Pay to sail Round Europe Race

Introducing the Oki European Challenge 2005

Today at the Southampton International Boat Show, a new round Europe yacht race was announced - the Oki European Challenge 2005 – the first ever pan European sponsorship by Oki Europe.

Oki is the title holder of the event which will take place over three months during the summer of 2005 when 15 evenly matched Beneteau 47.7 yachts race around Europe in 11 separate legs, calling at 13 ports in 11 different countries. The race will start in Poland, visit Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, the UK, France, Portugal, Spain, and Italy, before finishing in Monte Carlo. Racing will be adjudicated by The Royal Ocean Racing Club.

The event has been deliberately designed to make sailing accessible to more people, attracting experienced sailors but also offering complete beginners the chance of an exciting adventure over a three month time frame. Previous races have normally demanded that crew take a year out and the shorter format will appeal to many more people, particularly those in business.

Each crew will be made up of one professional skipper and nine crew. The race welcomes both experienced sailors and complete beginners. A crew berth costs £9,950 - less than £100 a day, and crew from across Europe can apply by visiting the race website.

15 appropriately qualified European skippers will be employed for the race, three of whom will sail in the promotional tour in 2004.

Participants in the Oki European Challenge 2005 will also be able to race in two of sailing’s greatest events, Skandia Cowes Week and the Rolex Fastnet Race.

The event is the brainchild of Michael Kay who, during the past fourteen years, has sailed around the world and has been instrumental in the successful commercial organisation of The British Steel Challenge (1992/93) and the BT Global Challenge 1996/97. Michael has also co-ordinated the commercial activity on various UK Market sector regattas and the world famous Round the Island Race.

Michael’s core support team for the Oki European Challenge 2005 includes
Alison Smith (Operations Manager) and Susan Preston Davis (Yachting PR Manager) both of whom have considerable experience of yacht racing events and the special demands of the sport.

Launched on the back of an extremely successful quarter which saw Oki, a Japanese electronics manufacturer, take the number 2 market position in Western Europe, the race will help grow the Oki brand across Europe and adds a new and unique event to a sport that is growing in popularity with European business and consumers.

Oki’s focus on delivering printed communications to a purely business audience is central to the event. With 30 million already participating in sailing and the sport predicted to be the next big business sport, Oki have chosen to give the race a distinctly business flavour. The race structure and benefits have all been designed to help build European business and Oki’s profile as a business to business brand. It will draw together a community of top European businesses, offering business profiling and networking opportunities through sponsorship or ‘partnership’ of a yacht or membership of a Business Forum which will offer 100 companies compelling networking and hospitality benefits.

Another key point of difference is the race promotion which will see a promotional tour of all the ports of call take place one year prior to the race, building relationships with local chambers of commerce, yacht clubs and businesses.

"We are incredibly excited about this race," says Andrew Montgomery, Managing Director Oki Europe. "We are delighted to be working in partnership with so many businesses and believe that the Oki European Challenge 2005 will enable us to become a major European business brand. With both the EC and the appeal of sailing growing, now is the perfect time to invest in this hugely exciting sport.

"The event is the perfect brand fit and a true reflection of what we are about at Oki. It is truly European, focused on building European business and embodies the very spirit of Oki - challenging, innovative, vital and dynamic. It offers huge opportunities for both existing and new partners and we look forward to involving our reseller network and business partners in the event."

Race Director, Michael Kay, commented: "We are thrilled that Oki have come onboard as the title holder of the race. The Oki European Challenge 2005 is an exciting addition to the race calendar and will leverage a growing European interest in sailing which can only be good for the sport as a whole. With the America’s Cup coming to Europe in 2006 this is the perfect time to invest in European sailing.

Schedule:

Leg Details	Distance	Duration
Gdansk/Gdynia (Poland) – Kiel (Germany)	455 miles	3 days 4 hrs
Kiel – Copenhagen (Denmark)	150 miles	1 day 1 hr
Copenhagen – Gothenburg (Sweden)	130 miles	21 hrs
Gothenburg – Scheveningen (Netherlands)	585 miles	4 days 2 hrs
Scheveningen - Cowes	250 miles	1 day 18 hrs
Cowes – Rolex Fastnet – Plymouth	605 miles	4 days 4 hrs
Plymouth – La Rochelle (France)	340 miles	2 days 8 hrs
La Rochelle – Lisbon (Portugal)	665 miles	4 days 14 hrs
Lisbon – Palma (Balearics)	738 miles	5 days 3 hrs
Palma  - Barcelona (Spain)	130 miles	21 hrs
Barcelona – Genoa (Italy)	550 miles	3 days 20hrs
via Sardinia
Genoa –Monte Carlo (Monaco)	100 miles	17 hrs