Maiden Global Challenges Announces New Appointments

Maiden Global Challenges (MGC), the recently formed company which manages Qatar 2006's sponsorship of Maiden 2, today announced a number of key appointments.

David Sebire has been appointed Chairman of MGC. David, 60, is currently Chairman of media company, Flightstore Group PLC, and is a non-executive Director of Highbury House Communications PLC, one of the UK's leading publishers of consumer magazines.

David Sebire commented:

"I am delighted to be heading up the team at Maiden Global Challenges. Although the full race schedule is not yet confirmed, the next twelve months will be very busy as the team on the water set their sights on trying to win the 2005 Oryx Cup. With the syndicate of Qatari organisations funding Qatar 2006, we have very enthusiastic sponsors, and our primary task will be to make sure we achieve all their objectives from the sponsorship."

In addition, Pitch PR has been appointed as MGC's communications and marketing partner. Pitch, formed in 2001 as a spin-off of the leading international PR agency Freud Communications, is one of the UK's leading sports PR agencies with particularly relevant experience of overseeing international marketing programmes for sailing sponsorships. Recent campaigns include Pindar's sponsorship of Emma Richards in Around Alone and Mari Cha IV's successful transatlantic record attempt.

This follows the appointment of Brian Thompson as racing skipper of Qatar 2006. Thompson, who was race skipper of Maiden 2 when it broke 5 world records during 2002, including the 24 hour speed record and the Round Britain and Ireland Record, has recently been invited to sail as watch-captain on board Steve Fossett's Cheyenne for their forthcoming Jules Verne record attempt. In his absence,Howard Gibbons will oversee the rebranding of Maiden II in preparation for their trip to Qatar in the Spring. The full major refit of Qatar 2006 will take place in October 2004 in readiness for the team's participation in the 2005 Oryx Cup.

Brian Thompson commented:

"I am looking forward to the challenge of leading a team in the Oryx Cup. I'm sure the experience that I gain on Cheyenne will stand me in good stead for next year."

Tracy Edwards, who negotiated Qatar 2006's sponsorship of the yacht as part of her agreement with Qatar to set-up and manage the two new round-the-world races the Oryx Cup and the Qatar Sports International Challenge now renamed The Quest 2006, commented:

"Now that these key appointments have been made I can, quite literally, hand over the keys of Qatar 2006 to the new team. Brian Thompson was always going to be a key figure on the water, but it was important that the management team for MGC was in place as soon as possible. Importantly, we can now put up a wall between Maiden Global Challenges and Maiden Ocean Racing Qatar and the team organising the events."

Maiden Global Challenges was formed in October 2003 up with the intention of managing and exploiting sailing sponsorships. It will focus on ensuring that companies and organisations extract maximum value from their sponsorship of sailing teams or individuals. It will operate seperately to the organising committee for the 2005 Oryx Cup and The Quest 2006, which will be organised by a team to be headed up by Tracy Edwards.