Musto and Ovington Boats sign new title sponsor contract

The Musto Skiff Class Association (MSCA) are delighted to announce Musto have renewed their title sponsorship of the class for the next 5 years.

Musto have been the title sponsor from the very birth of the class when Nigel Musto spotted the prototype boat designed by Dr Joachim Happrecht that was displayed at the Hamburg Boat Show back in 1999.

Musto have provided title sponsorship with the class being named the Musto Performance Skiff for 17 years now... the support of Musto has been critical to the class, allowing the association to be run in a professional manor. Musto have also supplied prizes to the major events over the years.

The sponsorship contract is between the class builder, Ovington Boats and Musto. Chris Turner (Managing Director at Ovington Boats) said "We are really pleased to see Musto continue in this relationship and also to see them recognise that the class has grown considerably over the years requiring greater levels of support. Whilst the contract is with us as the builder we will continue to pass through the benefit of the sponsorship directly to the class association to support them to promote the class and organise the regatta schedule".

Over the last 17 years the class has grown in both numbers and geographically; with the boats now sailed in 27 different countries. The regatta programme is extensive with a highly successful EuroCup series which each year sees entries in excess of 100 boats, championships in Australia each year and the pinnacle event, the World Championships, which typically sees in the region of 90 – 105 boats participating.

As a result of the growth of the class the expenses of the association have increased and Musto have ensured the future of the class infrastructure and put in place a prize fund and structure that should see every active Musto Skiff sailor receive at least one Musto product as a prize or gift through the year.

Petra Carran Head of Sailing Marketing at Musto said "The Musto Skiff is one of our longest standing sponsorship projects and we have been delighted to see how the class has grown over the years. The class has become the most popular adult performance single hander for the weekend warrior... we look forward to our continued partnership with both Ovington Boats and the class association".

As part of this renewal of the contract Musto are taking the opportunity to give the class logo and name a refresh. Going forwards the class will drop the word performance and simply be called the Musto Skiff and the class logo will be amended to remove the word performance. Also, we will be introducing the silhouette of Keith Musto's Flying Dutchman which Musto proudly emblazons on all sailing apparel as an internationally recognised mark of excellence.

Iver Ahlmann (Musto Skiff Class Chairman) said "Musto's involvement in the class has been a key contributor to the success of the class; not only in terms of the financial support and prizes they provide, the Musto brand name has been very positive for the class and continues to be an attraction to other organisations and sponsors who have supported the class through the years as event sponsors".

Over the next few days and weeks you will see the Musto Skiff logo updated in all our major communications channels. The sail logos on new sails and boats will be updated and if sailors wish they can update their existing sails but they will not be mandated to do so.

For 2016 the class is looking forward to the World Championships to be hosted in Carnac (FRA) in June and the 2017 World Championships which are being held in Palma (ESP); these events will both have improved prize schedules and every competitor will receive an event T shirt as part of their entry.