Right race, right boat, right time...
If ever there was a race that was ‘of the moment’ then the Global Ocean Race must be it. It is a race for Class 40 yachts around the world double handed. The Class 40 represents a development in yacht design that allows sailors to achieve incredible speeds for a fraction of the cost of the Open 60’s. Although obviously not as fast, the smaller Class 40 costs about 1/10th that of the Open 60 allowing the class to grow very quickly. Already they have proven themselves in many major offshore races, beating much bigger boats time and again. Even though the Global Ocean Race is relatively new, the first race in 2008/9 attracted almost 30 million hits on its website even though there were only 5 boats racing. The next race plans to do much better, already with 15 entries from 11 countries, there is also plan to run a ‘virtual race’ online.
Alex Alley is lucky enough to have an entry in the Global Ocean Race 2011/12. Starting in Mallorca next September, Alex and co-skipper David Thomson will race against an international fleet around the planet, stopping in Cape Town, Wellington, Punta del Este and Charleston before finishing back in Mallorca in 2012, some 8 months later. For Alex and the team however the race has already begun; the race just to get to the start line. In order to help with the funding of the campaign, Alex set up the People’s Boat campaign, which allows anybody to become a sponsor and have their picture on the hull (see www.peoplesboat.com). Already attracting attention, Alex has been asked to bring the boat to Liverpool and have it on display in the centre of the city’s biggest shopping centre during the new Liverpool boatshow next year. ‘We have had several meetings now with the directors of Liverpool One and we are now just working on the logistics of putting a Class 40 in a shopping centre in the middle of town. It will certainly draw the public’s attention’ commented Alex.
‘We have been talking with several potential major sponsors and also working with charities such as the RNLI as the plan is to sell the boat after the race and donate all the proceeds to charity. It would be great to be able to generate a significant amount and we have our target set on £300,000, but we need everyone’s help to achieve it.’
For Alex the Global Ocean Race is not the end of the story... ‘I am already planning two other projects for when we return, both sailing world records. One is a new record and another is an existing record which we believe we can beat by some margin.’ More details will be released once a sponsor has been found.
Go to www.peoplesboat.com to sign up and put your logo/picture on the hull of the yacht.
Posts
