MacArthur Launches 'Team Cowes' Project - Two Sailors, Two Partners In Classic Two-Handed Race

Today at the Southampton International Boat Show, Ellen MacArthur who heads up the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team launches the 'Team Cowes' project to race in the famous trans-Atlantic race known as the Transat Jacques Vabre (TJV) that starts on 1st November.

"I cannot think of a launch I would much rather be at," said MacArthur. "To see this boat that I have raced thousands of miles in, now being raced by Nick and Sam as 'Team Cowes' in a race that has a great history is just awesome. She looks pretty fast in her new colours as well!"

Australian Nick Moloney and UK's Samantha Davies, MacArthur's team mates in the Offshore Challenges Sailing Team, are joining forces to race in the tough 4,340 mile race from Le Harve, France to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. The race course takes the professional sailors through a complete set of conditions – from November gales in the English Channel and Bay of Biscay, to the warm and fast Trade Winds, and the unbearable heat and frustrations of crossing the Doldrums at the Equator.

"Doing the TJV in 2001 was an awesome experience and I am looking forward to racing in this 10th edition on board the same Open 60 but now with the support of Skandia and Cowes Waterfront - it's going to be an exciting time for all of us," said Moloney. "Having raced this boat many times before I have come to know her true potential and racing with Sam who has also had much big boat offshore experience will make for an interesting and, hopefully, competitive combination."

These two sailors will be supported by another partnership formed by sponsors SKANDIA, a leading international long term savings company who already sponsor Davies in the Figaro circuit, and the COWES WATERFRONT, a partnership of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership and the Isle of Wight Council, who are overseeing the regeneration initiative of the Medina Valley, encompassing the towns of Cowes, East Cowes and Newport Harbour. These two partners have come together to support 'Team Cowes' and to raise awareness of their aims to the international audience that follows this race.

"Skandia is a long-term supporter of sailing already having supported Skandia Cowes Week for many years. To build on this we recently launched our SKANDIA SET SAIL initiative to include Sam in the Figaro, Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell in their Olympic Star campaign, Skandia Geelong Week in Australia, Sylvia Vogel and Caroline Flatscher in their bid to become the first women sailors to represent Austria in the Olympics (470 class), Skandia Cowes Youth Week and now the talents of Nick and Sam in the Transat Jacque Vabre," said André Oszmann, Chief Marketing Officer, Skandia. "Our sponsorship programme is all about supporting grass roots and new talent in sailing, so giving Nick and Sam this opportunity in this classic trans-Atlantic race made good sense as they are great ambassadors for the sport, Skandia and its brand values."

Peter Cusdin, Development Projects Director of SEEDA said: "The 'Team Cowes' partnership will raise the profile of the Cowes Waterfront initiative - taking it one step closer towards a vision of making the Solent the global centre for yacht racing technology. The Offshore Challenges team will act as ambassadors of the initiative around the world. Sam and Nick, co-skippering 'Team Cowes' in the Transat Jacques Vabre race, will help to increase awareness and understanding of the Cowes Waterfront project and the opportunities available. It will also reinforce the reputation of the Medina Valley as a centre of excellence for racing, sailing and technology."

"Cowes is already home to some of the world's most prestigious sailing teams and events such as Skandia Cowes Week. By partnering 'Team Cowes', the Cowes Waterfront initiative will capitalise on the name of Cowes, building on its strengths and wealth of technical expertise and skilled workforce to bring new opportunities and facilities for local people and visitors alike."

Moloney and Davies will be co-skippers on board 'Team Cowes' the Open 60 boat formerly known as 'Kingfisher'. They will race in the 4,340 mile Transat Jacques Vabre race in the IMOCA monohull division. Kingfisher raced in the 2001 edition of the race with co-skippers Moloney and Mark Turner finishing in third place behind the French team of 'Sill Plein Fruit' headed up by Roland Jourdain and second-placed Mike Golding on board 'Ecover'.

"I have always followed in the news the story about this race so it is just brilliant to be finally competing in it," said Davies. "I know I will learn a lot racing with Nick and hope that we can bring 'Team Cowes' across the finish line in a podium position but it is a tough race with many, many good boats."

As many as twenty Open 60 boats are expected to compete in this class starting on Saturday, 1st November in the 10th edition of this race that starts from Le Harve in France to Salvador de Bahia in Brazil. MacArthur will also be competing in the race in the multihull division on board 'Foncia' - they start the day after the monohulls and also race a further 960 miles but as they can race at greater speeds the arrival times of the two divisions are only a couple of days apart.

NOTES:

Skandia Set Sail: making sailing more accessible; growing the sport's reach; enriching people's lives. Skandia is the title sponsor to Sam Davies' 2003 Figaro Campaign Skandia Cowes Week is the oldest and largest sailing regatta in the world with up to 1000 boats racing in the Solent. Skandia Cowes Week 2004 takes place between 7th to 14th August. Skandia is a leading international long term savings company. http://www.skandia.com

Cowes Waterfront is a major regeneration initiative for the Medina Valley, encompassing the towns of Cowes, East Cowes and Newport Harbour on the Isle of Wight. It aims to strengthen the Island's position as a centre of excellence for the composites and specialist marine sectors by providing the resources and infrastructure that businesses need. It will bring new life and new visitors to town centres by attracting modern leisure and recreational facilities, including hotels, restaurants and cafes and promote the area as 'the home of world yachting'.
http://www.coweswaterfront.co.uk

SEEDA is the Government funded agency responsible for the economic and social development of the South East of England - the driving force of the UK's economy. Our aim is to create a prosperous, dynamic and inspirational region by helping businesses compete more effectively, training a highly skilled workforce, supporting and enabling our communities while safeguarding our natural resources and cherishing our rich cultural heritage.
http://www.seeda.co.uk

About SEEDA's Development and Infrastructure Division: SEEDA is the lead public sector body for delivering regeneration and physical development in the South East region. The Agency works closely with Government, local authority partners and the private sector to deliver national and regional priorities, such as the 3 growth areas - Thames Gateway, Ashford and Milton Keynes.

The Agency has an extensive land and property function focussed on bringing brownfield sites and premises back into productive use. Major projects include Chatham Maritime - 140 ha in the heart of the Thames Gateway, the East Kent Coalfield, the former Buckland Paper Mill at Dover, the Woolston shipyard at Southampton and business parks at Folkestone, Havant and Gosport, and the major Cowes Waterfront initiative on the Isle of Wight.

The Division is also responsible for urban renaissance and design programmes and contributes to the new regional housing arrangements, planning and transport

THE ISLE OF WIGHT ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP

The Isle of Wight Economic Partnership is the Island's economic development agency. It has a remit to improve quality of life for Island people by:
* creating new job opportunities
* supporting Island businesses
* encouraging new investment
* regenerating town and village environments
* providing new and improved facilities for all Island people
* encouraging innovation and excellence
* supporting skills development

It achieves this through a number of activities, including specific projects providing support for young, expanding businesses through our Innovation Centre, promoting and supporting the composites, marine and electronics industries through the Enterprise Hub, large scale regeneration social, community and infrastructure projects for Ryde, projects for rural areas, such as the Rural Development Programme and Leader+, initiatives to promote quality of life and health through the Healthy Living Programme and major investment programmes such as Cowes Waterfront which invests in the whole of the Medina Valley and will have a huge positive impact on the Island's economy.

The Isle of Wight Economic Partnership is has secured more than £23 million of UK Government and European funding over the last five years, and has attracted business investment worth up to £61 million to the Isle of Wight. For further information contact, Pippa Phillips on +44 (0) 1983 535819, Email pippa.phillips@iwpartnership.com or visit http://www.ww.magicsky.co.uk

THE ISLE OF WIGHT COUNCIL

The Isle of Wight Council aims to 'Improve Island Life' by:

* giving excellent service
* working in partnership
* listening to people

For further information about 'Team Cowes' please contact Offshore Challenges on +44 (0)1983 282 797 or email info@offshorechallenges.com