telecoms Telefónica
and Dutch bank ABN AMRO have signed up to support three race
entries.
The Volvo
Ocean Race
Volvo
Ocean Race will start with an in port race in Sanxenxo, Galicia,
on November 5, 2005. Start of leg one, the first offshore
leg, will be from Vigo, Galicia, on November 12, 2005.
Volvo
Ocean Race is an around the world yacht race featuring nine
offshore racing legs. Included in the 2005-2006 event will
be an inshore race at each of the main stopover ports including
the start port in Galicia. Four teams from the last race measured
the media value of their exposure. The results showed an average
of US$50 million, which equates to a 200-300 percent return
on their sponsorship investment. Volvo Ocean Race achieved
a cumulative audience of more than 800 million viewers ranking
it among the top international sporting events.
Research on awareness of the competing teams was also conducted
which again showed an increase by up to 30 percent for some
sponsors.
For
interviews and further information on Premier Challenge and
Team Australia, please contact:
Bindy Lockhart Email: wildthingyachting@yahoo.com
CLASSIFIEDS AUSTRALIA
