Waffle girl Richards takes fourth

New sponsorship deal for Richards on conclusion of penultimate leg of Around Alone

Emma Richards crossed the finish line of Around Alone at 19:51:40 GMT today taking fourth place in class 1.

Celebrations were heightened for the 28 year old yachtswoman as she crossed the finish line to the news that Birds Eye Potato Waffles has signed up with only one leg left to go as a sponsor, confirming that she is set to become one of Britain’s most marketable sports stars when she completes her circumnavigation in May.

The unusual sponsorship has developed from the huge amount of media attention surrounding Emma and her performance in Around Alone. In one of her regular e-mails from her open 60 Pindar she commented about missing various home comforts; and at the top of the list was Birds Eye potato waffles. Having read this Bird’s Eye chiefs have flown out packets of her favourite treat to Brazil to celebrate the deal.

Speaking about the Birds Eye Potato Waffles deal, Emma commented, "it’s a fantastic surprise at this late stage in the race to be attracting further sponsors, particularly a big brand like Birds Eye. I thought why not....it makes sense and I think they taste great. I am one of the few sailors who opts out of the seemingly obligatory diet of freeze dried food, but even my varied sailing diet of cous cous or pasta leaves me wanting something more appealing. This has been my toughest challenge to date, and when you are out there alone for weeks on end I really miss things that remind me of home – food wise, this is definitely Birds Eye potato waffles."

Quick to spot the opportunity, marketing chiefs at Birds Eye approached Emma's main sponsor Pindar, the British based print and electronic media company, to see if they could come on board as an official sponsor. Chairman Andrew Pindar felt it would make her sail into Salvador that much more special if it were kept as surprise until the last minute.

A Birds Eye Potato Waffles Spokesperson commented, "Emma is a natural fit for our brand. She is fit, young and healthy, a great achiever and she loves Birds Eye Potato Waffles. What she has accomplished so far is incredible, we hope that with our support and our Potato Waffles she will go from strength to strength sailing all the way into the record books."

Emma is currently lying in 3rd position overall after the 4th leg of Around Alone, the gruelling 29,000 mile round-the-world yachting marathon which started in New York on 15th September last year. She departs on the fifth and final leg to Newport, Rhode Island on 13th April and will be pushing to beat fourth place Simone Bianchetti, Tiscali, onto the podium.