Sailing continues to attract major corporate sponsors

by Al Constable on 8 Nov 2004 In the last few years Australian sailing has attracted some prestigious sponsors with Rolex adding the Sydney Hobart to its group of sporting events and Skandia, the international long terms saving group, twinning Skandia Geelong Week to Skandia Cowes Week.

Now Middle Harbour Yacht Club in Sydney's prestigious Short Ocean Racing Championship is being sponsored by Savills, one of the country’s largest commercial property consultants.

Founded in 1855 in the United Kingdom, Savills is one of the leading firms of international property consultants and real estate agents in the world, with offices and associates throughout the UK, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa.

With a national presence, the organisation has grown rapidly since its first entrée into Australia in 1993. Savills specialises in asset sales and acquisitions, valuations and management across retail, commercial and the industrial property sectors.

Savills CEO, Walter Carpenter, is not looking at the sport of sailing from the outside.

Carpenter started sailing as a nipper and in 1976 at age 18, he sailed in the Sydney Hobart race with his father Randolph on Balandra. For the last two years he has been sailing a Pacific 50 'Samarkand', which he owns with a sailing mate of 20 years, John Hancock.

In August this year, he sailed at Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island with a number of property industry friends and is aware the sport can be an excellent corporate promotional vehicle.

Now Carpenter is enjoying introducing his staff and clients to all aspects of sailing.

‘This year we will have 67 staff involved in a MHYC Thursday night twilight regatta, with 130 guests, just two nights before the Savills regatta starts,' he said.

'This regatta is an ideal corporate platform for us. The Short Ocean Racing Championship ranks as one of Australia’s most sailing prestigious events.

‘Savills is delighted to be sponsoring the SORC Regatta, we are enjoying our association with Middle Harbour Yacht Club and our contribution to the sport of yacht racing,' he concluded.