Volvo Sail into New Waters

After an extremely successful five-year partnership developing the highly respected Volvo RYA Youth Programme, Volvo will be launching a new sailing partnership with the RYA for 2003 and onwards which will benefit different areas of UK sailing.

Lottery funding currently generously supports both the Olympic and Youth Programmes in the UK, including Olympic keelboat racing. The wider sport of keelboat sailing, as enjoyed by thousands of sailors, is not eligible for Lottery support. Consequently younger sailors receive little keelboat training across the UK.

With this in mind, Volvo and the RYA will launch a new Volvo RYA Keelboat Programme at the 2003 London Boatshow on 2nd January which they plan to become as successful as the Volvo RYA Youth Programme. The scheme will support Volvo's global sponsorship of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Also to be launched at the Boatshow will be 'Team Volvo for Life', a sponsorship that will support some of the most successful sailors in the UK to achieve their long-term ambitions.

Grass roots sailing has always been high on Volvo's agenda and, with this in mind, Volvo will continue their sponsorship of both the Volvo RYA Champion Club Programme and the Volvo Musto Optimist Class.

From a three national regatta sponsorship package in 1998, the RYA and Volvo have developed a programme that has grown to support junior and youth sailors from the first time they sail at a club to representing their country at international level.

The RYA Youth Programme is now well established in the UK providing support to just under 1000 squad members each year through nearly £1million of Lottery support per annum from Sport England. The programme continues to go from strength to strength and provides the best opportunity for young sailors to develop their talent and reach their potential. The well-known programme has gained a reputation for being one of the leading youth systems in the world and Volvo are very proud to have been associated with it.

"Volvo would like to thank the RYA, sailors, parents, coaches and the many other individuals that have helped to make the Volvo RYA Youth Programme such a success over the past five years," said James Kendall, Sponsorship Manager at Volvo Car UK. "Working with the RYA has been a real partnership and we look forward to extending our relationship over the coming years as we look forward to the next Olympics and the start of the next Volvo Ocean Race in 2005."

"Volvo Car UK has contributed more to Youth Sailing than any other sponsor in our history," said John Derbyshire, RYA Racing Manager. "We are delighted to be continuing our partnership, with Team Volvo for Life, Volvo RYA Keelboat and the Volvo RYA Champion Club Programmes."

Full details of Volvo Car UK's new sailing sponsorship portfolio will be announced at the London Boatshow on Press and Preview Day.