Rolex to sponsor Ilhabela Sailing Week

by Key Partners on 3 May 2007 Rolex and the Yacht Club Ilhabela are delighted to announce a partnership that will begin with the next edition of the largest sailing event in Brazil. Rolex is now the title sponsor of the Semana Internacional de Vela de Ilhabela, which will be named Rolex Ilhabela Sailing Week.

Rolex is known worldwide for actively partnering sport at the highest level and for its generous and extremely professional support. Rolex Ilhabela Sailing Week will be the first Rolex sponsored event in Brazil. The regatta has long been a tradition in Brazilian sailing and has now achieved international recognition by joining the prominent worldwide portfolio of yachting events partnered by Rolex. In Latin America the Circuito Atlántico Sur Rolex Cup, which is held anually between the cities of Buenos Aires, Argentina and Punta del Este, Uruguay, is already a part of that group.

The Rolex Ilhabela Sailing Week was first held in 1972. However, it was not until the 1980s that the event started to attract the participation of big boats. Today, these yachts dominate the competition. It did not take too long for Ilhabela to become known as the sailing capital of Brazil. Each year the event hosts over 200 yachts and more than 1500 professional and amateur sailors from all over Latin America.

Yacht Club Ilhabela, the home to the event, has a membership list that reads like a who's who of Brazilian sailing and business and includes renowned Olympic sailors such as Torben and Lars Grael, Eduardo Souza Ramos, Jorge Zarif, Cláudio Bierkark, Mário Buckup, Eduardo Penido, Sérgio Mirsky, Robert Scheidt, Alex Welter and Boris Ostergren, among many others.

This year the Rolex Ilhabela Sailing Week will stage the second round of the XI IMS and ORC Club South American Championship co-organized by the Yacht Club Argentino and the Yacht Club Punta del Este, which hosted the first round of the Championship in January this year. Beside the IMS and ORC Club, other classes invited to participate the Rolex Ilhabela Sailing Week include HPE, BRA-RGS, Bico de Proa, Delta 32 e Skipper 21.

The schedule of racing at Rolex Ilhabela Sailing Week will start with the traditional Alcatrazes Race on the morning of the 8th July. This distance race is followed by seven race windward-leeward series from 9th to 14th July.

The prizegiving ceremony and closing party will be held on 14th July from 1930 onwards at the Yacht Club Ilhabela.

Further information about the Yacht Club Ihlabela and the Rolex Ihlabela Sailing Week may be found at www.regattanews.com or www.risw.com.br

More information about the first round of the XI IMS and ORC Club South American Championship please visit: www.yca.org.ar or www.regattanews.com

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