Asian Record Circuit 2006 - Leg 6 www.teamellen.com - Übersicht Leg 6 21.04.2006 ASIAN RECORD CIRCUIT : LURE OF THE FAR EAST IN BRIEF: * The new multi-faceted record sailing programme created by OC Events, the Asian Record Circuit, finally offers sailing campaigns and their sponsors an event allowing them to access the Asian market – a common request for European based sponsorships. * The Offshore Challenges Sailing Team, headed up by Ellen MacArthur, are halfway through their inaugural tour onboard the 75-foot trimaran <> having established 5 new record times out of a potential 12 new records, linking six of the key countries in the region and, in particular, including an extensive Tour of China. Foto: Offshore Challenges Team * OC Events, sister company to Ellen MacArthur’s sailing team, have carefully set up the circuit in such a way that these new record times can be challenged in the future by other campaigns, creating an Asian market offering for them to include in their sponsorship proposals. Full information at http://www.asianrecordcircuit.com IN DETAIL: There is no denying that Asia and its booming economy has a big attraction for any commercial entity and for sailing sponsors, an almost untapped market is waiting. Some countries like Malaysia, Singapore and the proactive sailing community of Hong Kong, already host a number of key sailing events, such as the World Match Racing ‘Monsoon Cup’ in Kuala Terengganu (Malaysia) and the China Coast Regatta including the Hong Kong-Vietnam race. The introduction of the Asian Record Circuit is widening those boundaries even further. This 10-leg circuit takes in six different countries – Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore – stopping at key major cities including the Chinese ports of Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taipei (Taiwan). Mark Turner, CEO of the OC Group, that includes the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team and OC Events, commented: “The objective of the Asian Record Circuit in respect to the long-term is to create a much needed ‘product’ in the Asia region that appeals to project sponsors in the future. We could have just gone out there and fulfilled our own current sponsor needs, but we decided it would be worthwhile going to more countries and establishing the course in such a way that others can benefit from the extensive work we have had to do to set up the complex logistics of this challenging tour.” With this in mind, OC Events, using MacArthur’s campaign, have set out to establish clear rules and guidelines to allow other teams and skippers to sell this idea to their sponsors. “But it’s not just about pleasing the sponsors, as more and more sailors challenge the established record times that we are setting on the trimaran B&Q, this in turn will drive the competition to set new and faster times. It is so different sailing out in these waters, with a whole set of different challenges – a learning experience we are ready to share with other future challengers,” said Ellen MacArthur, co-founder of the OC Group and Offshore Challenges Sailing Team skipper. The Offshore Challenges Sailing Team invested in three fact-finding missions to Asia to ensure the viability of running a record circuit like this. At the halfway mark through the tour, the team headed up by MacArthur have established five new record times [see below] onboard the 75ft trimaran B&Q. The current tour will highlight operational practicalities and the rules are subject to change given that experience. The developed rules will reflect the actual course of B&Q’s circuit, and direct comparisons will be possible. Full set of initial rules, available to download at http://www.asianrecordcircuit.com/arcrules.pdf With the launch of the Asian Record Circuit and the activities of other ‘pro’ events and campaigns - including Olivier de Kersauson’s record attempts in the region and the Clipper Round the World race stopover in Qingdao – the growth of sailing and the boating industry is expected to flourish in the years to come, opening up new markets for commercial sponsors wishing to extend their market reach. WSSRC The World Speed Sailing Record Council [WSSRC] have nominated one leg of the Asian Record Circuit from Taipei [Taiwan] to Hong Kong to be a world record, and performance certificates for some of the other legs – once more sailors have attempted the legs, they are likely to grant World Record status to more of the records. Asian Record Circuit : The Routes: Leg 1 Yokohama - Jeju Island 906nm [B&Q 5d 11h 10m 51s] Leg 2 Jeju Island – Dalian 418nm [B&Q 1d 15h 57m 28s] Leg 3 Dalian – Qingdao 265nm [B&Q 1d 0h 2m 53s] Leg 4 Qingdao – Shanghai 308nm [B&Q 1d 5h 25m 33s] Leg 5 Shanghai – Taipei (via Ishigaki) 580nm [B&Q 3d 0h 1m 55s] Leg 6 Taipei – Hong Kong 465nm Leg 7 Hong Kong – Sanya 354nm Leg 8 Sanya – Nha Trang 360nm Leg 9 Nha Trang – Terengganu 569nm Leg 10 Terengganu –Singapore 280nm In addition to the above leg records, an elapsed time record will be awarded for the cumulative times between the following cities. Yokohama – Dalian [B&Q 7d 3h 8m 19s] Dalian - Sanya Sanya – Singapore Notes to editors: The Asian Record Circuit is now included in the OC Events growing portfolio of professional sailing events, which includes The Transat (created as the OSTAR in 1960, the very first solo ocean race), and the recently launched Barcelona World Race (two-up around the world race starting November 2007). http://www.thetransat.com http://www.barcelonaworldrace.com For further information, please contact: Lou Newlands, Media Director OC Group T: +44 (0)870 063 0210 E: lou.newlands@ocgroup.com Copyright © 1996-2016 - SEGEL.DE