10.05.2012
KRYS OCEAN RACE - Preparing to share a great new sporting adventure!
From New York City on July 7th 2012 at 1100hrs local time a total
of thirty crew on board the five MOD70's Race for Water, Foncia,
Groupe Edmond de Rothschild, Spindrift Racing and Oman Sail set
out on sailing's big new adventure. Leaving from the foot of the
iconic Statue of Liberty the teams take on the KRYS OCEAN RACE,
2950 miles across the Atlantic in the brand new fleet of evenly
matched one design MOD70 trimarans.
The race pitches some of ocean racing's best known, most
successful characters against each other on a no holds barred
sprint, pushed by the prevailing winds, which should see the top
teams span the Atlantic from New York to finish in Brest, in the
heart of the Tonnerres de Brest maritime festival, in only six
or seven days.
The KRYS OCEAN RACE aims to chart a new era for the sport of
ocean racing: fast, exciting evenly matched competition which
can be shared with the media and the public at large.
The line up is revealed in Paris
Paris, Wednesday May 10th and the KRYS OCEAN RACE skippers Steve
Ravussin (Race For Water), Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia), Sebastien
Josse (Groupe Edmond de Rothschild), Yann Guichard (Spindrift
Racing) and Sidney Gavignet (Oman Sail) today presented their
crews at the official race launch where honoured guests included
Marco Simeoni, who is President of Multi One Design, Joel Platt,
Brand Director at KRYS and Patrick Appéré the Deputy Mayor of
the City of Brest with responsibility for sports.
Over recent months the MOD70 crews have been immersed in the
preparation process, not just of their machines but of their own
crews. For in this intense one design ocean race, talent and
teamwork will be tested to the fullest.
The skipper is the lynchpin, the conductor charged with making
the team work and now the skippers have revealed their line up,
their crews of six who will take to the start line on July 7th.
Among the 30 sailors, the aim will be the same, to take the top
step of the podium in Brest as winners of the inaugrual KRYS
OCEAN RACE. Among those selected are Jeremie Beyou, Sébastien
Col, Pascal Bidégorry, Jean-Baptiste Levaillant, Antoine Koch,
Thomas Rouxel, Yvan Ravussin, Jeff Cuzon and Britain's record
breaking Brian Thompson, hand picked by skippers Steve Ravussin,
Michel Desjoyeaux, Sebastien Josse, Yann Guichard and Sidney
Gavignet for this first race of the Multi One Championship.
Team line ups:
Race For Water: Steve Ravussin (SUI) - Yvan Ravussin (SUI) - Loic
Forestier (SUI) - Francois Morvan (FRA) - Benoit Lequin (FRA) +
one invited sailor
Foncia: Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) - Xavier Revil (FRA) - Emmanuel
Le Borgne (FRA) - Antoine Carraz (FRA) - Beyou (FRA) - Sebastien
Col (FRA).
Edmond de Rothschild Group: Sebastien Josse (FRA) - Antoine Koch
(FRA) - Espagnon Christophe (FRA) - David Boileau (FRA) - Florent
Chastel (FRA) - Thomas Rouxel (FRA)
Spindrift racing: Yann Guichard (FRA) - Jacques Guichard (FRA) -
Billy Besson (FRA) - Pascal Bidégorry (FRA) - Jean-Baptiste
Levaillant (FRA) - Leo Lucet (FRA)
Oman Sail: Sidney Gavignet (FRA) - Loik Galon (FRA) - Jean
-Francois Cuzon (FRA) - Brian Thompson (GBR) - Fahad Al Hasni
(Oman) and / or Al Khamis Anbouri (Oman) and / or Mohsin Al
Busaidi (Oman)
Other than the outstanding high level of competition, the KRYS
OCEAN RACE forges into new waters as the very first transocean
race to be sailed in equally matched one design cutting edge
multihulls. Over the 2950 miles of the course from New York to
Brest the high pace will be continuous and intense. In essence
it will be contested at sprint rather than marathon speeds,
hence the way the crew manage themselves will be absolutely
vital.
Race director Jacques Caraës explains: "As long as the usual high
pressure system is in place, as it usually is in July, the fleet
of MOD70's should write a new chapter in ocean racing history
and for sport in general thanks to the incredible pace and the
intensity of the racing."
Media at the heart of KRYS OCEAN RACE
It promises to be an exciting, engaging story. To share it with
the greatest number of people is at the heart of the Multi One
Championship ethos. Multi One Design are already unfolding a
media plan which which is set to draw a large French and
international global audience. Already key agreements have been
reached including Eurosport International, Sport RMC, BFM TV,
and M6.
RMC have embraced the world of sailing as media partners of the
KRYS OCEAN RACE with highlights on RMC Daily Sport between
1800hrs and 2000hrs when journalists focus on the day's index
sports stories. A live one hour programme is planned on RMC
between 1800hrs and 1900hrs, streamed in real time on the
official website: www.krys-oceanrace.com. A short highlights
summary will be broadcast daily from 6th to 15th July with
regular updates through the day on BFM TV.
On 18th July Eurosport International will broadcast a 26 minute
round up of the KRYS OCEAN RACE as a whole with distribution
over all territories.
Overall TV distribution should reach over 200 countries with a
potential reach of 350 million viewers.
Paris Match will be on the inside of the adventure with a
multiple page feature to be released on June 28th in the world
renowned magazine.
Complementing this activity and until it starts follow the KRYS
OCEAN RACE through the official website www.krys-oceanrace.com
and on Facebook and Twitter.
Quotes:
Joel Plat, Brand Driector at KRYS: "We are proud and happy to
link the KRYS brand, and all of our 850 optician outlets, with
this exciting human and sporting adventure that is the KRYS
OCEAN RACE. New York at the start and the Tonnerres de Brest at
the finish: two different worlds but they share a common bond.
Then add thirty sailors who constitute the very cream of racing,
enhancing our brand with all the drama and emotions, all this is
already guaranteed for the first edition! Like these sailing
teams, our teams at KRYS share the desire to exceed expectations
, to provide complete customer satisfaction. We embrace and have
such a strong belief in the strength and the values of teamwork.
And so 300 of our opticians will come to New York to support the
crews and they too will relay later this fabulous race through
our network. Fair winds for the KRYS OCEAN RACE and thank you
for the emotions that you let us share."
Patrick Appéré, Deputy Mayor of the City of Brest with
responsibility for sport: "Brest is delighted and proud to
welcome these stars of the sea who will take on the New York /
Brest KRYS OCEAN RACE! The first finishes will be big and
popular since they will form such an important part of the
Tonneres de Brest, our greatest maritime festival, which
celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. In Brest, we tend to
say that the city is the "sea par excellence." But what is
certain is that we love the great seagoing performances. Last
January, more than 6,000 people turned out to honor Loick Peyron
and his crew, new holders of the Jules Verne Trophy ... this
time we think there will be several hundred thousands to honour
the achievement of the skippers and admire the MOD70's docked at
La Perouse, I am sure of that. Just as I am of the partnership
with the organisers of the KRYS OCEAN RACE which will continue
beyond 2012. See you in July for 2012 Tonneres de Brest . Long
live the KRYS OCEAN RACE! "
Marco Simeoni, President of Multi One Design: "After three years
in the planning and building, the Multi One Championship will
actually begin for real on July 7 and is a great moment for all
those who have invested in this exciting new international
circuit! The crews - Race For Water, Foncia, Groupe Edmond de
Rothschild, Spindrift Racing and Oman Sail are prepared and
poised, KRYS opticians are mobilised on our side, just as the
City of Brest is ready to welcome our fleet of MOD70's to the
Tonneres de Brest. The scene is well and truly set, it only
needs to start and for the fleet of trimarans to race this
intense sprint contest on the Atlantic."
Steve Ravussin, skipper of the MOD70 Race For Water: "Crossing
the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Brest on board Race for
Water, and being Ambassador of the Multi One Attitude Foundation
, for us has a very special meaning. In addition to the
competition on the KRYS OCEAN RACE, we are looking to educate
the public about preserving the ocean against plastic pollution.
My brother Yvan will be part of the crew and that'll be great! "
Michel Desjoyeaux, skipper of the MOD70 Foncia: "Building a crew
of six feels like an impossible mission. You need people who
steer, who trim the sails, people who are good on weather and
strategy, people who love light winds, others prefer the breeze,
in other words, its like trying to fit a circle in a square, to
be good at everything, and more! And on top of those simple
difficulties us six need to be happy to live and work together
in 10 square meters, 24 hours a day seven days a week. Le Borgne
and Xavier Revil, and I have known each other and we have
collaborated since 2003, so that is straightforward. Beyou, has
two Vendée Globe preparations and is used to working at higher
speeds and has good strategy for downwind sailing. Antoine
Carraz, is responsible for the boat and will be looking after
all aspects as well as sailing.. Sebastien Col joins us this
year and brings a rigor and an eye from America's Cup and Match
Racing world. With this team, Foncia is, I think, well armed for
this KRYS OCEAN RACE, and we look forward to it."
Sebastien Josse, skipper of the MOD70 Groupe Edmond de Rothschild
: "In addition to experience, there are concepts of flexibility,
commitment and pleasure that influenced the formation of our
Groupe Edmond de Rothschild crew. The different race formats
proposed by the Multi One Championship demands a balance between
specialists and offshore racers some accustomed to shorter
routes like City Races. So our crew is mixture of sailing's
different worlds. For the KRYS OCEAN RACE which is Offshore
Racing, we will have to be independent at sea, which is why we
favoured sailors with multiple skills like Florent Chastel, the
bowman on board but also a rigger, or like David Boileau, who is
one of our permanent members of the technical team. I also rely
on very good helmsmen, whose quality will be a real bonus in
this one design class. Christophe Espagnon, Thomas Rouxel,
Antoine Koch represent three different backgrounds (Olympic
sailing, Extreme 40, Figaro, 60 feet Orma ...). Finally Antoine
provides weather expertise as navigator. But even if each have
their specialist field, the group is nonetheless even and
interchangeable on board everyone is working for the team, egos
and agendas are put aside. This is essential!"
Yann Guichard, skipper of the MOD70 Spindrift racing: "Spindrift
is a young company dedicated to multihulls which aims to support
and encourage projects in international competitive sailing. Our
flagship is the MOD70 No. 05 Spindrift Racing. I am the skipper
and have selected my crew with great care for this adventure.
The result is a mix of experience, maturity, youth and passion.
Pascal Bidégorry leaves nothing behind to make the finish line.
His tenacity and his talents are assets that I really wanted for
Spindrift Racing. Jean Baptiste Levaillant is certainly the one
of the most experienced in racing. A trimmer and exceptional
helmsman, he is meticulous, talented and versatile. Jacques, my
younger brother, is a sought after and valued team member within
a team, both for his skills as trimmer and for his adaptability
to all positions. Leo Lucet is my right hand man at Spindrift
MOD70 and is responsible for the project. He is effectively
Executive Director for the company, but also the same aboard a
trimaran, with considerable experience in offshore racing. It
was only natural for me to ensure Leo is on the sailing team as
a helm and bowman. Agile and brave, he is not afraid to work the
bow. As for Billy Besson he is an excellent helmsman and fiery
competitor, qualities of a seasoned sailor and his tenacity is
typical of what I have on my crew. He is dynamic and intuitive,
I have also asked him to be responsible for the media crew
position "
Sidney Gavignet, skipper of Oman Sail MOD70: "Oman Sail is not
just a sponsor, it is a national project designed to project
Oman as a tourist destination and create jobs around sailing.
For us non-Omanis, our role is not only to look after and drive
the boat but to promote an element of learning and education too
. The personalities of the teammates are even more important.
Jean-Francois Cuzon and Brian Thompson are the perfect example.
Both very experienced offshore racing multihulls and they are
also very quiet but they fully participate in the importance of
sharing and passing on their knowledge. Loik Gallon has known
Oman Sail for many years as he was the skipper of the trimaran
around the world, sailing on board already with Mohsin Al
Busaidi, the first Omani sailor to do a world tour non-stop.
Mohsin will be at the helm on the KRYS OCEAN RACE. Khamis Al
Ambouri is also one of the renowned Oman Sail sailors who has
now the championship of the Extreme 40. With us he discovers the
world of offshore racing. As for Fahad Al Hasni, the youngest,
he is the product of Oman Sail, primarily on the Tour de France
de Voile, he is always strong and focused! For this KRYS OCEAN
RACE, I'm surrounded by a very well balanced and fit crew. Fun
and smiles are the watchwords of our campaign ... "
[http://www.krys-oceanrace.com]
7 June 2012&xnbsp;&xnbsp; : Brest Press Conference
28 June 2012 : Deardline for the arrival of the MOD70s to Newport (U.S.A)
Mid-July 2012 : Launch of MOD PAPREC-VIRBAC 70
7 July 2012
KRYS OCEAN RACE
OFFICIAL START, N.Y.C
|
