What is VELUX 5 OCEANS?
VELUX 5 OCEANS is the world's oldest and toughest single-handed round the world yacht race. In fact, the race is the longest and most demanding sporting achievement ever, requiring unrelenting effort and personal fervour on the part of the skippers as they push themselves and their boats to the limit 24 hours a day, for more than six months and 55,000 kilometres.
Why is VELUX sponsoring the VELUX 5 OCEANS race?
We are doing so because the sponsorship matches our strategy of being a leading international company with a strong brand, and because VELUX 5 OCEANS is about braving the elements and having the commitment to push boundaries, just as we strive to do at VELUX.
There is an obvious match between VELUX core values about creating light, air and outlook – and yachting, which is all about light and air – wind and weather.
How long is the race, and which continents does it cover?
The skippers in VELUX 5 OCEANS will each cover about 55,000 kilometres or 30,000 nautical miles in the course of more than four months.
VELUX 5 OCEANS covers Europe, Australia and North America and crosses five oceans: the North Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the South Sea and the South Atlantic Ocean.
What route will the race follow in 2006?
The race will start out from the Getxo Marina on the Basque coast close to Bilbao on the 22nd October 2006. From there, the skippers will head towards Australia, on to Norfolk on the US Eastern Seaboard, finally sprinting back to Spain across the Atlantic Ocean, where they are expected to arrive in April 2007.
How many yachts will participate in the coming race?
8 yachts with skippers representing UK, USA, Japan, Spain, New Zealand, and Switzerland will participate.
How does VELUX 5 OCEANS differ from other round the world ocean races?
VELUX 5 OCEANS is different in several ways. First and foremost, it is a single-handed yacht race with only one skipper navigating each boat. This makes it one of the toughest round the world yacht races. Also, the eligible yacht designs, the race legs and the different climates encompassing the five oceans are specific to VELUX 5 OCEANS.
Who are the skippers participating in the race?
The yachtsmen of VELUX 5 OCEANS are a breed apart – and are among the world's toughest sailors. The race attracts both the yachting elite with Skippers like IMOCA class World Champion Mike Golding and novice daredevils, men and women prepared to brave everything that nature can throw at them: biting cold, baking heat, storms and meter-high waves. The skippers will have to face these elements alone, often while suffering from complete mental and physical exhaustion.
Which boats are featured in the race?
There are two types of carbon fibre boats in the race, the IMOCA Open 60 and the slightly smaller IMOCA Open 50. Both vessels are designed to withstand the immense forces hurled at them by the sea while slicing through the water at optimal speed.
The IMOCAs are especially designed for single-handed racing. Special keels allow the boats to cant to the wind side, and water-filled ballast tanks compensate for the lack of weight of a crew.
What will VELUX derive from the sponsorship?
First and foremost, the sponsorship will help to extend and build the VELUX brand. VELUX 5 OCEANS provides us with a new exposure platform in the international arena. It is a platform, which can be used in relation to customers, employees and the media, and to develop and strengthen our brand both locally and globally.
The VELUX 5 OCEANS sponsorship will be an international focal point for VELUX. Now all of our markets share one common event which all employees can take pride in, irrespective of their country of origin.
Why focus on a major global event instead of a series of local events?
We decided to focus on a global event because we are a global company. VELUX operates in more than 40 markets worldwide – including Europe, Australia and the US – the same continents covered by VELUX 5 OCEANS.
VELUX has been searching for a potential sponsorship that could epitomise what we stand for around the globe. In VELUX 5 OCEANS we found a sponsorship that matched our core brand values, and also offered an outstanding geographic reach and a cooperative spirit.