Clothing partner announced

For this year's Global Challenge

Corprotex will be clothing five continents after their appointment as official apparel suppliers for Sir Chay Blyth's Global Challenge 2004/ 05. The Manchester-based company will provide garments to be sold in all seven of the world's toughest yacht race's ports of call.

This is the second time Corprotex has supplied clothes for the Global Challenge, after more than 40,000 garments were sold during the 2000/2001 event. As well as being available in ports, orders were dispatched as far afield as Indonesia, Dubai and Belize - thousands of miles from the fleet's route.

Simon Walker, managing director of race organiser, Challenge Business, comments: "Official race clothing is really important to the many thousands of supporters of the race. It's one more way to 'be part of it'. "I'm delighted that we're working with Corprotex again as they did a great job during the last race."

Corprotex will follow the Global Challenge round the world, setting up special outlets at the stopovers: Portsmouth, Buenos Aires, Wellington, Sydney, Cape Town, Boston and a soon-to-be confirmed northern European port.

As few people choose to go about their everyday lives sporting hurricane-proof oilies and a harness, the Global Challenge range will centre around t-shirts, fleeces, polo shirts and jackets. Corprotex operations director Paul Smith comments: "The Global Challenge is a high profile event and sailing is a massive growth sport - so the range should be desirable to both the sailing fraternity and to the man on the street. We're dead chuffed to be on board for a second event, and hopefully this one should set new records."

Now the official clothing supplier has been appointed, all eyes turn to a landmark event in the global yachting calendar - the unveiling of the official Global Challenge teddy bear! Four years ago thousands of 'Salty the Sea Dog' mascots were sold around the world. A successor is expected to be announced within the next month!