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Barcelona World Race 2007
www.barcelonaworldrace.com - Übersicht
Thursday 14th February 2008
HUGO BOSS FINISHES SECOND IN BARCELONA WORLD RACE
British yacht finishes inaugural round the world race just 57 hours behind winner
At 05.34 GMT today, HUGO BOSS, the Open 60 racing yacht skippered by Alex Thomson (GBR) and Andrew Cape (AUS), crossed the finish line of the inaugural Barcelona World Race, just off the city of Barcelona, Spain. Exactly 94 days, 17 hours, 34 minutes and 57 seconds since starting the non-stop round-the-world race from Barcelona last November, HUGO BOSS returned to the Spanish host city to a dawn welcome of flares, family and friends. Renowned for doing things a little differently, Thomson and Cape ditched their oilskins as they crossed the line and finished their adventure in style dressed in slick Hugo Boss suits.
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BOSS-Fashionshow an Bord nach dem Zieleinlauf
Foto: Th.Martinez
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The race finish comes as a huge milestone for Briton Alex Thomson, who was dramatically rescued from the Southern Ocean after suffering gear failure during the Velux 5 Oceans race in 2006. The new Open 60 HUGO BOSS was designed and built specifically for Thomson and launched in June last year. After testing the boat's potential with a third place finish in the Rolex Fastnet Race, this tough 25,000 nautical mile (nm) marathon has proved her true pedigree. In early December, Thomson and Cape broke the 24 hour distance record for a 60 foot monohull yacht, covering 500 nm at an average speed of 20.8 knots.
HUGO BOSS was sadly forced to stop for rudder repairs at Christmas, incurring a 48 hour time penalty in Wellington, before heading back into the treacherous Southern Ocean. With over an 800 nm deficit on the leader after leaving New Zealand, Thomson and Cape reeled in the miles as they approached the Straits of Gibraltar on the final sprint home. They finished the Barcelona World Race less than 57 hours behind the winner, both thrilled with the boat's performance and vowing to compete in the next edition of the race.
"It's fantastic to be back here in Barcelona and to see so many supporters welcome us in," said Alex Thomson on the dockside, relishing the feeling of being back on dry land. "Thanks to Capey for being such a superb co-skipper and to all our team for their support. We got really close to Paprec Virbac during the race and it was a shame we had to stop in Wellington for repairs, but I think they had the edge and deserved to win."
Thomson continued: "Not finishing the Vendée Globe and then losing a boat in the Velux 5 Oceans race certainly changed me as a sailor. The thought of something breaking is constantly on your mind, especially with so many other boats suffering problems during this race. I hope this proves to everyone that I can finish a race and sail competitively, safely and not just fast!"
Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race veteran Andrew Cape commented: "I have sailed in numerous round the world races and this has certainly been one of the toughest. To be at sea for such a long period of time with just one other person is hugely wearing on the body and mind. Alex and I have had a great race, and our congratulations go to Damian and Jean-Pierre for a superb performance."
The next adventure for Alex Thomson will be the Vendée Globe, a solo round the world race which begins on 9th November and has never been won by a Briton. Cape meanwhile has his sights set on returning to fully crewed racing.
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Annabel Merrison or Kate Fairclough - Pitch PR
M: +44 (0)7721 518 411 or +44 (0)7789 268 814
E: annabel@pitchpr.com or kate@pitchpr.com
About Alex Thomson
* Alex Thomson set a new 24hr solo monohull World Speed Record in December 2008 covering 500.01 nm in 24 hours during the Barcelona World Race
* At 25, Alex Thomson became the youngest skipper ever to win a round the world race - the Clipper Race 1998/99.
* In October 2005 Alex Thomson stepped forward as the only skipper to confirm that he will be racing "3 in 3": 3 grueling round the worlds in as many years: the solo VELUX 5 Oceans in 2006, the inaugural two-handed Barcelona World Race 2007 and the blue ribbon Globe 2008. Unfortunately Alex's yacht HUGO BOSS suffered keel failure during the VELUX 5 Oceans, forcing him to abandon ship in the Southern Ocean and retire from the race.
Alex has one dream: to be the first Briton to win the Vendée Globe.
www.alexthomsonracing.com
About HUGO BOSS
Sailing complements the sponsorship portfolio of HUGO BOSS which already includes Formula 1 (Team McLaren Mercedes), IRL (Penske Racing), Tennis (Davis Cup), Golf and Boxing (Vladmir Klitschko). In sailing, HUGO BOSS gets another platform to demonstrate its fashion competence both on the boat with BOSS GREEN and shore-side with BOSS BLACK. BOSS GREEN provides Alex and the crew with highly functional and technical outfits for all possible weather conditions around the globe while BOSS BLACK will dress the crew for every celebration function in the smartest possible way.
www.hugoboss-sailing.com
Barcelona World Race - Two crew, non-stop.
Start: 11 November 2007, Barcelona
Finish: February 2008, Barcelona
A new two-handed non-stop round the world yacht race starting and finishing in Barcelona, to be held every 4 years. For the first time this race, the brainchild of Dame Ellen MacArthur's Offshore Challenges Group, will see the world's best professional sailors from both solo and fully crewed disciplines competing against each other in teams of two.
Racing over 25,000 miles over 3 months across the planet's most hostile and challenging oceans in high performance IMOCA Open 60 monohulls. Never before has a two-handed, non-stop round the world race been staged and there has never been a crewed non-stop round the world race in monohulls. This concept opens up a whole new world of possibilities in the sport of extreme offshore sailing.
www.barcelonaworldrace.com E: info@barcelonaworldrace.com
Vendée Globe - Around the world, single-handed, non-stop, without assistance
Start: November 2008, Les Sables d'Olonne, France
Finish: February 2009, Les Sables d'Olonne, France
The blue ribbon event that launched Dame Ellen MacArthur to fame. 3 months around the world's oceanic wildernesses, alone, non-stop and without any outside assistance. Official supplier of legends since 1989 and run every 4 years since, this epic race has yet to be won by a non-Francophone.
www.vendeeglobe.org
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