Oscar hit the headlines last year after becoming, at the tender age of 18, the youngest person ever to compete in the Original Singlehanded Transatlantic Race (OSTAR). Now a year older, the unstoppable young sailor has set his sights on the huge challenge of the VELUX 5 OCEANS, dubbed the Ultimate Solo Challenge.
Oscar will be the youngest ever skipper to enter the gruelling nine-month round the world race.

He said: "Racing across the Atlantic was one thing but going round the world in the VELUX 5 OCEANS is an altogether bigger challenge. " The race has been won by some of the world's leading solo sailors and I intend to add my name to that list. "There are a lot of sailors trying to break records for being the youngest to achieve certain goals but that is not me. I plan to enter the VELUX 5 OCEANS not as an adventure but as a race which I will try to win."Oscar will put his yacht and powercraft design degree at Southampton Solent University on hold for a year while he takes part in the race.

Legendary round the world yachtsman and Clipper Ventures chairman Sir Robin Knox-Johnston said: "I know from entering the race myself how hard the VELUX 5 OCEANS is. However Oscar is a very talented young sailor, as he proved last year when he raced across the Atlantic in the OSTAR. He has a huge amount of potential and I am delighted he will be taking part in the 2010 VELUX 5 OCEANS."

Run by Clipper Ventures PLC, the VELUX 5 OCEANS starts from La Rochelle in France on October 17 and features five ocean sprints. After heading from La Rochelle to Cape Town, the race will then take in Wellington in New Zealand, Salvador in Brazil and Charleston in the US before returning back across the Atlantic to France.

The boat will now be renamed Spirit of Canada ahead of the 30,000-mile VELUX 5 OCEANS race which starts from La Rochelle in France in October. It will be the second time Derek, a native of New Brunswick, has competed in the VELUX 5 OCEANS after finishing third in Class II in the 2002/03 race.


Derek, the 2003 Canadian Rolex Sailor of the Year, said: "The new Spirit of Canada has a fantastic pedigree for round the world races and I know the boat well. The boat is in perfect condition and Rich spared no expense in getting ready for the last Vendée Globe and it is ready to go again with very little preparation. We are very excited about the new ECO 60 class and the new Spirit of Canada."

Designed by famous naval architect Bernard Nivelt for French single hander Thierry Dubois, the new Spirit of Canada was launched in 1999 before being raced in the 2000 Vendée Globe. She was then entered in the 2002/03 edition of the VELUX 5 OCEANS finishing second in Class I. In both the 2004 and 2008 Vendée Globe races she was skippered to a credible seventh position.

Derek will now race her in the Eco 60 class in the 2010-11 VELUX 5 OCEANS race, dubbed the Ultimate Solo Challenge. The Eco 60 class is for Open 60 yachts launched before 2003, taking away the emphasis on money and putting it back on the skill, seamanship and determination of each sailor. Derek plans to be the first person in history to race around the world without the use of fossil fuels to operate the boat.

He added: "The VELUX 5 OCEANS is all about 'Inspiring by Leading' showing as many people as possible that everyone can make a difference and collectively we can make a big difference to future generations."


Derek will start training in early May sailing the boat from its current berth in France to Nova Scotia where it will begin its transformation into Spirit of Canada. The yacht will adopt the instantly recognisable Spirit of Canada red colours as well as the familiar boat number 84, proudly placed on her bows. The names of 7,000 supporters will also be transported across from Derek's last Open 60 Spirit of Canada. The names, collected during Derek's eight-year-campaign, will serve as 'virtual crew' during the long solitary passages at sea.

"It is great to have a true racing machine in hand," said Van Liew. "Now, it's time to personalize it exactly how I need, so I can best represent the United States in the world's original solo race around the globe."


While the race is billed as a solo event, it requires much more than one individual's drive and talent. Van Liew is supported by a small shore-based team who has extensive experience in every aspect of the intricate and extreme sport of solo ocean racing. Additionally, the greater Charleston community has stepped up to offer their support to make Van Liew's mission a reality. Charleston Rigging, Pierside Boatworks, Seabreeze Marina, and Urban Electric have all pledged support to the project, while the sailing industry has also showed its enthusiasm for a strong American solo effort, with support from well known brands such as Harken, Spinlock and AlpineAire. Additional sponsors contributing to the refit will be announced soon and more information about supporting Brad's campaign is available at www.oceanracing.org/LAZARUS_PROJECT_|_Support.html .

An enormous shipbuilding crane hauled Brad's ECO 60 out of the water at Detyens Shipyard in North Charleston, where hardworking Charleston shipbuilders and technicians supervised the gentle placement of the racing yacht in a custom-built cradle nearby.  Van Liew and his shore team will conduct their comprehensive refit over the next three months in a building on the old Charleston Navy Base. One area of their work has attracted a surprising amount of interest among the public - new electrical generation systems that will allow Van Liew to race around the world without the use of fossil fuels at all.  This would be a world's first in the modern era of racing, where optimal performance depends on sophisticated - and power-hungry - electronics for navigation, safety, communication, and lighting.   The system includes thin, flexible, high-efficiency solar panels on deck, along with prototypes of a new hydrogenerator system that produces power via small propellers that run just below the surface of the water.  Such a system has been avoided by racers for competitive reasons, but the new prototypes generate large amounts of energy with nearly no effect on the speed of the boat.  


 
"One of the things that is so special about sailing is that we get to turn the motors off, and I think it's time that we prove that we can really do it," said Van Liew. "With all the effort that's going into creating renewable energy options around the world, I think that our solutions will finally show how one person can make a difference in a small way."  Van Liew thinks the technology he will use, once proven, will likely transfer to the tens of thousands of racing and cruising boats that currently rely on diesel and gasoline engines and generators for the majority of their power.  "When you add it all up, sailors use a surprising amount of fuel, but if our power systems perform as well as they have so far, we can help to change that."  


The complete refit will include extensive work disassembling the rig, rudders, keel and daggerboards, while the entire deck layout and sail handling systems will be modified to suit Van Liew's personal sailing style and the intricacies of sailing a 60-foot boat competitively alone. The electronics package is one of the most important performance tools on a modern racing yacht, and Van Liew will replace the entire system currently aboard the boat.  His new system of radar, chart plotters, autopilots, and communications gear will be from B&G, with the latest high-performance chipsets and software. 


The race boat sports a carbon/Nomex hull, twin daggerboards and rudders, a canting keel, more than 5,000 square feet of sail on a huge 95-foot mast, and ultra-light overall weight of just 8.5 tons.  


Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures commented, “Clipper Ventures has a fantastic partnership with Henri Lloyd that goes back many years with both the Clipper Round the World Race and the previous VELUX 5 OCEANS. We wanted to continue this partnership of trust and reliability for the VELUX 5 OCEANS in 2010-11 as we share common values across our brands. Our race management will be wearing the finest Henri Lloyd gear, in particular the cutting edge Blue Eco jacket, which fits perfectly with our TAKING ON THE ELEMENTS mission to promote sustainable living through the race. Henri Lloyd will be in a position to offer competitive solutions to all our skippers, ports, partners and stakeholders.”

Paul Strzelecki, Joint Chief Executive of Henri Lloyd commented, “The continuation of our partnership with VELUX 5 OCEANS was a natural decision for Henri Lloyd, and we are looking forward to working with Sir Robin and his team once again. Some of the best single-handed sailors in the world battle the elements during the race and therefore need the best clothing protection available. Henri Lloyd has spent the last 45 years working with professional ocean racing sailors and is able to offer VELUX 5 OCEANS skippers the ultimate in ocean protection and will be working with the individual skippers to ensure that every clothing requirement is met.”

For 2010, Henri Lloyd has launched a revolutionary innovation aimed at advancing more eco-friendly marine technical apparel, taking the marine industry’s first steps to link product development and eco-friendly problem-solving with the Henri Lloyd Blue Eco Jacket. Henri Lloyd have applied their skills and expertise of innovative design technology to reduce energy consumption and decrease unnecessary waste, by offering the industry’s first ‘infinite loop’ recycling system for marine apparel.

Henri Lloyd is the first partner to join the VELUX 5 OCEANS under the banner of TAKING ON THE ELEMENTS, and expect to be present in race villages around the world.

Donald has sailed with fellow American sailor and solo circumnavigator Bruce Schwab (who raced in the 2002-2003 Around Alone and 2004-2005 Vendee Globe) on Ocean Planet. A former sailing instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy and instructor at Baltimore’s Downtown Sailing Center, Donald has followed his passion since an elementary school trip to Baltimore’s Living Classroom. Donald was the Commander of his NROTC , Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp, in high school. Donald races primarily on the Chesapeake Bay when not delivering boats offshore. He also won this year’s prestigious High Point Trophy on the Chesapeake Bay with a multihull team.

Donald is determined to be the first African American to race solo around the world. He has reached out to several companies and knows that a company will benefit from his campaign and the global exposure. He welcomes sponsors that share his work ethic and community outreach goals. Donald states, “Starting the VELUX 5 OCEANS race is the ultimate solo challenge for any athlete and will inspire others to follow their dreams. I believe that my entry into the VELUX 5 OCEANS race will help the sport gain greater visibility in America just like Tiger Woods helped grow the sport of golf.” 

Donald recently partnered with the Annapolis School of Seamanship in Annapolis, Maryland to further train for the race where he recently passed his USCG Captain’s License 100 GT course  Recent training also included a ship simulator facing Force 5 through Force 10 wind and waves at the Marine Institute of Technology in Linthicum, Maryland.

To stay on target for the race Donald hopes to be training on his Eco 60 in the next month or two once funding is secured. To partner with Donald’s campaign contact donald@donaldlawsonracing.com or bperry@S360S.com.

www.donaldlawsonracing.com

www.s360s.com

The experienced team at Marine Camera Solutions, lead by Tony Reid and Rob Sleep, will supply a functional and powerful onboard media system for the first twelve entries ready to cross the start line in La Rochelle in October 2010. Capturing the action in high quality 16:9 SD and recording to tape, the core of the system comprises a lightweight membrane control panel, with a video screen, mounted in the navigation station. The system also incorporates a handheld video camera with a waterproof housing and state of the art wireless microphone and earpiece that will ensure the highest quality audio and filming, even in the most demanding environments.

Designed with power efficiency and solo sailors in mind, the system will allow footage to be captured and transmitted (web or broadcast quality) from the yacht but can also deliver a live video feed for broadcast quality video conferencing and web streaming.

Commenting on the commitment to the onboard camera systems, Michael Rasmussen, Chief Marketing Officer for VELUX said, "VELUX and Clipper Ventures have set ambitious goals for the VELUX 5 OCEANS in 2010- we are seeking to change the mould of solo ocean racing and define a new dimension in communicating the incredible stories of our skippers to a global audience. We recognised that delivering a minimum standard of high quality video footage would be the key to taking the race far and wide across television, digital and new media platforms. We therefore decided to invest in onboard communications on behalf of our skippers, partnering with Marine Camera Solutions to design, produce and install a package of onboard cameras and tailored media desk that would deliver the required content for our skippers and race media team."

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures, concluded, "Marine Camera Solutions are the leaders in understanding the latest trends in onboard communications and ensuring high quality images onboard offshore racing yachts. They were our natural partner to deliver the best equipment available to the skippers in the VELUX 5 OCEANS, and are now in the process of designing and building the integrated camera and media systems which they will install on each boat. This represents a significant financial investment on behalf of our skippers, complementing the support we have already announced, notably the services on offer in each host port, a prizefund of €500,000 and €3,500 per team per stopover to offset accommodation costs. With the world class media team we are putting in place, this onboard camera system will undoubtedly mean that the media exposure for our skippers and partners will beat the impressive global results achieved in the last edition of the race."

Tony Reid, co-founder of Marine Camera Solutions, concluded, "Marine Camera Solutions will supply a new, functional and powerful onboard media system which we have developed for the VELUX 5 OCEANS. We have created a solution for this race built on what we have learnt in the past about combining the demands of getting captivating content for multi-platform media partners, whilst still being intuitive and easy to use for the skippers. We will continue to work closely with the race media team and skippers to ensure the high quality footage delivers for all parties involved and tells the story of this race as it unfolds."

VELUX and Clipper Ventures are equally studying a supplementary investment package to provide photography cameras to every skipper, as well as furnishing each yacht with the latest technology for transmitting images back to race HQ and an airtime budget for each skipper to facilitate live broadcasts, videoconferences and the transmission of images during ocean sprints. The VELUX 5 OCEANS will work with Marine Camera Solutions throughout the race to provide support to skippers both during ocean sprints and during stopovers in host ports, solving technical problems and making necessary repairs. They will also work with the race TV team to ensure the delivery of images for television programming and news, including media training on creating engaging content.

Summary of Skipper Support Packages for Skippers (first 12 across start line):

€500,000 Prizefund

€250,000 investment in accommodation (€3,500 per team per stopover)

€300,000 minimum investment in onboard cameras and communications management syst

• 2 x fixed video cameras (recording in 16:9 SD)- onboard positions to be agreed with skippers
• 1 x roaming video Handycam (recording in 16:9 SD)
• Wireless microphone and earpiece headset, plus ambient microphone
• Camera control unit on navigation table
• HDV Recorder unit and media system management processor
• Dedicated media laptop with Livewire M-Link Voyager software

€600,000 Value in Kind through in port services and race partners/suppliers

Dr Neil Weston from the University of Portsmouth (UK) will work with competitors of the VELUX 5 Oceans race 2010-11 to determine how these unique individuals optimally prepare for The Ultimate Solo Challenge. It follows an inaugural study during the 2006-07 VELUX 5 OCEANS race which analysed the effects of the different ocean legs around the world on the physical, mental and emotional state of the solo skipper.  Dr Weston, from the University's Department of Sport and Exercise Science, specialises in solo ocean sailing research and will interview the competitors and their shore managers before and after the event.  He hopes to get 'under the skin' of the solo ocean sailor and undertake a systematic evaluation of the key strategies employed to prepare a skipper and their boat for single-handed round the world events.

Dr Weston said: "There are currently no guidelines available to help skippers prepare for these life threatening and environmentally challenging races. Our previous study produced some incredible data on the extent of the physical and psychological demands faced by skippers during long periods alone at sea. We have devised a programme which will provide a comprehensive evaluation of how skippers and their shore team prepare for the challenge. The results will be used to build a detailed set of guidelines to inform future skippers who wish to participate in such events.

The University of Portsmouth is delighted to continue its partnership with VELUX 5 OCEANS for the 2010-11 race."   For the eighth edition of this classic round the world ocean race, Dr Weston will interview the skippers and their shore managers on site in La Rochelle and in their homes. He will question them about how they prepared for the event physically, psychologically, technically, tactically and logistically. He will use data from the post race reports compiled for each team to evaluate the effectiveness of their preparation strategies and race performance. 

Commenting on the partnership, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures said: "The study with the University of Portsmouth will deliver an incredible insight for skippers, sponsors and ourselves as race organisers of the VELUX 5 OCEANS. Only 90 people have so far completed this challenging race, and less than 200 have ever sailed singlehanded around the world- they are special group of people, with a drive and passion that drives them from within. Simply getting to the start line is one of the biggest challenges faced by skippers- one of the reasons we introduced the promising Eco 60 Class and skipper support packages- and this study will she real insight into best practices and lessons for the future." 

Dr Weston will present the results at a conference after the race and will publish a detailed report in a scientific journal. A detailed overview of the findings will be available to skippers on request and Clipper Ventures will be able to provide a detailed guide to skippers entered into future editions of the VELUX 5 OCEANS to help them optimally prepare for the event.

The boat is Pro-Form (ex-Whirlpool, ex-Tiscali), and her pedigree includes first place in the 1999 Fastnet Race and 2nd in the important Transat Jacques Vabre that same year. Pro-Form was build in 1998 for Catherine Chabaud and was subsequently sailed by Simone Bianchetti and later Marc Thiercelin, and she sports a carbon/Nomex hull, twin daggerboards and rudders, a canting keel, more than 5,000 square feet of sail on a 95-foot mast, and an ultra-light displacement of just 8.5 tons.

Van Liew and his shore support team will sail the high-performance rocket from La Rochelle, France to Charleston, South Carolina, where it will undergo a comprehensive re-fit and the extensive preparation necessary for the VELUX 5 OCEANS race start in October 2010.

"This boat is a thoroughbred - a true racing machine - and I'm excited to learn her idiosyncrasies as we sail across the Atlantic in the coming weeks," Brad said.  "You can't imagine how much homework I've done to find the perfect Eco Class challenger, and I am extremely happy to have made a deal for Pro-Forms - she's super light, very reliable, and has all the bells and whistles that I need to compete in the 2010-11 VELUX 5 OCEANS."

Winter Across The Atlantic

Leaving France in late January is always a challenge, and 2010 has already been a brutal year for weather. In fact, the shore team was just shovelling snow from the deck last week. "It's not fun, but the boat is surely worth it," said experienced race supporter Jeffery Wargo. "And she looks fast even buried in snow."

The delivery from La Rochelle, France to Charleston, SC will cover an estimated 5,000 miles as they take the longer, safer route via Madeira. Brad and his crew will head south from France until they are firmly in the trade winds, where they'll turn to the west and head to Charleston via the Caribbean. Van Liew's crew consists of Wargo, Open 60 expert JC Caso, and Dr. Kevin Hogan.

Hydrogeneration and Van Liew's 'Zero Emissions' Goal

Two innovative new hydrogenerators have been installed on the boat for the transatlantic delivery and will be a test bed for use during the VELUX 5 OCEANS. The units are designed for maximum efficiency and power output with minimum drag. If testing goes well with the hydrogenerators, solar panels, and wind generators, Van Liew expects to carry out his ambitious eco-friendly plan: to race around the globe without any fossil fuels whatsoever. "I'm fortunate to have close ties to the leading French Open 60 programs," Van Liew said. "These guys have been thinking about this stuff for years, and we're excited to test the technologies they've been working on." Shore crew JC Caso has a long history of working on the top Open 60 boats, and he has played a major role in bringing Watt and Sea (www.wattandsea.com) to the campaign for fitting and testing these innovative energy resources.

Eco 6 Class

Van Liew's new ocean racing campaign targets the exciting Eco 60 Class, and constitutes the only United States entry in the race at this time. The Eco 60 Class recycles earlier generation Open 60s, and the Eco Class has strict rules that insist on renewable onboard energy, rewarding skippers who promote sustainability. The idea was developed by race organizer Clipper Ventures as a solution to the modern generation of boats becoming prohibitively expensive and relying on large amounts of diesel-powered electronics to race competitively. Boats entered in the Eco 60 Class must be built prior to January 1, 2003.

Key Partner

Funding an ocean racing project has proven a difficult task for most, and 'getting to the start line' is known to be almost as hard as racing around the planet. Van Liew has proven a talent for developing strong relationships with major international brands, and his Balance Bar and Tommy Hilfiger campaigns have provided tangible marketing benefits like corporate branding and hospitality. Unique in US solo racers, Brad has consistently provided media returns far above expectations for his sponsors through his energetic communications style. "We have thankfully acquired seed money to get this project underway," said Van Liew. "We are seeking that core commercial partner who wants to enjoy the suite of benefits we can offer as a Title/Naming Sponsor." Van Liew is hoping to leverage his considerable past experience with both media and corporate sponsors with Tommy, Balance Bar, Panasonic, Nextel, and Honeywell.

History

Van Liew made his name first as the skipper of Balance Bar in the 1998-99 edition of the race, sending in gripping daily reports of a horrific Southern Ocean storm that were read by millions. He returned in the 2002-03 race as the skipper of the colorful and patriotic Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America, winning Class II convincingly while continuing a legacy of communication with the public as he won every leg of the race. Race followers of the Around Alone became addicted to Brad's reports from the far corners of the earth, and he developed significant media interest in the United States as a result of his unique and engaging writing style. 

Nine months to go before the start of The Ultimate Solo Challenge

Only nine months remain until the start of the VELUX 5 OCEANS and the various pieces of the jigsaw continue to come together. All the ingredients are being put in place for the eighth edition of the classic singlehanded round the world race, which should create one of the most successful events in the prestigious twenty eight year history of The Ultimate Solo Challenge.

To date, Clipper Ventures, in close partnership with title sponsor VELUX, have announced a number of positive and innovative key elements of the race:

• 5 ocean sprints within a 30,000 marathon around the planet, departing La Rochelle (France) on October 17th 2010 and bringing solo offshore racing directly to audiences in Cape Town (South Africa), Wellington (New Zealand), Salvador (Brazil) and Charleston (USA), before returning to La Rochelle in May 2011
• The start dates for each ocean sprint will be announced in the coming weeks, with world class services provided to skippers in each port
• The race prizegiving in La Rochelle will take place on June 6th 2011
• Nine confirmed international entries from seven different countries, with four already announced from Canada, USA, Belgium and Poland, and with more entries to come soon
• Strong interest in the Open 60 Class, which remains open to all skippers with Open 60s built after January 2003
• €500,000 prizemoney for skippers, to be split across the fleets and 5 ocean sprints, including awards for media work, seamanship and sustainability actions
• €21,000 investment per team in accommodation for the stopovers around the world
• €15,000 minimum per team to be invested in onboard communications and logistics, with details to be announced in the coming months
• €2.6 million to be invested in media activities for skippers, including audio-visual production and distribution, photography, cutting edge digital activation and press relations in key territories around the world, with a target to deliver in excess of €80 million of media value for teams and partners
• The launch of TAKING ON THE ELEMENTS, the race sustainability agenda which will see stakeholders (organisers, partners, ports and skippers) making a commitment to promote sustainable living through the race platform (communication, race village, Eco 60 Class)

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Chairman of Clipper Ventures and the VELUX 5 OCEANS, concluded, "Our vision for the VELUX 5 OCEANS is to offer the most challenging single handed ocean racing format. The VELUX 5 OCEANS in 2010 aims to support new talent, encourage global participation and bring ocean racing to large audiences around the world, embracing and promoting the shared value of sustainability. We are offering outstanding support to skippers and teams, as well as sponsors, covering five continents and spanning nine months, with significant investments across team budgets and communications."

"The VELUX 5 OCEANS has a unique heritage and a special place in the solo ocean racing calendar. Only 90 people have so far completed the challenge and it has always attracted an internationally diverse group of skippers, many of whom have become star names in sailing, including Philippe Jeantot, Bernard Stamm, Giovanni Soldini and Kojiro Shiraishi. The promising Eco 60 Class has brought a new dimension to the race and the interest in the Open 60 Class for the latest generation of racing yachts remains strong. Clipper Ventures and VELUX look forward to welcoming everyone to La Rochelle in October to celebrate the spirit of singlehanded offshore racing."  

Gutek (36), is one of the leading sailors in Poland, with a wealth of competitive offshore and inshore racing experience, with over 100,000 miles onboard 60 foot multihulls and 60 foot monohulls. He will announce his boat, sponsors and partners in Poland in January before beginning preparations in earnest for the start of the VELUX 5 OCEANS from La Rochelle in October 2010.

Commenting on his entry, Gutek said, "The VELUX 5 OCEANS has long been an ambition for me-it is a classic event, with a rich heritage and fantastic format. The Eco 60 Class has made the race accessible and the event offers all the support to deliver significant exposure in Poland and around the world. My ultimate dream is the Vendée Globe, and there is no other race which offers a single-handed experience of the Southern Ocean- it is the best preparation possible, whilst also delivering all the unique challenges of the challenging five ocean sprints."

"We will confirm our choice of boat and all our partners and sponsors in January, but the Polish Ocean Racing campaign is coming together really well. I look forward to becoming the first Polish skipper to solo circumnavigate the planet. My goal is to win the race, and I have already been training for months to take on this incredible journey."

Zbigniew, who hails from Gdansk, is a former member of Poland National Sailing Team in Olympic Class 470 (1987-1995) and has also competed at the highest level in the 49er Class. In 2001, he was Watch Captain onboard WARTA-POLPHARMA in The Race, the non-stop race around the world for multihulls, and in 2005 he skippered the ORMA 60 Bonduelle in the Nokia Oops Cup. He also attempted to break the monohull record for a non-stop circumnavigation onboard the Volvo 60 Bank BPH ex ASSA ABLOY, but damage forced the crew to Cape Town after 9,500 miles.

Speaking from the Paris Boat Show, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston concluded, "Gutek's entry confirms the growing attraction of the international Eco 60 Class and the VELUX 5 OCEANS. The race has always attracted a fleet of diverse characters and nationalities, and the 2010 edition looks set to be no different. The event format has always taken solo ocean racing to new audiences around the world, and Poland is an important market for Clipper and VELUX. Gutek is a world class sailor with the skills and determination to complete and even win the race, achieving an historical first for a Polish skipper."

"We have already announced skippers from four countries- Canada, USA, Belgium and now Poland- and currently have another six entries preparing to announce in the coming months. The Eco 60 Class has once again made solo ocean racing accessible and attractive- combined with the €500,000 skipper prizemoney, investment in accommodation and communications for the entered teams and our global media activities across TV, print and digital channels, we offer a tangible return for sailing sponsors."

Clipper Ventures, joined by VELUX and La Rochelle, also launched "TAKING ON THE ELEMENTS" in Paris, the commitment to taking a message of sustainability around the world via the race, existing sponsors and host ports, and for competing teams and future partners and suppliers.