VAN LIEW MAKES RISKY INVESTMENT TO THE NORTH IN PREPARATION FOR GREAT EQUALIZER OF TASMAN SEA

New York, N.Y. (December 30, 2002) - Leg 3 of the Around Alone race challenges competitors with both the rigors of the Southern Ocean and daring tactical choices that can pay dividends or send one to Chapter 11. Mileage is the currency and building it is one's ticket to victory.

Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America is currently positioned to the northeast of a Southern Ocean weather system that will rocket Brad Van Liew ahead of his competition in Class II, or leave him to nervously watch his rivals creep up behind him. Van Liew's tactical gambles have paid off in the past. He won Leg 1 and Leg 2 by more than 600 miles. Will he champion again? Or is his risk too great? The consequences are grave.

A bear market rally on the water nearly convinced Van Liew late last week that he would yield profits. But, like all bear market rallies, the surge was short-lived. Initially, his boat speed shot up to 20+ knots and he began building an imposing lead on his Class II rivals. Then, suddenly, on Saturday his wind disappeared, leaving him to question his choices and wallow in 3 knots of speed as others gained ground. The setback appears to have been temporary and Van Liew is leading the charts again today with a speed of 12 knots. His gap on the competition is nearly 400 miles but he feels this is not enough.

"In the next two days we will discover if I made the right investment. I've positioned Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America to the northeast of the oncoming low pressure system, and I believe this will yield great rewards," said Van Liew. "My lead at present is mediocre considering that it could evaporate in merely 36 hours once we reach the Tasman Sea. It is a tricky and unpredictable place. I'd like to build a nice big cushion of mileage before we reach it in a week or so."

No doubt Van Liew's previous experience in the Tasman Sea has colored his opinion of the area. In the Around Alone race of 1998-99 Van Liew was sailing a boat named Balance Bar. He entered the Tasman Sea more than 500 miles behind his rival Mike Garside, and by Cape Reinga at the northern tip of New Zealand the two fierce rivals were jousting with each other on the same wave. Van Liew crossed the finish line only 2 minutes and 21 seconds behind Garside, which may have been a determining factor in Van Liew's choice to buy Garside's boat for this race.

To track Van Liew's progress and to get daily updates from the Tommy Hilfiger Freedom America yacht, please visit www.tommy.com/freedomamerica. Brad will be feeding the site with diary entries and photos taken aboard the yacht. Graphic depictions and footage of Brad and his adventures at sea are available upon request.

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