Since the finish of the VELUX 5 Oceans Race in June, the past couple of months have been put to good use aboard Active House Spirit of Canada. During this period, Derek, together with intrepid sponsors aboard, have completed two offshore training sessions to Bermuda and back. Both trips were deemed a great success. A third trip ended prematurely back in Lunenburg with the threat of a close encounter with a hurricane that was fast approaching from the south.

The 2011 hurricane season has been extremely active this year and a few, like Irene, have severely threatened the East coast. Active House Spirit of Canada has been taken out of the water and safely placed in its in ground “pit” cradle at East River Marina. The Spirit of Canada shore team is now conducting a mini refit over the next few months so the boat will be ready to go sailing again in May 2012.

Award of Excellence

Last week in Oakville Ontario, the Executive Director for Ontario Sailing presented both Derek Hatfield and VELUX Canada with the 2011/2012 Sailing “Award Of Excellence” for their combined efforts in the VELUX 5 Oceans Race 2010/11. “It is great to be recognized in this manner, as the Canadian competitor in the VELUX 5 Oceans single handed race around the world and it’s great to share this award with our long standing partner VELUX Canada”, says Derek. Shown here in the picture to the right is Derek and Nels Moxness, President of VELUX Canada.

Busy Boat Show and Public Appearances Season

The busy boat show season is approaching and we are preparing a new presentation to utilize during our public appearances. The presentation will document the highlights of the most recent race around the world, the grueling VELUX 5 Oceans aboard the Open/Eco 60 Active House Spirit of Canada as well as stories from the Vendee Globe 2008 and Around Alone 2002. We have some new sailing footage and amazing photos to show as well.

Derek and the team are very interested in doing as many public appearances as possible over the coming months. These appearances are considered the backbone to the success of Spirit of Canada as we prepare our next challenge. If you or someone you know are interested in having Derek and/or Patianne speak at a yacht club, business association or corporate function, please contact us.

Derek and the Spirit of Canada team want to thank you for your continued interest and support and hope that we have a chance to thank everyone in person over the coming winter season.

Spirit of Canada Ocean Challenges

Via email: patianne@spiritofcanada.net
Via phone: 902.531.2532

Hello from Active House Spirit of Canada,

Active House Spirit of Canada has arrived safely back in Canada and sits quietly at the dock in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. It has been a busy time for the team since the finish of the VELUX 5 Oceans single-handed race came to an end in La Rochelle, France. The last leg was a fantastic climax to the race and securing a position on the podium with a third place overall was amazing. We have Active House and a lot of people to thank for supporting Spirit of Canada and believing in us as a team.

After the end of the race, we did a couple of small repairs to the Open 60 before Patianne delivered it back to Canada by herself. It was very strange indeed helping her out of the harbour, getting the sails up and setting her off for her first transatlantic in solo mode. She has arrived in Canada safely and is much more experienced for the 16 day crossing. I flew home to get some much needed rest and time with the family after a grueling nine month race. I figure it has taken at least three weeks to clear my head from the stresses of the race.

The remainder of 2011 will be hectic as I will be finishing the Spirit of Canada book about all three single handed races around the world. At the same time we are in the planning stages to build an “Active House” here in Canada. Along with the book writing and house building, I will be attending media events and conducting speaking engagements.

At this point, I am not sure what is next for the Open 60 Spirit of Canada; it will take about three months to unwind from the Velux 5 Oceans and organize future racing plans. In the mean time we are be conducting two training trips to Bermuda with crew just to keep the boat and myself active. There are a few spots left for crew members so if anyone wants to experience a full blown Open 60 in open ocean conditions, please let me know. There are also corporate opportunities for training & branding aboard the Open 60 and for keynote speaking engagements for this year and next.

Take care,
Derek

Canadian skipper secures third position overall in solo race around the world

CANADIAN ocean racer Derek Hatfield has crossed the finish line of the final sprint of the VELUX 5 OCEANS singlehanded round the world yacht race in second place to secure a third place overall in his second successful solo circumnavigation of the globe.

The 58-year-old sailed his 60ft yacht Active House into La Rochelle, France, and across the ocean sprint five finish line at 0907 local time (0707 UTC) in fourth place, bringing this edition of the oldest and longest solo round the world race to a close.

From Mahone Bay, NS, former mountie Derek also finished on the podium of Class II in the 2003 edition of the race (then the Around Alone).

Derek completed the 3,600-mile final sprint from Charleston in South Carolina to La Rochelle in 14 days, 12 hours and 07 minutes.

Audio, images and footage will be made available later today.

-ENDS-

MEDIA NOTES TO EDITORS

Rights-free race images, video and audio available to download in high-resolution:
www.w-w-i.com/velux_5_oceans_2010_race/

For broadcast-standard video please visit www.thenewsmarket.com/Velux
If you are a first-time user, please take a moment to register. In case you have any questions, please email journalisthelp@thenewsmarket.com

For interview requests and further information on the VELUX 5 OCEANS, please contact Sarah Hames, Race Press Officer:
T: + 44 7813 009 783
E: shames@velux5oceans.com
W: www.velux5oceans.com

American ocean racer wins final leg to complete clean sweep of solo round the world race

AMERICAN solo sailor Brad Van Liew has crossed the finish line of the final sprint of the VELUX 5 OCEANS solo round the world yacht race to secure overall victory. The 43-year-old sailed his 60ft yacht Le Pingouin into La Rochelle, France, and across the ocean sprint five finish line in first place at 2053 local time (1853UTC), making it a clean sweep of all of the legs.

Brad is a past winner of the VELUX 5 OCEANS, having won every leg in class two in the 2002/3 edition of the race. His victory this time round makes him the only person in the 29-year history of the VELUX 5 OCEANS (formerly the BOC Challenge and Around Alone) to make two clean sweeps of the race.

During ocean sprint three from Wellington in New Zealand to Punta del Este in Uruguay Brad made his third successful solo rounding of Cape Horn, the most southerly tip of South America, making him the only American ever to race solo round the famous landmark three times.

Brad completed the 3,600-mile final sprint from his hometown of Charleston in South Carolina to La Rochelle in 12 days, 23 hours and 52 minutes.