Tommy Hilfiger to sponsor Volvo Extreme 40 sailing team
by Volvo Extreme 40 class 3 Nov 2005 07:16 GMT
Tommy Hilfiger Europe B.V., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tommy Hilfiger Corporation (NYSE: TOM) announced today that it will officially sponsor a team in the Volvo Extreme 40 sailing series, the revolutionary new inshore Grand Prix catamaran series. This series runs for 5 days in between the in port race and the restart of each leg of the 2005/2006 Volvo Ocean Race.
‘Hilfiger Sailing’ will be skippered by former America’s Cup winner, and two-time Olympic medal recipient Randy Smyth, for the opening race in Sanxenxo, Spain, taking place on November 6th 2005. The boat will compete in additional races in Portsmouth, and Rotterdam through the spring and summer of 2006. The forty-foot catamaran will be branded by Hilfiger, and the crew of five will be outfitted in Hilfiger Sport sailing apparel. This sponsorship is the first step in the development of a fully functional sailing collection by Hilfiger, scheduled to launch in Spring 2007.
The Volvo Ocean Race reaches out to billions around the globe during its 8 month quest visiting five continents. Research showed that the previous race attracted more than 800 million cumulative TV audience. Tommy Hilfiger are proud to be associated with this prestigious sailing event and look forward to competing against the four other teams in this new, fast-paced 40 ft multihull racing circuit, where speeds can exceed 35kts.
Tommy Hilfiger, Honorary Chairman and Principal Designer of Tommy Hilfiger Corporation, stated “We are thrilled to step into the world of high performance sailing with our own VX 40 team. This circuit is the perfect way to show innovation, teamwork and great fun at 40 knots. Enjoy the race!“
Avery Baker, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Tommy Hilfiger Europe, offered, “This sponsorship is a very exciting addition to our Sport portfolio, and the ideal platform to support the development of a dedicated Tommy Hilfiger sailing apparel collection. We feel the VX40 series, with its speed, excitement and glamour, has the potential to become the ultimate Grand Prix of Sailing. It is an excellent vehicle to further communicate the global lifestyle appeal of the Tommy Hilfiger brand. We wish Randy and his crew the best of luck in the opening race.”
Hilfiger has long been inspired by the nautical community, sponsoring 2003 Around Alone winner Brad Van Liew in his Freedom America Open-50 racer, and more recently the 2005 Régattes Impériales in Ajaccio, Corsica. Other Tommy Hilfiger sports sponsorships have included: the Ferrari Formula One race team, US Ryder Cup golf star David Toms, the US Olympic Freestyle Ski team, in addition to providing the formal wardrobe for Arsenal FC for the 2005 FA Cup Final. Tommy Hilfiger Corporation, through its subsidiaries, designs, sources and markets men's and women's sportswear, jeanswear and childrenswear. The Company's brands include Tommy Hilfiger and Karl Lagerfeld.
Through a range of strategic licensing agreements, the Company also offers a broad array of related apparel, accessories, footwear, fragrance, and home furnishings. The Company's products can be found in leading department and specialty stores throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Mexico, Central and South America, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and other countries in the Far East, as well as the Company's own network of outlet and specialty stores in the United States, Canada and Europe.