Moloney hooks a sponsor

A familiar name extends its reach to the Vendee Globe

Nick Moloney's 2004 Vendée Globe campaign became reality today with the announcement that Skandia are to come on board as sponsor. This will enable Moloney to secure Ellen MacArthur's famous Open 60 ex- Kingfisher and prepare the boat for racing.

"Skandia's support has come at a critical time for my Vendée project," said Moloney. "With their funding I can now look ahead to modifying the boat for The Transat race in May this year, and set the final platform for my Vendée Globe assault." Moloney added "I'm really looking forward to working with Skandia to realise my dream of competing in this awesome event".

Skandia's association with the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team began last year with their three year sponsorship of Nick's sailing team-mate, Sam Davies, on the Figaro circuit. Skandia then co-sponsored Moloney and Davies to compete in the two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre race last November on the Open 60 renamed Team Cowes.

"We have been hugely impressed with the commitment and professionalism of both Nick and Sam, not only in their pursuit of achieving their sailing goals, but also in their dedication to helping others enjoy the sport of sailing" said Andre Oszmann, Skandia's Group Marketing Director. "Skandia have been a long supporter internationally of sailing at all levels, and a key aim of our Skandia Set Sail programme is to give aspiring sailing individuals the chance to realise their dreams. Nick has proven his determination over and over again and at Skandia we are equally determined to ensure he competes in the 2004/5 Vendée Globe."

Skandia have already provided sufficient funds for Moloney to secure the Open 60 for the year, prepare her for racing and to compete in one of the big solo races this year - The Transat from Plymouth to Boston starting on 31 May - and will assist Offshore Challenges in securing other partners to complete the support required for Moloney's Vendée Globe participation.

Moloney was the first competitor to register his entry for the 2004 Vendée Globe race and will become the first Australian to ever compete in this non-stop round the world race that starts on 7 November 2004.

The Vendée Globe represents the third and final sailing goal that Moloney set himself nearly a decade ago: "When I sat down and thought about what sailing goals I really wanted to achieve, three were completely evident," said Moloney. "To race round the world with a crew [which he did competing in the 1997-98 Whitbread Round the World Race on board Dennis Conner's Toshiba], to set the fastest circumnavigation of the globe non stop under sail with a crew [he was the only non-Frenchman among Bruno Peyron's crew aboard Orange when they set the present Jules Verne Trophy record of 64 days in May 2002] and to race around the globe solo. I have been a professional sailor since I was 21 and I cannot imagine doing anything else, but these particular objectives I have set myself are the pinnacles of that career... The Vendée is the final pinnacle for me and I am prepared to give it everything to get there."

Moloney has also competed in two America's Cup campaigns, in 1992 and 1995. His CV boasts nine sailing World Speed Records and one Guinness World Record for becoming the first and still the only person to windsurf non stop across the Bass Strait from mainland Australia to the Island of Tasmania. Nick Moloney was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 for services rendered to the sport of sailing.