David Coulthard joins Hugo Boss for Rolex Fastnet Race

by Mary Ambler on 31 Jul 2003 Formula 1 Sailing, successful Gosport based yacht charter and events company, today launched their fifth Farr 65 yacht at Port Hamble.

Big Brother presenter Davina McCall was given the honour of launching and naming the brand new Farr 65 Hugo Boss, the designer brand sponsoring the boat for the Rolex Fastnet Race 2003.

The launch was very much a family affair as Master of Ceremonies for the day was Davina’s father Andrew McCall, Commercial Director of Portsmouth Harbour Events.

Both know Gosport sailor, 29 year old Alex Thomson, the director and founder of Formula 1 Sailing and now skipper of the Hugo Boss sailing team.

'Formula 1 Sailing has come a long way in 3 years, and today’s launch is a proud moment for the company. We have got twice as many people on the water sailing Formula 1 charter yachts this year, added more events to our programme and the company is now expanding worldwide.

Thanks to Hugo Boss’ sponsorship, we have been able to put together a proper campaign with this new Farr 65 for the Rolex Fastnet Race, and we aim to win on Hugo Boss.’

Scott Leith, head of the Hugo Boss Sailing Team, added: 'The Rolex Fastnet Race is one of the toughest offshore yacht races, but with the support of Hugo Boss we have been able to select and train up an experienced crew, mostly drawn from the world of business, to give us a real chance of winning overall on corrected time.’

Hans Schmitt, UK Managing Director of Hugo Boss, was to be present for the launch of the company's first sailing sponsorship campaign: 'Sailing is a new chapter but the next logical step in Hugo Boss’ sports sponsorship programme.

We have worked successfully for 22 years with McLaren Formula One Team and the qualities of this new sailing sponsorship perfectly match our brand. We hope that the Hugo Boss campaign with Formula 1 Sailing is the start of a long relationship with the sport of sailing.’

Hugo Boss will complete first a 300 mile qualifying offshore sail, before she returns to race in Class 0 for Skandia Cowes Week from the 4th August.

McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver David Coulthard will be racing on the Hugo Boss yacht on Friday 8th August. Hugo Boss will then take the start of the Rolex Fastnet Race 2003 at 10am on Sunday 10th August with a 22 strong crew.