Louis Vuitton returns to AC

28 May 2015

Ben Ainslie will introduce the America’s Cup World Series to the world in July at Portsmouth – photo: Mark Lloyd/Lloyd Images

AMERICA’S CUP: The America’s Cup was undoubtedly the loser in all the shenanigans that led to the Louis Vuitton’s withdrawal from the world’s oldest competition in 2007.

But now, Louis Vuitton is back. With an involvement throughout the entire series that obviously suggests the America’s Cup is back as a No 1 promotional method for one of the world’s top brands.

The French fashion brand has always been famous for its luggage and its involvement in the America’s Cup. But now the company has increased its involvement to include the America’s Cup Qualifiers and Challenger Playoffs.

In addition, Louis Vuitton will also be the presenting partner of the 35th America’s Cup Match and the America’s Cup World Series too. So Louis Vuitton will be at Portsmouth in July.

We wonder if the recent allocation of broadcast rights might have brought the AC to the attention of TV advertisers.

NBS has TV rights for the USA. Recently it was announced the French broadcaster Canal+ has captured the TV rights for over 50 territories, including France, Monaco and French speaking Switzerland.

And just recently, BT Sport beat Sky TV to the UK broadcast rights, starting with the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) that will launch the entire America’s Cup towards the eventual 2017 dice in Bermuda.

“Since 1983, Louis Vuitton has continued to play a major role in the America’s Cup, but this agreement is the widest ranging yet,” said Harvey Schiller, the Commercial Commissioner of the America’s Cup. “Over time we have built a partnership that is quite unique in sports in terms of its longevity and our relationship is strengthened by more than 30 years of shared history. But now is the right time to take a major step forward. Under this agreement, Louis Vuitton is extending its involvement throughout the entire event.”

Michael Burke, CEO of Louis Vuitton said: “It is a great honour for us to be able to renew our partnership with the America’s Cup. Together, we are about to write a new chapter of our shared history.”

Louis Vuitton will assume a prominent role in all aspects of the event, said Mr Burke; ashore, on the water, in international television broadcasts and on online platforms.

The Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series begins in Portsmouth, from 23-26 July.

via Boating Business – Louis Vuitton returns to AC.

Volvo Ocean Race: Vestas Wind returns

01 Jun 2015

‘Team Vestas Wind’ on the water on May 30 – photo: Ainhoa Sanchez/Volvo Ocean Race

VOLVO RACE: ‘Team Vestas Wind’ shore crew chief Neil Cox breathed a huge sigh of relief as his boat was successfully returned to the water on May 30 for her first sail since grounding on an Indian Ocean reef last November.

“It’s no longer a boat building race,” he said, sporting the biggest smile in Lisbon. “We’re back in a boat race.”

The battle to return Team Vestas Wind to the Volvo Ocean Race has been one of the most absorbing stories of the entire nine month marathon event – and one of the most remarkable in its 41 year history.

After crashing onto a reef near the Cargados Carajos Shoals on November 29 during Leg 2, and damaging huge sections of the hull, many observers expected the team to call quits there and then on the campaign.

But the Danish based, global wind energy company Vestas, and its backers, including Powerhouse, were determined to salvage what they could. So they set a highly ambitious target of returning to the Volvo Ocean Race for Legs 8 and 9.

That involved recovering the boat as intact as possible from the reef and rebuilding the shattered Volvo Ocean 65 in four months; half the time it normally takes to construct a one design Volvo boat.

Part one was successfully completed when Team Vestas Wind made a moonlit arrival in the Portuguese capital. Part two was her first sail from Lisbon to Cascais and back on Saturday, May 30.

Mr Cox, skipper Chris Nicholson and the rest of the Team Vestas Wind crew, had the answer they wanted in the kind of testing conditions they will face during Leg 8 from Lisbon to Lorient, France: 25 knots of breeze with the boat’s canting keel bulb almost lifted out of the water.

Afterwards, Mr Cox was delighted to see how the boat had fared. “On Friday, getting the boat in the water was a huge thing in the sense that it was a milestone,” he explained.

“But I knew that all we had was a boat in the water. Now, we needed to sail it. The nervousness and anticipation around being fit for purpose focused on today – Saturday.”

Mr Cox and the rest of the team have paid fulsome tribute to the workers of the Italian Persico boatyard, who toiled night and day to put Team Vestas Wind with the other six boats on the Lisbon start line.

On June 6, Team Vestas Wind will rejoin the Volvo Ocean Race when she competes in the Lisbon In-Port Race, before taking on the 647nm Leg 8 to Lorient starting the following day.

via Boating Business – Volvo Ocean Race: Vestas Wind returns.

Luís Figo, the Portuguese football great, on Monday visited the Volvo Ocean Race village in Lisbon on International Children’s Day to promote the work of his charity foundation, which helps to bring sport to a wider network of youth around the world (full story below).

– Portuguese football great meets up again with Azzam crew

– International Children’s Day special event for Lisbon kids

– ISAF jury to hold protest hearings on Wednesday

LISBON, Portugal, June 1- Luís Figo, the Portuguese football great, on Monday visited the Volvo Ocean Race village in Lisbon on International Children’s Day to promote the work of his charity foundation, which helps to bring sport to a wider network of youth around the world.

The retired Portugal attacking midfielder, who was one of the game’s leading players during the 1990s and 2000s, is no stranger to the race, having been on board Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing in 2012.

He again visited the Emirati boat, which is currently leading the 2014-15 edition, and met many local children visiting the Lisbon stopover in his home country.

Figo, 42, said: “It’s a great pleasure for us to join this global event, and have the opportunity to bring, on International Children’s Day, so many kids from different sections of Lisbon.

“They were able to spend a different kind of day, doing activities around the sea, and learning how this event works.

“Today is International Children’s Day and in my foundation, since we started this work, we’ve tried to celebrate this day with a special event.

“This year we had the chance and the privilege to be here in association with the Volvo Ocean Race to try and offer kids the chance to try different activities related to the sea and sailing.

“One of the areas we work on in the foundation is social integration, so I’m pleased to have this chance.”

Figo, a former FIFA World Player of the Year, was particularly pleased to link up again with Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s crew and their British skipper, Ian Walker.

“I follow the race through the news and the newspapers. I know that Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing are doing pretty well – I had the chance to meet them three years ago in Lisbon and I hope that they continue to do well and have a successful finish.”

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The ISAF-appointed independent international jury will be hearing four cases on Wednesday (June 3) after alleged breaches of sailing rules during Leg 7 of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Team SCA are to answer two cases: that they sailed against the traffic flow in a Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS), and, additionally, into a Rhode Island Sound exclusion zone.

Dongfeng Race Team and MAPFRE are also facing protests that they sailed against the traffic flow in a TSS.

The Race Committee has brought all the cases to the jury, If a penalty is awarded, the jury has discretion on what it will be.

via Figo and Volvo Ocean Race put focus on youth| Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.

Team Vestas Wind (Chris Nicholson/AUS) shore crew chief, Neil Cox, breathed a huge sigh of relief as his boat was successfully returned to the water this weekend for its first sail since grounding on a reef in the Indian Ocean back in November (full story below).

– Vestas Wind comes through first sail test with flying colours

– ‘It’s time to look forward, not back,’ says shore chief Cox

– See how the stricken boat was put together again

LISBON, Portugal, May 31 – Team Vestas Wind (Chris Nicholson/AUS) shore crew chief, Neil Cox, breathed a huge sigh of relief as his boat was successfully returned to the water this weekend for its first sail since grounding on a reef in the Indian Ocean back in November.

“It’s no longer a boat-building race,” he said, sporting the biggest smile in Lisbon. “We’re back in a boat race.”

The battle to return Vestas Wind to the Volvo Ocean Race has been one of the most absorbing stories of the entire nine-month marathon event – and one of the most remarkable in its 41-year history.

After crashing on to a reef near the Cargados Carajos Shoals on November 29 during Leg 2 and damaging huge sections of the hull, many observers expected the team to call quits there and then on the campaign.

But the Danish-based, global wind energy  company Vestas, and their backers including Powerhouse, were determined to salvage what they could and then set a highly ambitious target of returning to offshore sailing’s most prestigious event for Legs 8 and 9.

That involved two huge hurdles: recovering the boat as intact as possible from the reef where it grounded, and rebuilding the shattered Volvo Ocean 65 in four months, half the time it normally takes to construct the one-design vessel.

Part one of ‘Mission Nearly Impossible’ was successfully completed when the Vestas Wind made a moonlit arrival in the Portuguese capital midweek.

Part two was the boat’s first sail from Lisbon to Cascais and back, on Saturday.

Sure, it had been rebuilt according to the exacting one-design standards demanded by the Race, but would any problems show up once it started sailing?

Cox, skipper Chris Nicholson, and the rest of the Team Vestas Wind crew had the answer they wanted in the kind of testing conditions they will face during Leg 8 from Lisbon to Lorient, France: 25 knots of breeze with the boat’s canting keel bulb almost lifted out of the water.

Afterwards, Australian Cox was delighted to see how the boat had fared.

“On Friday, getting the boat in the water was a huge thing in the sense that it was a milestone,” he explained.

“But I knew that we still hadn’t been sailing – all we had was a boat in the water. Now, we needed to sail it. The nervousness and anticipation around being fit for purpose focused on today (Saturday).

“Now we have a work list that’s all about going forward – not backwards.

“It’s certainly been the hardest thing I’ve had to do. It’s a collective effort, no one person could have done it. On a personal level, I’d say it’s the biggest challenge I’ve had to overcome.”

Cox and the rest of the team have paid fulsome tribute to the workers of the Italian boatyard of Persico, who toiled night and day to return the Vestas Wind to join the other six boats on the Lisbon start line.

Next Saturday (June 6), Team Vestas Wind will join the competition once more with the Lisbon In-Port Race, before taking on the 647-nautical mile Leg 8 to Lorient the following day.

“The night of June 7 when the guys go offshore will be quite a moment,” grinned Cox, with typical Aussie under-statement.

via ‘We’re back in a boat race’ | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015.