Artmore to race in St. Maarten Heineken Regatta

by Race Director on 11 Dec 2001 The St. Maarten Heineken Regatta received a terrific boost in December when Josh Hall confirmed that he will compete in the Big Boat class aboard his Open 60 ' Gartmore'.

Hall, a native of Ipswich, England, is forever a man with a mission and his participation in this year's regatta will stir up interest worldwide.

Hall's superb achievements read like a litany of ocean racing.

Between 1984 and 1987 Hall oversaw the building of the 60ft trimaran 'British Airways' and then went on to campaign the boat with legendary skipper, Sir Robin Knox
Johnston.

In 1990/1, Hall, sailing the Open 50 'New Spirit Of Ipswich', came third in class II of the BOC Solo round the world race, and then, just to prove he was made of the right
stuff, went on to win the 1991 BOC Transatlantic Challenge.

In the 1992/4 BOC Round the World race, Hall smashed into a submerged container while running at speed through the Southern Ocean. The collision sent his new Ocean
60 'Gartmore' to the bottom. But for Hall this was nothing more than a glitch, and in 1995 he was back with 'Gartmore 2', winning the Newport - Bermuda - Newport race.
And then for good measure, finished second in class 1 of the 1996 Europe 1 Star.

With a sense of 'unfinished business', Hall entered the 1998 Around Alone race (ex BOC Challenge) aboard his latest Open 60 'Gartmore 3', and once again took on the
Southern Ocean. But his luck ran out on the third leg from Auckland to Punta del Este when his mast went over the side taking with it all his hopes of finishing the race.

Undaunted he was back in the Southern Ocean in the millennium year, again aboard his now famous Ocean 60, 'Gartmore', in what must be the world's toughest race, the
Vendee Globe - where he finished 9th.

Heineken Regatta Director, Mirian Leffers, said the fact they can attract competitors of this caliber shows they are now well established on the world map of yacht racing.
'I think it is terrific that sailors such as Josh Hall consider the St. Maarten Heineken regatta worthy of their participation. Top class entries such as this are good for the
regatta, good for the island and good for Caribbean sailing in general,' she said.

To keep up to date on Heineken regatta news, visit our web site at please visit our website www.heinekenregatta.com or contact us per email:
office@heinekenregatta.com
telephone: **-599-544 2079