Hello from Spirit of Canada

The summer months are flying by as we continue with our offshore training sessions and preparations for the Velux 5 Oceans this October. I now have almost 10,000 nm and six training sessions on Spirit of Canada ECO 60 and I am very impressed with the performance of the boat. As you can imagine, sailing with 3 or 4 other sailors on a boat designed to accommodate one person has created some interesting scenarios but I will keep those stories for the book. Each session has taught me valuable lessons about the performance of the boat and how it can be pushed. I feel very confident about our preparations at this point.

One of the training sessions was as a race participant in the Route Halifax St. Pierre Ocean Race; we covered the 340 odd miles in under 30 hours; setting a new race record and receiving line honours for the effort. The race was not without event as we struck a log while sailing at about 12 knots and did some minor damage to the keel fairings. The boat is slated for repairs and will be hauled out next week at East River Marine here in Nova Scotia where Philip Young and his professional boatbuilding and repair crew will bring the boat back to racing trim.

The title sponsorship hunt has proven to be daunting and even though we continue to put names on the hull and conduct training sessions thereby reducing the price of the title sponsorship, we have not been able to secure that elusive support. The budget situation is becoming critical as we need to order new sails for delivery before the start. But we are staying focussed on the start line in October. Any suggestions and or referrals with regard to securing potential sponsors are very welcome.

Stay tuned for more regular updates as we approach the Velux 5 Oceans race start on October 17th 2010.

Take care,

Derek

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Derek Hatfield and Spirit of Canada

Derek Hatfield was the 2003 Canadian Rolex Sailor of the Year and the 126th person in history to finish a single-handed race around the world. Derek is the first to ever fly the Canadian flag as a competitor in the grueling Vendee Globe single handed around the world race. The VELUX 5 OCEANS will be Derek’s third race around the world and another first in Canadian sailing history.

Derek will compete in the VELUX 5 OCEANS in the Eco 60 class, a revolutionary fleet aimed at opening up ocean racing by making it more affordable as well as eco-friendly. The fleet, which will première in the 2010 VELUX 5 OCEANS, is for Open 60 yachts launched before 2003 and will be governed by a number of rules and regulations designed to limit costs and encourage positive environmental practices.

Key Partner

Spirit of Canada is still looking for a Key Partner to take advantage of this great marketing opportunity. The Key Partner will receive a return on investment of approx 25 million in EVA (equivalent advertising value). The cost of the Key Partnership is a small fraction of this amount. For more information on a Key Partnership or any other multi-faceted sponsorship opportunity with Spirit of Canada, please contact Spirit of Canada Ocean Challenges at 647.288.7342

VELUX 5 OCEANS – The Ultimate Solo Challenge

The VELUX 5 OCEANS is the oldest single-handed round the world yacht race. Run every 4 years since 1982, the race is the longest and toughest event for any individual in any sport. The VELUX 5 OCEANS is a series of five high-pressure ocean sprints within a marathon circumnavigation. In the course of the 30,000 mile race, the skippers cross five oceans alone. The VELUX 5 OCEANS will start in October 2010 and promises to reach a global audience as the dramatic stories are followed live across TV, radio, print, Internet and via mobile technology.

www.velux5oceans.com

For further information on Spirit of Canada, please contact Patianne Verburgh:
Office: +1.647.288.7342
Mobile: +1.902.529.2626
www.spiritofcanada.net
patianne@spiritofcanada.net

For further information on the VELUX 5 OCEANS, please contact Tim Kelly, Race Director of Communications:
T: + 44 7773 325 533
E: tkelly@velux5oceans.com
W: www.velux5oceans.com

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 17th, 2010 at 10:57 am and is filed under Status Reports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.