Audemars Piguet and the Royal Thames YC

Swiss manufacturer to support next month's Cumberland Cup in J/80s

The Royal Thames Yacht Club has announced a unique corporate partnership with luxury Swiss watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet. The three year arrangement sees the historic Club, which traces its origins back to 1775, partnering the oldest fine watch manufacturer never to have left the hands of the founding families, dating back to 1875.

In addition to this corporate partnership, Audemars Piguet will become the official sponsor of the Royal Thames Yacht Club’s Cumberland Cup, as well as the official hosts for the Club’s Prizewinners’ Dinner, which takes place each November.

Audemars Piguet is a globally renowned brand, which has been associated with a number of high profile sporting events such as the fantastic Swiss victories in the 31st and 32nd America's Cup Yacht Race. A recent sponsorship has seen them become partners of Hydroptere, a sailing vessel that now holds the fastest speed record on water.

“The Royal Thames Yacht Club has invited Audemars Piguet to become the newest corporate partner of the Club due to its standing and legacy as a brand,” said Vice Commodore Peter Haslehurst. “We look to build relationships with organisations that share similar values to us and in Audemars Piguet we have such a partner. The Royal Thames Yacht Club has been at the forefront of yacht racing since 1775 and we, like Audemars Piguet, have always respected our heritage.”

The relationship has come about due to the natural synergy between the values and heritage of the two organisations, as explained by Gary Mead, CEO of Audemars Piguet UK Ltd.

“Audemars Piguet has chosen the Royal Thames Yacht Club because of its substantial heritage, its reputation with the yachting world and because it shares the key values of Audemars Piguet – Tradition, Excellence and Daring.”

“The Royal Thames Yacht Club is internationally renowned for its sporting achievements and the prowess of its members. The partnership allows a unique opportunity for us to showcase our products to Royal Thames Yacht Club members, some of the world’s most demanding sailors who require strength, precision and quality.”

Established in 1775, the Cumberland Cup is the world’s oldest yachting trophy, set up 76 years ahead of the America’s Cup. This biannual international yacht racing event takes place in May 2010 and attracts some of the best team racers in the world, sailing against each other in closely matched small keelboats. Racing in 2010 will be in the Royal Thames Yacht Club's newly-acquired matched fleet of J/80s and will take place on the superb open waters of Queen Mary Reservoir, London's largest lake, in the west of the capital near Heathrow.