Ben Fogle signs up for Big V Sail
by Jo Taylor, Watermark Communications 2 Jun 2006 20:10 BST
TV presenter out to claim World Record
TV presenter and travel writer Ben Fogle has announced that he is to take part in the inaugural Big V Sail offshore yacht race starting on July 10th in Portsmouth. Popular TV personality Ben made his intentions clear immediately by announcing that he is looking to put together a team capable of winning the event at the first attempt.
The Cork Week feeder race is the newest addition to the offshore yacht racing calendar and is open to all classes. The Big V Sail will be recorded by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC), so crews will be able to set an official World Record for the first Portsmouth to Cork race. As a result, the event is expected to attract all the big names travelling to Cork Week 2006.
Ben said: “After taking part in the Atlantic Rowing Race I’ve got a taste for ocean racing & I’m looking to be as competitive as possible. The Big V Sail is a great event & the course is no pushover so I’m definitely up for the challenge. That means getting a great boat, being really well prepared & putting together a top crew so we can go as fast as possible. I’d be kidding you if I said I wasn’t after the World Record, so I’m looking to join the best team that I can.”
The event is being organised by Virgin Money, the innovative insurer behind Big V Cancer Insurance, which launched in January this year.
Virgin Money Marketing Director Trevor Field said; “We are delighted to have Ben onboard. He loves a challenge and he has made it quite clear that he wants to win. I’m confident Ben can win the WSSRC record and I’m sure there will be a few pro sailors out there happy to take him on, so we should be set for a cracking race.”
The Big V Sail is backed by Olympic sailing hero and America’s Cup Captain Ian Walker who formally launched the event earlier this year at Gunwharf Quays. Entry to the race starts at £195 per boat and depends on the size of the boat, with crews raising sponsorship for Everyman Cancer. To register, owners need to go to the Big V website. Anyone wanting to crew can sign up on the website to be matched up with a boat.