Musto and World Sailing join forces in five year global partnership deal

Musto joins forces with World Sailing © Sailing Energy / World Sailing

At their virtual Brand Showcase event in London on Thursday, performance clothing brand Musto announced that they will join forces with World Sailing, the international federation for the sport, in a five year partnership that will cement Musto's position as the number one performance sailing brand in the world.

As a result of the new partnership, Musto will become a global partner to the Youth Sailing World Championship, the Hempel World Cup Series and Final, the Hempel Offshore World Championship, and the 2023 Sailing World Championships in The Hague, The Netherlands.

As part of the World Sailing and Musto partnership, the community of International Race Officials, responsible for governing the sport on the water at global events, will wear Musto clothing at World Sailing events. In addition, the World Sailing Team will wear Musto at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

In a live Q&A at Musto's Headquarters, overlooking the Tower of London, World Sailing Chief Executive Officer David Graham explained why they chose to partner with Musto.

"Musto was an obvious choice for World Sailing's Official Clothing Partner due to their long and successful legacy in sailing," commented Graham. "We are delighted to be partnering with them.

"Their pace of change and innovation is impressive. Our sport is evolving very quickly with much faster boats which puts a greater demand on the kit we wear. Musto have responded quickly, enabling the sailors to focus on performing.

"World Sailing has ambitious sustainability goals and it is hugely important that Musto are pioneering in this space in their industry. The partnership covers the depth and breadth of our sport, which will enable us to collaborate on many levels and, in turn, grow global participation."

Nick Houchin, Musto's Head of Marketing, explained:

"This partnership with World Sailing is the umbrella under which everything sits, allowing us to create brand advocacy by engaging the global sailing community from grassroots to Olympic level. It cements our position as the sailing world's leading performance clothing brand and will support our global growth ambitions. Now we are the Official Clothing Partner of sailing's governing body, we are looking forward to communicating and working with a truly global audience. It is something we are immensely excited about and proud to be a part of."

The World Sailing announcement was part of a wider programme of activity that showcased Musto's experience and expertise in sailing. Some of the sport's biggest names dialled in to the event for exclusive interviews with the international media. Tokyo Olympic Games team members John Gimson and Anna Burnet of the British Sailing Team, Charlie Enright of 11th Hour Racing Team, and French offshore sailor, Clarisse Crémer - who recently finished 12th in this year's Vendée Globe - all joined in a virtual capacity, to talk about their own relationships with Musto and how the brand has helped them achieve their goals.

"It's really important to have the right kit in order to perform at your best, day in, day out," explained Nacra 17 sailor and Olympic hopeful, Anna Burnet. "Musto understands our requirements for durable, flexible clothing that also provides us with a level of protection like no other. They help the British Sailing Team achieve those marginal gains so vital in securing a podium spot at each race."

In an exclusive interview recorded for the event, round the world sailor and record-breaker, Dame Ellen MacArthur, recalled the moment her relationship with Musto began.

"I remember the first letter that I received from Musto, when I'd won the Young Sailor of the Year award, back in 1994," she reminisced. "It was a letter from Keith Musto asking me to come into their offices and talk to them about what was next for me.

"That meeting I had with them brought together all my plans to sail around Britain when I was 18. I announced it there and then to the Musto team, and they supported me with my very first set of Musto oilskins. I've worked with them ever since. Musto has been a phenomenal supporter of all my offshore sailing, my team racing, and has supported the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust since its inception 18 years ago. I'm incredibly proud of our journey together."

Speaking after the showcase, Nick Houchin said:

"Today's event was a new way for us to show the world precisely how we're making waves in the industry. From our design team introducing innovative new products for this season, to hearing directly from our ambassadors about all they have achieved over the past year and what the future holds, the programme demonstrated the extent of our presence in sailing. It's an exciting time for our brand, with a huge amount of activity on the horizon."

For more information on Musto, please head to www.musto.com.