Jessica Watson Backers Looking to Put Sailing Back on Page 1.

Record attempts are risky things to sponsor, but history has shown that they can deliver massive return on investment. Ask someone in the UK to remember a sailing moment and most will recall Ellen MacArthur becoming the fastest person to sail around the world. They may not be able to remember the actual achievement, but most will get the name right and know that it caused a big media fuss.

So, as sixteen year old Australian, Jessica Watson starts to head for home in the last legs of her record circumnavigation, sponsors are starting to jostle to have a piece of the promotional pie. The majority of the marketing success should go to early sponsors Ella Bache and One HD – they took the risk when many were saying the attempt was unsafe lunacy, but that won’t stop savvy brands from using Watson’s new found celebrity status to sell cars or banking products.

Australian media reports that Jessica Watson could be one of the country’s richest teenagers, with a “multi-million-dollar sponsorship bonanza awaiting her return to dry land”.

Spokesman Andrew Fraser said:

“We’ve had approaches from an automotive company but she hasn’t even got her L-plates yet. She’s old enough to sail round the world but can’t drive a car.”

The great news for sailing, is that the sport will be back on the front page of the papers and with any luck the front of cereal boxes and bank branches. The press are already positioning Watson as “a global star in the mould of Olympic snowboarder Torah Bright – transcending the confines of sailing to become a poster girl for action and adventure.”

The teenager’s website receives about one million hits (?) a week and her fan base has extended internationally. Naturally there will be a book, which she is writing at sea and no doubt there will be TV documentaries as well.

Jessica is now about 4000 nautical miles off the West Australian coast, about 6000 nautical miles from the finish of her voyage.

http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/_blog/Official_Jessica_Watson_Blog/

Sailing on the Front Page.

Yesterday, the front page of the Sunday Times in the UK featured a story about Ellen MacArthur. Written by the paper’s Arts Editor it included a picture and the ‘news’ that MacArthur was retiring from competitive sailing. Instead, Dame Ellen would focus on saving the planet. All this coincided with an appearance on the radio program ‘Desert Island Discs’.

For many, the news is not so surprising, (We’ve been digging around in the archives for a similar statement made by MacArthur that is several months old, but didn’t get anywhere near the coverage). The team that bears her name – BT Team Ellen – employs Seb Josse and Nick Maloney to skipper the Open 60 and Extreme 40 respectively, though Ellen has continued to do some sailing her sailing Cv on her website doesn’t list anything after 2007.

The story says more about the pull of the radio program than anything else. Reportedly running since 1942, Desert Island Discs has an audience that sailing rarely gets and therefore is a great platform to promote the causes that MacArthur is now promoting.

And while those messages are undoubtedly important, it seems a shame that when sailing does get front page press it is for all the wrong reasons. Despite crediting the sport with her unique view of the world, MacArthur also describes offshore sailing as “brutally selfish” and suggests that competitive sailing is not-important in the fight against the environmental issues facing the planet.

Competitive sailing, more than some other sports is a great platfrom to highlight the problems to a wider audience, something that TEAMORIGIN have embraced through their recent deal with the Carbon Trust. The TeamOrigin announcement is perhaps more newsworthy, as it promises to engage corporates and to create an ongoing platfrom to bring attention to the issues. Perhaps Sir Keith needs to get on Desert Island Discs.

The Sunday Times Article can be read here…

Sam Davies Wins Trophy Recognising Women in Sailing.

All sports need diversity to make themselves relevant to the widest number of people. Sailing is often seen as a sport for old white men in blue blazers and striped ties, but sailing is one sport where women can compete at the top level, in the same class as men and win.

In the UK, women like Ellen MacArthur and Tracey Edwards have inspired the likes of Sam Davies, who this week won the 2009 Ladies Day Trophy award at Cowes Week.

The award, now in its fourth year, celebrates the achievements and contribution of women in sailing, and at a special ceremony at the G.H. Champagne Mumm bar in Cowes Yacht Haven, Sam Davies was announced the overall winner from all the nominations received.

Sam’s acheivement in the Vendee Globe aboard Roxy, finishing fourth over all was the second fastest time ever for a female Vendée Globe skipper, narrowly missing out on Ellen MacArthur’s record of 94 days and four hours.

During the race, Sam built up a base of loyal fans, many of whom are young girls, inspired by her acheivements aboard the distinctive pink open60 Roxy. While on the face of it, swapping a young surf brand for an investment company might alienate some of these followers, the symbol painted onto the sails of Sam’s new boat and embroidered onto her offshore gear is Artemis, a Hellenic goddess.

And Sam Davies is not on her own. Other nominees for the Cowes Week award this year included Dee Caffari, Pip Hildesley, Hilary Lister, Jane Lofts, Natalie Jobling, and Heleen Wester.

Christina Ioannidis, Managing Director of Aquitude, a leadership development company specialising in diversity, commented on the increasing numbers of women at the top levels of sailing saying:

It’s great to recognise the contributions of women in sailing in this way. This week Harriet Harman suggested that the city’s boardrooms might not have made the same decisions if there had been more women in leadership roles because women approach decision making differently to men.

She added:

A huge part of sailing is the ability to make informed decisions and women like Shirley Roberston in the iShares Cup and Sam Davies in the Vendee Globe are an inspiration for those who want to get into sailing as well as those who want to achieve in business.

The future looks bright too. Women like Hannah White, Hannah Jenner and Katie Miller are following in the footsteps of current stars, with the latter pairing up to compete in the Fastnet race starting on Sunday.

Image: Sam Davies, Zara Phillips, Ellen MacArthur and Dee Caffari before the 2009 Artemis Challenge. Photo by Mark Lloyd.

Ellen MacArthur to Speak Publicly About Her Life.

For one night only, Dame Ellen MacArthur will be giving a talk as part of the Round Britain tour raising funds for the Ellen MacArthur Trust. This will be the first time Ellen has spoken publicly about her life since her world record-breaking circumnavigation, which ended just outside the Maritime Museum in 2005.

Ellen will be recounting stories about her varied experiences at sea, as well as talking about her work with the Ellen MacArthur Trust and her plans for the future.

“I’m really excited about coming back to Falmouth, which holds so many great memories for me. I received an unbelievable welcome there when I completed my round-the-world voyage in 2005 and this will be my first return visit since that incredible day. The National Maritime Museum Cornwall gave us a lot of support then, and we’re really grateful that they are doing the same again, this time in aid of our The Ellen MacArthur Trust and our Round Britain voyage. I can’t wait to be back.”

All the money raised from these talks will benefit the Ellen MacArthur Trust.

See www.roundbritain.org.

Omega iShares Cup Official Timekeeper for Another 3 Years.

Omega is to renew its association as the Official Timekeeper to the iShares Cup series for the next three years. This is a real stamp of approval for a sports entertainment product which is providing strong commercial returns for team and event sponsors, at a level of budget very much appropriate for these tougher economic times.

Omega has worked with parent company OC Group since 2001, when it began its support of a young Ellen MacArthur. Omega has also been a key partner in other events belonging to OC, including as the main partner to The Transat in 2004, and as official timekeeper to the 2008 edition, The Artemis Transat. It was the first partner to sign up to the iShares Cup in 2007 when it was created.

OMEGA President Stephen Urquhart said,

“We are looking forward to continuing our association with the iShares Cup. OMEGA has been closely involved with international sailing competition and the world’s best sailors for many years. The iShares Cup has the ability to attract new spectators to the sport and to extend its popularity in Europe. We will be pleased to deliver the state-of-the-art precision timekeeping this great event deserves.”

Omega has been involved in sailing since 1964 when it supported French sailing legend Eric Tabarly to victories in the OSTAR east-west transatlantic races in 1964 and again in 1976. Omega then remained closely associated with sailing as official Timekeeper of The Artemis Transat in 2004 and 2008, and was a sponsor of the America’s Cup 2007 competitors Emirates Team New Zealand. Omega is well represented by such exceptional sailors as Ellen MacArthur, Kiwi Dean Barker and Polish Olympic sailor Mateusz Kusznierewicz, all of whom serve as Omega brand ambassadors.

John McKenna, Commercial Director for OC Group commented:

“This continued support from such a high quality luxury brand as Omega demonstrates the quality of the iShares Cup events for high-end commercial brands. In these tougher economic times, their continued support really is a testament about the return on investment that this property provides to commercial sponsors with its unique and hands-on corporate hospitality experience.”

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