Artemis will host an Open 60 race around the Isle of Wight as part of the Class 0 Big Boat Series at this year's Skandia Cowes Week Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK: Cowes Combined Clubs, the organisers of the world's longest-running and largest annual sailing regatta (August 3-11 2007) is pleased to announce that Artemis Investment Management, one of the UK's leading investment companies, is staging the inaugural Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week.
This event forms part of the Skandia Cowes Week IRC Class 0 Big Boat Series, racing around the Isle of Wight on Wednesday, 8th August. The race is scheduled to be a 50-mile sprint around the Island (subject to conditions) and will start at 10:00 from the Royal Yacht Squadron line, with Dame Ellen MacArthur on the start line to set the fleet on its way.
The Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week comprises an IMOCA Open 60 fleet competing for a generous prize fund of £10,000 that will be donated to the winning team's charity of choice. In addition, the winning entry picks up the Artemis Challenge Trophy.
The Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week has been introduced in order to promote the IMOCA Open 60 class in British waters - and where better to do that than at Skandia Cowes Week? Artemis Investment Management Limited has an established business relationship with title sponsor Skandia, and is equally passionate about performance both on and off the water.
The current line-up of entries already boasts some of the fastest Open 60's in the world, with leading offshore sailors at the helm: Jonny Malbon on Artemis Ocean Racing, competing for the Ocean Youth Trust charity Sam Davies on Roxy, charity TBC Guillermo Altadill on Estrella Damm, competing for the charity Africa Viva' Arnaud Boissières on Akena Verandas, competing for the charity A chacun son Everest' Steve White on Spirit of Weymouth, competing for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) Additional entries from around the world should be confirmed in the coming weeks to create a fleet of up to ten yachts.
Artemis CEO Mark Tyndall commented, "We wanted to celebrate the presence of the Open 60 Class at Skandia Cowes Week and provide a spectacle for the viewing public. The Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week has the potential to be an enjoyable day for everyone involved and a real crowd-pleaser. We look forward to welcoming a world-class fleet of yachts, promoting the sport and making a sizeable donation to charity. Let's hope for sunshine and strong winds."
The winner is expected to cross the finish line in the late afternoon, depending on the weather conditions.
Speaking on behalf of Skandia Cowes Week, Stuart Quarrie, CEO of Cowes Combined Clubs, the organising authority, added, "The inclusion of this exciting fleet into our Class 0 Big Boat Series race around the Island is very welcome and we are looking forward to some spectacular racing and a lot of fun."
The Artemis Challenge represents the first activity for Artemis Investment Management within the framework of the new relationship with IMOCA as Business Club Partner.
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