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Kingfisher plc announces 5yr title sponsorship for Ellen
Author: Offshore Challenges
Professional sailor Ellen MacArthur MBE officially opened the 48th London Boat Show at Earls Court this morning, and then announced her future sailing plans and new title sponsorship deal that will permit her to continue to work towards her goal - to be at the top of her sport :
- Kingfisher plc, the leading international retailer, have signed a new five-year title sponsorship deal with Offshore Challenges' Ellen MacArthur
- "Maybe the Vendйe Globe again one day, but not in 2004..." Ellen surprises a few..."It may be the Everest of sailing, and there is certainly some unfinished business for me, but for now I want to move on to what could be described as the K2 of sailing - multihulls, extreme, fast, on the edge - with a crew around the world, alone across the Atlantic and everything in between."
- So its the [4 yearly] Route du Rhum solo transatlantic race on 'Kingfisher' monohull in November 2002, and then on to multihulls in a steady build up to the Route du Rhum 2006 solo race on a new 60 foot trimaran, 'Kingfisher3', designed in 2004 for a 2005 entry in to the International ORMA circuit
- Winter 2002/3 will be busy following the Rhum with a Jules Verne, no limits, crewed attempt to be the fastest around the globe, in a chartered 110ft mega-catamaran, renamed 'Kingfisher2' - 71 days is the record to beat.
- 2002 will be spent gaining more valuable experience on the trimarans, racing with Alain Gautier, concluding with some unfinished business of the Transat Jacques Vabre event - 2 up France to Brazil, the event in which just a few weeks ago the pair had victory snatched away in the final few hours.
- Ellen launched the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team, and announced one of its first official team members, Nick Moloney, will head off in a few weeks time as crew with creator of 'The Race', French skipper Bruno Peyron. Valuable experience to bring back for Ellen's attempt next year. Apart from supporting the Kingfisher programme, the OC Sailing Team plan to be present at the next Vendйe Globe amongst a number of other events, with Nick planning to be on the start line in Les Sables d'Olonne...
- For the first time ever, 'Kingfisher' the 60 foot round the world racing yacht can be viewed inside the London Boat Show at Earls Court Exhibition centre (the mast and keel would not fit though!).
Hear it all as recorded live this morning in London : REAL AUDIO
See also: ELVSTROM 32 for sale
