There is an interesting paradox that makes selling yacht racing an interesting challenge at the moment. On the one hand, the sport attracts a desirable demographic of wealthy consumers, while on the other, the America’s Cup and others are trying to dymystify and simplify the sport for wider, more mass-market appeal. However, while there is a crossover between participation in and consuming of sailing, events like Antigua Sailing Week and Cowes Week, should be able to continue to attract brands who don’t mind a bit of elitism.

Chivas Announced as Sole Diamond Sponsor of Antigua Sailing Week.

Antigua Sailing Week has announced that Chivas Regal will be the only Diamond Sponsor of the 2011 event, taking place from 24-29 April. The spirits brand, which is part of Pernod Ricard will highlight a shared heritage and premium status of both the event and the brand.

In a bit of convoluted marketing spin, the company says that ‘the week-long regatta will be used as a platform to promote its “Live with Chivalry” campaign, which  celebrates the deep sense of honour and camaraderie displayed by the competing teams.

Man with a very long title – Pernod Ricard Americas  Travel Retail Vice President Travel Retail Marketing;  Quique Girones says:

“The renowned competition pays tribute to the sport of sailing which reflects the spirit of luxury and shared adventure, making it a perfect partner for our brand. ASW is a great platform to showcase Chivas Regal to an international audience that shares our values. We are proud to be the Diamond Level Sponsor of one of the world’s most prestigious sailing events and we look forward to collaborating with such a grand organisation for years to come.”

The partnership is not just about flags and stickers. The campaign is part of a growing trend by food and drink brands to provide experiences that generate awareness. This includes tastings, but Chivas will also host an array of VIP events including the Captain’s Cocktail, ‘poised to be the highlight of the competition’s exclusive social calendar’.

Antigua Sailing Week Chairman Ian Fraser said:

Chivas Regal is a globally recognised brand and having them as our premier Diamond Sponsor adds to Antigua Sailing Week’s acclaim. The competition provides an excellent opportunity for its sponsors’ companies to create a significant connection with sailing and the people involved in sailing throughout the world.”

LIME - Gold Sponsor and Official Mobile and Internet Service Provider to Antigua Sailing Week.

Corporate Communications Manager LIME Paula CM Lee said:

”Sports is one of the three main areas of LIME’s sponsorship portfolio, the others being Education and Culture. Each year, we look forward to working with the Antigua Sailing Week Committee to create a better experience for participants, visitors, residents and other stakeholders. Our sponsorship package is a combination of cash, and services. The service component includes GPRS cards and LIME’s Broadband service. Via these channels, ASW committee members on land and at sea will be able to exchange information that is required to maintain a seamless operation.

“In Antigua, more people are becoming interested in sailing. If this trend continues, it is fair to assume that the future of Antigua Sailing Week is secure.”

Sponsorship Manager to Antigua Sailing Week, Paddy Prendergast commented:

“Antigua Sailing Week is absolutely delighted yet again to be associated with LIME. We are grateful that in spite of economic challenges LIME has agreed to continue its sponsorship to one of the most prestigious regattas in the world. In contrast to other global regattas, Antigua Sailing Week has announced that it expects the number of yachts to be up from last year. We look forward to a great event and hope that our relationship with LIME will extend far into the future.”

More Sailing Sponsorship News

Yacht racing in the Caribbean will benefit from the return on the Voiles de Saint-Barth in 2011. The race will run from the 4th to 9th April and organisers are planning to build on the success of the maiden event. The race invites many superyachts and maxis from all over the world to compete. Class 40 yachts have also been invited to compete. The growing offhshore monohull class attracted over 40 entries for the Route du Rhum and would swell the numbers for the Voiles de Saint-Barth significantly.

François Tolède, Luc Poupon and the whole team of organisers are working hard to promote the Voiles de Saint-Barth with the help of Peter Holmberg, a sailor based in the US Virgin Islands. Holmberg, an Olympic medallist and America’s Cup winner, took part in the very first Voiles de Saint-Barth sailing aboard the 114 foot ketch Sojana.

Organisers hope to attract 60 boats to the yacht race, with 25 boats already signed up.

Watchmaker Richard Mille will once again be the headline sailing sponsorship partner. Sportswear specialist Gaastra will become a new official partner joining Taittinger champagnes, whose presence at the prize giving last spring helped win over many of the sailors taking part. Other partners include The Banque des Antilles Françaises, the Guanahani & Spa hotel, the St Barth Hoteliers’ Association and the St Barth Tourist Board.

Bringing together so many elegant high performance racing yachts in the spring in the Caribbean is an attractive proposition. Maxi yachts and superyachts are included on the invitation list alongside classic yachts. In the United States, specific measures being put in place to attract North American owners.

More Caribbean Yacht Racing News.

Action sports company Gaastra has been announced as an official partner of the Voiles de Saint-Barth to be held in April 2011. The Dutch manufacturer will join headline sponsor Richard Mille to support the event which aims to attract owners and skippers of Maxi Yachts and Classic boats.

Emmanuel Galle, General Director of Gaastra France said:

“Les Voiles de Saint Barth won us over with its first edition that we watched closely from the outside. This major sailing event is aimed at the world’s finest racing, Maxi and Classic yachts. This prestigious yachting corresponds to the image of our brand. Many yachts from North America, as well as from Latin America sail in the Caribbean in April, and this is a way for our group to be more present in these markets.”

Gaastra’s yachting partnerships include Voiles de Saint-Tropez and Copa del Rey. The company will be presenting a new “Voiles de Saint Barth” range in early 2011.

François Tolède, the organiser of the Voiles de Saint Barth is obviously pleased to be able to announce the arrival of Gaastra.

“The Dutch Group’s strategy fits in perfectly with our own. The power of marketing and the image of Gaastra will help us to step up our promotion of the event to British and American yachtsmen. The prestigious yachts that sail in St. Barts convey an image of elegance, excellence and quality, which matches perfectly the aims of Gaastra”.

More Sailing Apparel Sponsorship News…

Antigua Sailing Week has had a rough time over the last couple of years. The popular event that draws participants from around the world was hit harder than most by the global financial crisis, but organisers have a plan to change the format slightly to keep the regatta appealing to its target market.

Like many sailing events, that target market is sailors, and with a strong charter element, Antigua Sailing Week can afford to concentrate on those taking part and not have to worry too much about spectators.

The 44th Antigua Sailing Week will include some changes. A newly formed Regatta Organising Committee (ROC) will be responsible solely for racing and race organisation and they have looked at formats used at different regattas around the world to finalise a new racing programme. These include varying course lengths to suit the large variety of yachts that enter the Regatta each year.

Kathy Lammers, Chairman of the ROC commented:

“The new Regatta Organising Committee is very aware of how important it is to provide competitive, exciting and fair racing with excellent courses and management. Times are changing and so are the expectations of sailors for world-class sailing events. We have therefore had extensive consultations in recent weeks with past participants of Antigua Sailing Week which have contributed significantly to our event planning for Sailing Week 2011. We think the sailors will be very pleased come April with the many changes we have planned for the Regatta.”

The Ocean Series will also have some changes on offer for 2011. The Guadeloupe Race will remain as a feeder race to Antigua Sailing Week but will not be part of the Ocean Series. The Redonda Race will not be returning but the Series will see the addition of courses suitable for the ocean going and high performance yachts that are expected to participate in the event.

The main focus for 2011 is on providing a variety of race courses suitable for all competitors whilst maintaining a high standard of race management. New in the 2011 Notice of Race is provision for entry using CSA and/or IRC rating systems.

Efforts are also being concentrated on ensuring that there is a good fleet of cruising and charter boats and, subject to demand, Antigua Sailing Week may lay on courses and events for the IMOCA 60s and Class 40s that will be in the Caribbean following the finish of the Route de Rhum earlier in the season in neighbouring Guadeloupe.

The new Chairman of Sailing Week, Ian Fraser, commented,

“Feedback has been enormous and positive, and we are gratified by the goodwill that exists for Antigua Sailing Week and the desire of yachtsmen worldwide to come to Antigua to enjoy all that we have to offer. What is clear is that the racing has to be challenging but also that Antigua Sailing Week is about having fun both on and off the water.”

More Antigua Sailing Week News…

Antigua Sailing Week has been having a hard time in recent years. Hit hard by loss of major sponsors and the Global Financial Crisis in 2009, the event is now a victim of the volcanic ash cloud over Europe. The 43rd edition of Antigua Sailing Week, was to take place from 24-30 April, but organisers have had to postpone the start of racing due to many competitors being stuck in Europe due to the closure of airspace.

A statement on the official website says:

“With many of our participants stranded in Europe due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland, we have had to postpone the first day of racing which had been scheduled for Saturday, 24 April. It is hoped to reschedule these races later in the week. The race for Sunday, 25 April will go ahead as scheduled.”

Antigua Sailing Week draws an international entry list, with yachts like such as Niklas Zennstrom’s 72-footer Ran, Ron O’Hanley’s Farr/Cookson 50 Privateer, Tom Hill’s custom Reichel/Pugh 75 Titan 15, and Austin Fragomen’s JV TP52 Interlodge scheduled to compete in the event.

After the sudden loss of major sponsor Stanford Bank, the event was run in a cut-down form in 2009. Sponsors for the 2010 edition include Leinelder, a Munich-based  jewellery company.

www.sailingweek.com

The sailing world has being paying tribute to Australian sailor Peter ‘Spike’ Doriean  who died on Sunday after sustaining head injuries from an accidental fall. The crew of ‘Rambler’ dedicated their first line honours win in the inaugural Voiles de St Barts to their former team-mate.

Skipper of Rambler, Kenny Read said,

“The Rambler team is here for his family. We are all in a state of complete shock and were going to cancel the event but his wife Nicki has asked if the boat can sail in his honour. It may be the best thing for everyone but it is a hard decision – everyone wants to do it for Spike. I have known him for 20 years and have raced against and with him for what seems like a million miles. He was a true professional on and off the water.”

Doriean competed in many high profile offshore events including the Volvo Ocean Race. Knut Frostad, CEO of the Volvo Ocean Race sailed with Spike in the Volvo Ocean Race and the Sydney Hobart Race. He paid tribute yesterday saying:

“It was incredibly sad to wake up to the news that Peter Doriean had lost his life. We sailed together in the Volvo Ocean Race 2001-02 and won the Sydney-Hobart in 2000, so I know that sailing has lost a very talented sailor and big personality. We have all lost a good friend with a very big smile and a great sense of humour. Life can be so incredibly unfair, and our thoughts are with his family. The sailing scene is never going to be the same without him. He will be deeply missed.

Bouwe Bekking, who also sailed with Doriean said:

“Spike was the guy who was still smiling even when the winds reached gale force, he just loved the rough weather. The word fitness was a thing he was not very familiar with as he was already strong as an ox, but once he found out the extra benefits, you couldn’t get him out of the gym. There was one particular race he loved besides the Volvo and that was the Sydney-Hobart race, or the ‘Howie’ as he liked to call it. He must have done about 20 of them. Besides being a top sailor, Spike was an entertainer onboard, always ready to tell stories and to cheer the rest of the crew up.”

Spike is survived by his wife Nicki and two young children, Jemima aged 5 and Fox aged 3.

Spike was the sole provider for his young family, and his death along with the financial burden of bringing Spike home to Australia, has had a devastating impact on this young family. An appeal has been set up to assist them.

You can contribute at:  http://www.dorieanfamilyappeal.com/

There used to be a great advertisement in Australia for Bacardi. The film showed different Caribbean islands, each with a different rum based cocktail, lots of partying and sunshine and good times. The closing line was truly memorable. “If you live on an Island, you drink Bacardi. Australia – the world’s biggest island.” Well it seems like if you are a tourism authority, you need to have a sailing event. Luckily for the sport, the ‘in thing’ is to host a major sailing event to drive an increase in tourism.

For some places, sailing is understood, but for others, even Caribbean islands, the sport is seen as “non-traditional”.

Barbados will host the Fireball International World Championship, this year, as part of a deliberate strategy by Government to boost sports tourism.

Minister of Tourism, Richard Sealy said:

“One has to look at the backdrop against which this is happening and the determination by Government that we need to have sports tourism not just to help us out of this recession in terms of driving more numbers to Barbados, but certainly something that can be expanded upon to truly take Barbados’ tourism to another level. You hear of sports tourism now in other areas – polo, lawn tennis and of course the whole marine sports… so this is really part of a deliberate strategy to try to broaden and deepen the whole concept of sports tourism in order to have it as a tool for developing our tourism generally.”

And, he added that it was important to understand that even some of the non-traditional sports, not previously embraced, from a tourism point of view, had now to be accepted.

The world class competition will be staged here for the first time, from April 24 to May 7 with major sponsorship from the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA). It will be sailed under the auspices of the Barbados Sailing Association (BSA), with the BYC as the host venue.

Meanwhile, President of the BSA, Penny McIntyre acknowledged that Fireball Barbados World’s 2010 was a fantastic way to begin “what might well become the best decade of sailing in Barbados”. She praised Government for recognising that Barbados had “one of the remarkable sailing venues in the world” and expressed the hope that the World Championships would be an inspiration for sailors, both young and old and that locals and visitors would “come out and support the spectacle, while putting Barbados on the world sailing map”.

Approximately 20 countries are expected to be represented at Fireball Barbados World’s 2010. Over 76 Fireball dinghies, with some 150 sailors, their families and friends are expected on the island for the tournament. Barbados will be represented by three teams captained by Colin Symes, Robert Povey and Robin Patterson.

Yacht sponsorship stories come from all over the place. Sometimes we get savvy PR people send us useful stuff and many of our readers tip us off about things that are happening. Sometimes, news passes us by and we read about it in the strangest of sources. This article comes via Elite Lifestyle, a private jet style publication…

Richard Mille reinforces their presence on the seas by signing title sponsorship to St. Barth’s new international sailing regatta, Les Voiles de Saint Barth.

The world’s most beautiful sailing yachts, ranging from classic sail boats to super yachts and multi-hull racers, will convene in St. Barth for a week of competition and conviviality. Each day, participants will compete on courses that surround this Caribbean island. This new regatta is totally in line with the long maritime tradition of St. Barth, where nautical events have always been popular.

Richard Mille’s sponsorship of Les Voiles de St. Barth strengthens the brand presence in the nautical world, a realm that has already served as inspiration within the watch range. In 2009, Richard Mille introduced his first diver’s watch, the RM 025, an extremely technical tourbillon, water resistant to 300 meters with a carbon nanofiber base plate. One year on, he reveals his second diver’s watch, the RM 028 automatic, whose dimensions are slightly smaller than the RM 025. It features a rotor with adjustable geometry, a Richard Mille exclusivity. Previously, in 2006 and 2007, Richard Mille introduced the RM 014 and RM 015 tourbillon with yacht themes.

Entirely hand-built and finished in the Swiss watch making tradition, Richard Mille watches claim an extremely technical and high performance conception. Their design is inspired by innovations found in such sectors as aerospace, Formula One and competition yachts. These inspirations become reality in the application of high tech materials-– totally original in watch making.

The concept of superyacht racing is a strange one. There can’t be many other toys that manage to be both luxury items and competitive machines. You can’t imagine people racing Rolls Royce Phantoms against each other or competitive Gulfstream races.

Nevertheless, the Superyacht Cup will take place in Antigua at the end of January and though a niche group of competitors, it’s certainly a desirable audience to be seen by and thus an interesting proposition for sponsors.

Unlike the makers of mass-market cruising boats, who rarely support racing, Perini Navi will be returning to sponsor the Superyacht Cup Antigua and are planning to have at least two of their fleet taking part.

Yacht insurance broker Pantaenius, a long-term supporter of The Superyacht Cup, will continue their sponsorship of the Antigua event. Martin Baum explains:

“It is a great opportunity for us to get out and see our clients as well as meet new owners, captains and crew; it is always such a great atmosphere at this event and Pantaenius enjoys being part of it”.

Wayfarer Marine from Maine USA is taking up silver sponsorship of The Superyacht Cup Antigua. Wayfarer supported the Horus Superyacht Cup in Palma this year where Ben Cashen attended the regatta on behalf of the company to promote the skills and experience of their full service yard, situated in the beautiful location of Camden in the state of Maine.

Putting on an event of any kind always involves an interesting dance between the event organiser and the venue. Both have the opportunity to gain from an event – whether it be renting a room for a conference or staging a regatta over several days. In recent times, there has been a trend for potential sailing venues to pay significant money or offer attractive incentives to event organisers to bring their events to town, but an event needs to have an established track record or a very large competitor base to be paid to show up.

World championships, especially for classes that have Olympic medals attached, guarantee a large number of competitors and therefore a large number of hotel room nights, restaurant takings and associated spending. Where the local community stands to benefit, it makes sense to back the event.

The Freeport News reports that the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA) and Group of Companies, recently donated $12,000 to the Grand Bahama Sailing Club, becoming official gold sponsors of the upcoming 29er and 49er World Championships.

It’s the first time the International 49er and 29er Classes will run the World Championships in The Bahamas. The 2010 international sailing championships will be held in Grand Bahama, out of the Viva Wyndam Fortuna Resort, January 2 – 9.

Making the presentation on behalf of the Port Group of Companies was Hannes Babak, Chairman of GBPA.

“The hosting of this event is a landmark achievement not only for the island of Grand Bahama but the entire Bahamas. Once again, our beautiful shores, facilities and people, will be broadcast to the world. Therefore, GBPA is more than happy to assist by providing funding for the hosting of such an event of this magnitude.”

The world-class event will be sailed under the auspices of The Bahamas Sailing Association and hosted by the Grand Bahama Sailing Club. About 150 boats are expected to participate with some 350 sailors.

The sailors, their families, support crews and race officials will be guests of the Viva Wyndam Fortuna Resort during the week of the races.

Accepting the donation was Joe Thompson, Com-modore, Grand Bahama Sailing Club, who expressed gratitude to GBPA for their support.

“We have heard from competitors who are shipping their boats in from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong and Argentina, to name a few. Some crews are arriving up to a month before the event to train,” Thompson added.

According to Grand Bahama Sailing Club officials, The Bahamas expects to field entrants in the 2010 29er World Championship, including International Sailing Federation Youth World participant, Donico Brown. It is hoped that through sponsorship donations, a number of boats will be able to remain in The Bahamas after the regatta to become part of a strong sailing tradition in the country and to train future Olympic sailing athletes.